The Maple Leafs can pull four points behind the Atlantic Division-leading Bruins with a win on Saturday night.
The Maple Leafs can pull four points behind the Atlantic Division-leading Bruins with a win on Saturday night.
If there's any team the Maple Leafs should want to have a statement win against, it's the Boston Bruins.
Toronto had a 3-1 lead over Seattle on Thursday night before the Kraken came back and forced to game to overtime. The Maple Leafs ultimately won in a shootout, courtesy of goals from Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.
It's going to be yet another challenge on Saturday against the Atlantic Division-leading Bruins. Boston has 13 regulation wins this season, eight more than Toronto has this year.
But it's a massive game in the standings as well as the Bruins have 33 points while the Maple Leafs have 27 and are tied for third in the division. Another storyline heading into Saturday night was the Maple Leafs and Bruins last game against each other.
Back on Nov. 2, Brad Marchand took Timothy Liljegren into the boards awkwardly. The Maple Leafs defenseman left the game and ended up going on LTIR with a high-ankle sprain.
Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said on Thursday that Liljegren began skating and was seen on the ice on Saturday morning before Toronto's morning skate.
In terms of starting goaltenders for both teams, Joseph Woll will get the start for Toronto. Martin Jones was called up from the Marlies on Saturday morning because Ilya Samsonov is out with an illness. He'll backup Woll.
Linus Ullmark is the starting goaltender for the Bruins against the Maple Leafs.
If there's anyone else who wants to have a big game for the Maple Leafs, it's Matthews. The 26-year-old hasn't scored in four-straight games, though he still has two assists through that span.
"No, he's got to do better in that area," Keefe said of if Matthews is doing the things he needs to do to get chances. "Don't focus on the end result and get concerned with anything other than doing the things that allow you to have success."
It's also a special game for NHL rookie Matt Poitras, who's playing his first game in Toronto for the Bruins and it comes on a Saturday night too.
Where to watch
The game will broadcast nationally in Canada on Sportsnet. In the Boston area, you'll be able to find the game on NESN. For the rest of the United States, the game will be on NHL Network. The rest of the world can stream the game on NHL Live.
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