What is there to say about the Penguins? They are a very good hockey team, they won the Stanley Cup in June. The still have some of the best players in the league.
The Toronto Maple Leafs would like to be the Pittsburgh Penguins, but aren't there yet. Their very good players are young, but have lots and lots of talent. They won’t win the Stanley Cup next June, but they should get the chance to play for it next season.
Penguins @ Maple Leafs
7:00PM - Air Canada Centre
Watch: CBC, Game Centre Live
Listen: TSN1050, Sportsnet590
SBN Rival: Pensburgh
The Maple Leafs announced yesterday that Martin Marincin will be out 4-6 weeks, setting up a chance for a rare Frank Corrado sighting, if he’s lucky.
The Leafs are in the middle of a five game home stand where they’ve lost 3-1 to the lowly Colorado Avalanche, and have back to back blown lead shootout losses to the Sharks and Coyotes. They will play Anaheim at home on Monday, and then have a four game road trip around Christmas break before the Centennial Classic on January 1st.
Jhonas Enroth is back as the back up goalie while Antoine Bibeau gets some games in with the Marlies.
The Penguins are coming to Toronto after three games at home that saw them destroy Arizona 7-0, squeak past the Bruins 4-3 in overtime and lose to the Kings last night 1-0 in overtime.
The Penguins have their strong forwards intact, but have lost Kris Letang for the next little while, so the Leafs can take advantage of a tired Pens defence who are also missing a key player.
A quick stats shot and some line ups for you will complete this brief preview. I’m off to shovel some snow now.
| Pittsburgh | Toronto |
|---|---|
| 20-7-4 | 11-11-7 |
| 1st | 8th |
| 1st | 15th |
| 1st | 26th |
| 108/88 = +20 | 83/90 = -7 |
| 20.5% - 10th | 19.1% - 14th |
| 77.8% - 26th | 83.5% - 9th |
| Sidney Crosby - 21 | Auston Matthews - 14 |
| Evgeni Malkin - 33 Sidney Crosby - 33 | Auston Mathews - 23 |
| Matt Murray - .937sv% | Frederik Andersen - .916sv% |
Toronto Maple Leafs
Leo Komarov - Nazem Kadri - Connor Brown
James van Riemsdyk - Tyler Bozak - Mitchell Marner
Zach Hyman - Auston Matthews - William Nylander
Matt Martin - Ben Smith - Nikita Soshnikov
Morgan Rielly - Nikita Zaitsev
Jake Gardiner - Connor Carrick
Matt Hunwick - Roman Polak
Frederik Andersen
Jhonas Enroth
Pittsburgh Penguins
Conor Sheary - Sidney Crosby - Patric Hornqvist
Carl Hagelin - Evgeni Malkin - Phil Kessel
Chris Kunitz - Nick Bonino - Bryan Rust
Scott Wilson - Matt Cullen - Tom Kuhnhackl
Olli Maatta - Trevor Daley
Brian Dumoulin - Derrick Pouliot
Ian Cole - Justin Schultz
Matt Murray
Marc-Andre Fleury
