Maple Leafs @ Ducks Preview: Quack

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Anaheim Ducks: Game #23
8:00 p.m. ET at Honda Center
TV/Streaming: TSN 4

The Leafs get set to close out their California road trip with a sweep as they get set to face the not mighty Ducks at 5pm PST. There are a few big stories heading into the game. First up, Jason Spezza gets set to play his 1200th career game. Former Duck Ondřej Kaše will not play as he’s still suffering from that upper body injury. And Kyle Clifford will make his Leafs debut Reloaded tonight along with Dermott in for Liljegren as Keefe calls for “fresh legs.”

Jason Spezza

Coach Spezza! Coach Spezza! Coach Spezza! Coach Spezza! Coach Spezza! Coach Spezza! Coach Spezza! Coach Spezza! Coach Spezza! Coach Spezza! Coach Spezza! Coach Spezza!

Spezza: "A big skill, if you want to play for a long time, is just being honest in assessing how you're playing. If you wait until the coach tells you you're not playing good, a lot of times it's too late ... I've prided myself on evaluating my own game"https://t.co/0Kwe0sgAEH

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) November 28, 2021

Ondřej Kaše

Kaše played four seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, including a 20-goal season in 2018. After getting bounced through Boston, he’s here in Toronto with his best buddy David Kämpf having the hottest start to a season in his career. Unfortunately, he has to miss his second game with an upper body injury. It says a lot that he’s willing to miss this important game for him in order to get properly healthy and not rush. Keefe has said during the week that he probably could go, but they want to make sure he’s taken care of first.

Clifford the Big Red Dog and Travis Der-mutt

Clifford will be making his season debut on the fourth line with Spezza and Engvall, while Dermott skates alongside Sandin on the third pair.

Sheldon Keefe says Ondrej Kase (upper body) is OUT tomorrow

Coach confirms Travis Dermott & Kyle Clifford are IN ... fresh bodies at the end of a long trip @TSN_Edge

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) November 27, 2021

LOLHABS

You know what it is.

Leafs have won 13 of 15 but no one seems satisfied

William Nylander: "Maybe we've learned from past years where we've played a couple of really good games & then we just relax and take our foot off the gas"

Toronto can tie franchise record with a 7th straight road win tonight

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) November 28, 2021

Us

Forwards
Michael Bunting - Auston Matthews - Mitchell Marner
Alex Kerfoot - John Tavares - William Nylander
Nick Ritchie - David Kämpf - Wayne Simmonds
Kyle Clifford - Pierre Engvall - Jason Spezza
Injured: Ondřej Kaše
Scratched: Kirill Semyonov

Defense
Morgan Rielly - TJ Brodie
Jake Muzzin - Justin Holl
Rasmus Sandin - Travis Dermott
Scratched: Timothy Liljegren

Goalies
Jack Campbell - confirmed starter
Joseph Woll

Them

The Ducks are third in the Pacific Division at the moment, 11th in the NHL after 21 games, and come in having won seven of their last 10 games. They are ever-so-slightly on the fun side of the hockey spectrum, but very solidly average.

Their strength this season comes from having the fourth best goaltending save percentage in the league and sixth best shooting percentage. The Leafs are second and 24th in those categories now, for the record. The shooting percentage is coming up for the Buds, who were right at the bottom of the league a few weeks ago.

The Ducks have a very hot power play right now, as they are behind only Edmonton in goals rate and shooting percentage. That said, they are closer to 21st in the league in GF/60 on the power play than they are to the Oilers.

Senators this year have perfected the trick of waiting until the last few minutes and /then/ allowing the game-winner. pic.twitter.com/is9H6ILV3z

— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) November 26, 2021

Forwards
Adam Henrique - Ryan Getzlaf - Troy Terry
Sonny Milano - Trevor Zegras - Rickard Rakell
Sam Steel - Isac Lundestrom - Jakob Silfverberg
Nicolas Deslauriers - Derek Grant - Sam Carrick

Defense
Hampus Lindholm - Jamie Drysdale
Cam Fowler - Josh Manson
Josh Mahura - Kevin Shattenkirk

Goalies
John Gibson - confirmed starter
Anthony Stolarz