Okay. Game Three. It’s on home ice for the Maple Leafs. Sure we’re missing Nazem Kadri and now Leo Komarov. That’s all right. The fans are now on the Leafs side. The boos turn to cheers. The cheers turn to shutting the hell up. These next two games are in the Leafs favour. Just focus on winning at home, and make it a three game series. It’s fine. They got this.

Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs
7:00PM - Air Canada Centre
Watch: CBC, Sportsnet, NHL Live, Sportsnet NOW
Listen: TSN 1050, Sportsnet 590
SBN: Stanley Cup of Chowder

Okay. Leo Komarov has a lower body injury, and there are three players out and ready to play: Dominic Moore, Josh Leivo, and Matt Martin. There’s lots of talk about calling up Carl Grundstrom who just recently came over to North America, and I don’t know.

With Komarov gone there’s an experience void there that a random Marlie can’t fill. My assumption is that one of the three scratches will play, but which one?

Matt Martin is in year two of a four year contract and played in 50 games this season, the majority of them at the start of the season. Martin isn’t a point getter, but he’s well liked by the players and could possibly be the guy to punch Brad Marchand in his stupid fucking face. Downside is that the Bruins power-play is running roughshod over the Maple Leafs and Martin is a penalty taker. In fact despite sitting for 32 games, Martin is the Maple Leafs regular season penalty minutes leader.

Dominic Moore is a centre who is in his 14th NHL season and disappeared from the Leafs line up late into the season. Like Martin he played 50 games this year and put up 12 points. When Kadri was suspended it was a little surprising that the Leafs would move a winger to centre rather than user a centre they had ready. This could mean Moore is done as a player, or at least in Babcock’s eyes he is. He’s 37 years old and perhaps can’t keep up with the team any more.

Josh Leivo ran over someone’s dog in the ACC parking lot. He played 15 games last season and 16 games this season. Him getting into a playoff game would be a miracle. When playing, he’s played well, but it’s an incredibly small sample size.

What about calling some one up? Well you could, but that’s essentially telling those three they’re useless to you as players. A message Leivo and Martin have gotten repeatedly.

Boston Bruins

Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk - David Krejci - Rick Nash
Ryan Donato - Noel Acciari - David Backes
Tim Schaller - Sean Kuraly - Danton Heinen

Zdeno Chara - Charlie McAvoy
Torey Krug - Kevan Miller
Matt Grzelcyk - Adam McQuaid

Tuukka Rask
Anton Khudobin

Toronto Maple Leafs

???? - Auston Matthews - William Nylander
Zach Hyman - Patrick Marleau - Mitchell Marner
James van Riemsdyk - Tyler Bozak - Connor Brown
Andreas Johnsson - Tomas Plekanec - Kasperi Kapanen

Morgan Rielly - Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner - Nikita Zaitsev
Travis Dermott - Roman Polak

Frederik Andersen
Curtis McElhinney

You know what? And here’s a crazy thought so bear with me. Why not call up Andreas Borgman and give him Kapanen’s slot on the fourth line. Bump Kappy up to play with Marner/Marleau or Matthews/Nylander.

There’s talk of a more physical game needed and Borgman can play that game and keep up speed wise. He’s a defender, sure, but on the fourth line is that a huge deal?Just a crazy thought I had.

All right. We’ll know soon who’s replacing Leo.  Let’s hope for some fun news and let’s get ready for tonight’s game.

It’s okay everyone.

They got this.

Go Leafs Go.

Updated with lines from morning skate.

Game CoverageMaple Leafs Playoffs