Senators at Maple Leafs, Jap Convention 1st Spherical Sport 2 preview – NHL.com

Toronto seeks 1st 2-0 playoff sequence lead since 2002, ready for stiffer resistance from Ottawa
© Claus Andersen/Getty Photographs
TORONTO — The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to take their first 2-0 lead in a Stanley Cup Playoff sequence in 23 years once they host the Ottawa Senators in Sport 2 of the Jap Convention First Spherical at Scotiabank Enviornment on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET: CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN2).
Toronto has not received the primary two video games of a postseason sequence since doing so within the first spherical towards the New York Islanders in 2002. The Maple Leafs went on to win that best-of-7 sequence in seven video games.
Toronto defeated Ottawa 6-2 in Sport 1 on Sunday however is braced for a pushback from the Senators.
“We’re going to have the identical mindset as we did in Sport 1,” Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev mentioned after Toronto’s morning skate. “We’re targeted on one sport at a time.
“We’re not trying into the previous or again on the previous or trying into the longer term. We have to keep within the current and keep assured and be collectively and play our sport.”
The lone lineup change for Toronto entails ahead Pontus Holmberg, who changed Max Domi on the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander throughout observe Monday. Domi dropped all the way down to the third line, the place he’ll middle Bobby McMann and Nicholas Robertson.
“Only a matchup factor,” coach Craig Berube mentioned.
The Senators, in the meantime, might be confronted with quite a few game-time selections.
Ahead Ridly Greig and defenseman Nick Jensen didn’t take part within the morning skate. Afterward, Ottawa coach Travis Inexperienced mentioned every must be accessible to play.
Inexperienced wouldn’t verify if Nick Cousins would enter into the lineup after sitting out Sport 1, however the ahead spoke as if he’d be enjoying; he performed the ultimate two video games of the common season after lacking the earlier 30 due to knee surgical procedure.
“I really feel good,” Cousins mentioned after the Senators morning skate. “I imply, I clearly need to are available and assist the fellows out and supply some power and get a win on the finish of the day.”
Groups that take a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven sequence personal an all-time sequence file of 353-56 (.863), together with a 266-34 (.887) mark when beginning at residence.
Here’s a breakdown of Sport 2:
Senators: Lacking morning skates has been an everyday incidence for Jensen throughout the common season, however most of the time, he has performed within the sport that night time. Greig, nevertheless, has been an everyday participant in morning skates, so his absence provides to the intrigue. Ottawa is intent on having higher self-discipline than they did in Sport 1 once they took 15 penalties for a complete of 38 minutes, in comparison with Toronto’s 9 penalties and 18 minutes.
Maple Leafs: Goalie Anthony Stolarz was within the starter’s web throughout the morning skate after getting a relaxation day Monday. Domi’s shift again to middle on the third line is an try to ignite McMann’s offense and break his purpose funk; he has gone 12 video games with no purpose (11 common season, one playoff) since scoring in a 7-2 win towards the Philadelphia Flyers on March 25.
Quantity to know: 6. Toronto’s blocked photographs margin in Sport 1; the Maple Leafs had 18 blocks to the Senators’ 12. Toronto defenseman Jake McCabe led all gamers in that class with 4.
What to search for: Berube mentioned the Maple Leafs should play higher 5-on-5 than they did in Sport 1. He particularly thought the Claude Giroux–Tim Stutzle–Brady Tkachuk line had far too many straightforward offensive zone entries, one thing he mentioned Toronto wants to handle. Will Toronto’s defensemen arise on the blue line extra and drive the Stutzle line to dump pucks in deep?
🔹Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
🔹Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
🔹Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals
🔹New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes
🔹St. Louis Blues vs. Winnipeg Jets
🔹Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars
🔹Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Golden Knights
🔹Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings
“It’s superior. That’s why you play the sport. Since I used to be a little bit child, simply watching the rivalries, watching Don Cherry’s Rock’em Sock’em (movies), it’s simply good recollections for me. And to have the ability to stay a rivalry like Ottawa-Toronto, it doesn’t get any higher than this.” — Senators ahead Claude Giroux, a local of Hearst, Ontario, who’s getting his first style of the playoff version of the Battle of Ontario
“I didn’t actually perceive all of it, you understand, earlier than this. I watched it previously, clearly. However, you understand, there’s some hatred there for certain. And it’s fairly good. I take pleasure in it.” — Berube, when requested about his first postseason Battle of Ontario
Brady Tkachuk — Tim Stutzle — Claude Giroux
David Perron — Dylan Cozens — Drake Batherson
Fabian Zetterlund — Shane Pinto — Michael Amadio
Nick Cousins — Adam Gaudette — Matthew Highmore
Jake Sanderson — Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot — Travis Hamonic
Tyler Klevin — Nikolas Matinpalo
Linus Ullmark
Anton Forsberg
Scratched: Dennis Gilbert, Leevi Merilainen, Ridly Greig, Nick Jensen
Injured: Hayden Hodgson (decrease physique)
Matthew Knies — Auston Matthews — Mitch Marner
Pontus Holmberg — John Tavares — William Nylander
Bobby McMann — Max Domi — Nicholas Robertson
Steven Lorentz — Scott Laughton — Calle Jarnkrok
Morgan Rielly — Brandon Carlo
Jake McCabe — Chris Tanev
Simon Benoit — Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Anthony Stolarz
Joseph Woll
Scratched: Dakota Mermis, Philippe Myers, Max Pacioretty, David Kampf, Ryan Reaves, Artur Akhtyamov
Injured: Jani Hakanpaa (decrease physique)
Standing report
The Senators traces mirrored these used throughout their morning skate. … The Maple Leafs will costume the identical 18 skaters they used of their 6-2 win in Sport 1. … The Holmberg-Domi change was foreshadowed after Berube moved Holmberg as much as the second line instead of Domi halfway by means of Sport 1.

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