Fresh off their first win, and three points in their last two games, the Rangers are in Toronto to continue their road trip. The Leafs are not the Habs, and are quite good. The Rangers are also pretty banged up in their top six. Ryan Strome is still in COVID protocol, and now Kaapo Kakko is on IR with a lower body injury. The depth they once thought they had is now gone, and Kevin Rooney is now their 3C. That’s no bueno.
It’s going to be a tough ask for the Rangers to get two points in regulation against the Leafs. They are loaded up front, and the Rangers have made taking penalties a habit. If you give this team too many chances, they will make you pay. Stay out of the box, stay in the game.
Just a note about the lines – I do the best I can, but with Gerard Gallant playing games, it’s tough to nail these before the post goes up.
Leafs Lines
Nick Ritchie-Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner
Michael Bunting-John Tavares-William Nylander
Alex Kerfoot-David Kampf-Ondrej Kase
Pierre Engvall-Jason Spezza-Wayne Simmonds
Morgan Reilly-TJ Brodie
Jake Muzzin-Jared Holl
Rasmus Sandin-Travis Dermott
Jack Campbell gets the start.
Rangers Lines (Best Guess)
Alexis Lafreniere-Mika Zibanejad-Chris Kreider
Artemiy Panarin–Filip Chytil–Barclay Goodrow
Sammy Blais–Kevin Rooney–Julien Gauthier
Dryden Hunt–Greg KcKegg-Ryan Reaves
Ryan Lindgren–Adam Fox
K’Andre Miller-Jacob Trouba
Patrik Nemeth-Nils Lundkvist
PP1: Lafreniere-Zibanejad-Panarin-Kreider-Fox
PP2: Hunt-Chytil-Blais-Lundkvist-Trouba
Igor Shesterkin gets the start.
Scratches/Injuries: Ryan Strome (COVID protocol), Kaapo Kakko (lower body), Libor Hajek (healthy), Jarred Tinordi (healthy), Morgan Barron (healthy)
Crazy Prediction: The entire fourth line scores.
Game time is 7pm.
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