Good Morning Maple Leafs fans. The California road trip is over, and the Leafs come home with just one point out of a possible six. Not helping the playoff chances very much.
Luckily the majority of the Maple Leafs games remaining are with teams below them in the standings, so that should lead to more wins down the stretch. Which is good because three out of the last four games are against the Capitals, Penguins, and Blue Jackets.
Let’s see what’s on deck today:
Very Important
New Jersey Devils @ Boston Bruins - 7:00PM
Cheer For: The Devils. New Jersey is eight points back of Toronto, and we need a regulation in over Boston to keep the Bruins within a two point reach.
Montreal Canadiens @ New York Rangers - 7:00PM
Cheer For: The Canadiens. Now now, listen to me. A Habs win tonight keeps them on top of the division, and the Senators would be an easier opponent if the Leafs make it back to third in the Atlantic.
Tampa Bay Lightning @ Buffalo Sabres - 7:00PM
Cheer For: The Sabres. Buffalo is five points back to Tampa;s four. A Sabres win keeps Tampa four back and while it does move the Sabres to three back, neither is one win away.
Dallas Stars @ Florida Panthers - 7:00PM
Cheer For: The Stars. Easy pick here. The Stars are in the west and the Panthers are just one point back of the Maple Leafs.
Columbus Blue Jackets @ Ottawa Senators - 7:00PM
Cheer For: Columbus. The Senators are four points up on the Leafs, so we want to keep that gap small.
Philadelphia Flyers @ Washington Capitals - 7:30PM
Cheer For: Washington. The Caps have won the east, and the Flyers are creeping up the standings, they’re just three points back of the Leafs.
Meh, whatever
Colorado Avalanche @ Winnipeg Jets* - 7:00PM
Always root against the Jets*.
Chicago Blackhawks @ Nashville Predators - 8:00PM
I’m rooting for the Perds.
Vancouver Canucks @ Los Angeles Kings - 10:00PM
I’m cheering for Vancouver. I’d rather see St. Louis get in than LA.
Detroit Red Wings @ Edmonton Oilers - 10:00PM
Rooting for the Red Wings because a late season collapse by the Oilers would be pretty funny.
The Leafs are back in action on Tuesday, so, I dunno, take up crochet?
