Simulating Toronto vs. Boston Game 5 in NHL 24. Can the Maple Leafs keep their season alive? Or will they suffer yet another disappointing first-round exit?
To politely say it, all is currently not well in Leafs Nation. Toronto is on the brink of another first-round exit to the Boston Bruins for the third time in six years.
To make things worse, their franchise centerman Auston Matthews did not practice on Monday. The illness that he has been dealing with appears as if it will stop him from playing game five in Boston. Maple Leafs Site Editor David Alter provided an update on the Leafs following their practice in his article here.
Joseph Woll came into the third period of game four in relief for Ilya Samsonov and all signs point towards Woll getting his first start of the series.
Defenseman Timothy Liljegren was replaced on Toronto's third pair for veteran T.J. Brodie. But at practice, Liljegren was back with Joel Edmundson and looks to be getting back in the lineup.
Toronto's Projected Lines:
Bertuzzi - Domi - Marner
Knies - Tavares - Nylander
Robertson - Holmberg - Jarnkrok
Dewar - Kampf - Reaves
Rielly - Lyubushkin
Benoit - McCabe
Edmundson - Liljegren
Woll
Samsonov
Boston had Brad Marchand and Danton Heinen miss yesterday's practice for maintenance. As reported by our Boston Site Editor Joe Pohoryles, defenseman Derek Forbort and former Toronto Marlies right winger Justin Brazeau are options for the Bruins Tuesday night.
Seeing as Forbort was practicing on the third pair with Parker Wotherspoon, we're projecting that he will play in game five.
Boston's Projected Lines:
Marchand - Coyle - Geekie
DeBrusk - Zacha - Geekie
Van Riemsdyk - Frederic - Heinen
Beecher - Boqvist - Maroon
Lohrei - McAvoy
Lindholm - Carlo
Forbort - Wotherspoon
Swayman
Ullmark
If game five turns out the way NHL 24 predicts, Leafs fans will be quite outraged.
Toronto had a 2-1 lead heading into the third period before completely collapsing. Boston scored four goals on eight shots against Woll who outside of the third played well.
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