It’s Toronto Maple Leafs game day everybody, and the Los Angeles Kings are in town, fresh off a win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night. The Leafs lost to the Ottawa Senators, so they’ll be looking to get back into their winning ways.
Los Angeles Kings @ Toronto Maple Leafs
7:00 PM - Air Canada Centre
TV: TSN4, TVA Sports, Fox Sports West
Radio: TSN1050
SBN Rival: Jewels from the Crown / Battle of California
(Sure the Kings get two sites but the goldmine that is junior hockey goes ignored grumble grumble)
Last night the Maple Leafs announced the signing of defender Roman Polak to a one year, $1.1 million dollar deal. After that the world came to an end. Or something. Polak says he’ll be playing tonight, so it’s a big night for Leafs twitter.
So, aside from Polak, how are these teams doing?
The Kings are 6-0-1, undefeated in regulation time. The Maple Leafs are 6-2-0, and only one point behind the Kings. Overall? Things are okay.
Numbers Preview
| Maple Leafs | Team | Devils |
|---|---|---|
| 265GF - 226GA - +29 | Goal Differential | 238GF - 234GA - +4 |
| 24.4% - 2nd overall | Power Play | 21.7 - 10th overall |
| 81.3% - 12th overall | Penalty Kill | 81.9% - 7th overall |
| James van Riemsdyk - 36 | Most Goals | Taylor Hall - 39 |
| Mitch Marner - 47 | Most Assists | Taylor Hall - 54 |
| Mitch Marner - 69 | Most Points | Taylor Hall - 93 |
| Matt Martin - 50 | Most PM | Miles Wood - 84 |
| Jake Gardiner - 22:33/G | TOI Leader | Sami Vatanen - 22:42 |
| Frederik Andersen - .917sv% | Starting Goalie | Keith Kincaid - .911sv% |
Toronto Maple Leafs lines
(via Daily Faceoff)
Zach Hyman - Auston Matthews - William Nylander
Patrick Marleau - Nazem Kadri - Leo Komarov
James van Riemsdyk - Tyler Bozak - Connor Brown
Matt Martin - Dominic Moore - Mitch Marner
Morgan Rielly - Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner - Nikita Zaitsev
Andreas Borgman - Roman Polak
Frederik Andersen
Curtis McElhinney
The Leafs morning skate was optional today, and Connor Carrick, Eric Fehr, Josh Leivo, and McBackUp were the only ones skating. Who is Polak actually being paired with? Stay tuned.
Los Angeles Kings lines
(via Daily Faceoff)
Alex Iafallo - Anze Kopitar - Dustin Brown
Tanner Pearson - Nick Shore - Tyler Toffoli
Michael Cammalleri - Adrian Kempe - Trevor Lewis
Andy Andreoff - Brooks Laich - Nic Dowd
Derek Forbort - Drew Doughty
Jake Muzzin - Alec Martinez
Kurtis MacDermid - Christian Folin
Jonathan Quick
Darcy Kuemper
Former Maple Leaf alert! Brooks Laich is on the LA Kings roster, back in the NHL after being told to go away and not play for the Marlies last season. He’s only played one game for the Kings so far, but with this being game one of a back to back for Los Angeles he may get some playing time to split up the benched players.
The Maple Leafs are facing a big challenge tonight, with a team that has a single loss on the season on the ice. After a 6-3 loss to Ottawa, can they bounce back and de-throne the Kings?
Yes. Yes they can.
