Tavares OK for Recreation 5 of Japanese 1st Spherical, keen to assist Maple Leafs advance – NHL.com

Middle briefly left OT loss to Senators on Saturday after hit from Zub, has historical past of clutch postseason targets
© Claus Andersen/Getty Photographs
TORONTO — John Tavares isn’t about to let some aches and pains in his face stand in the best way of doing his half for the Toronto Maple Leafs in Recreation 5 of the Japanese Convention First Spherical towards the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Enviornment on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET: CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN).
The Maple Leafs middle missed greater than 10 minutes of sport time in additional time of Recreation 4 on Saturday when he was despatched to concussion protocol after absorbing a success from Senators defenseman Artem Zub. Tavares did return to take three shifts in a 4-3 loss victory at Canadian Tire Centre and was one of many first gamers on the ice for follow Monday.
“I really feel good,” Tavares mentioned. “A little bit of soreness simply in my jaw and cheek space, however [I] felt good. I felt good on the ice as we speak.”
That’s optimistic information for a Maple Leafs staff that wants Tavares to be a difference-maker like he’s been previously, particularly given Toronto’s historical past of being unable to place postseason opponents away when given the chance.
The Maple Leafs could have one other likelihood to do it Tuesday, being up 3-1 within the best-of-7 collection, and shall be trying to him to repeat previous heroics.
In spite of everything, he’s had a historical past of with the ability to thrust the ultimate dagger into groups throughout elimination video games, a feat his high-profile teammates have but to perform.
Since forwards Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander first began enjoying collectively in 2016, Toronto is 1-12 in video games by which it might have eradicated the opposition with a victory. Its solely win in that point got here courtesy of Tavares, who scored at 4:36 of additional time to offer the Maple Leafs a 2-1 victory towards the Tampa Bay Lightning in Recreation 6 of their 2023 Japanese Convention First Spherical and a 4-2 victory within the best-of-7 collection.
It’s the solely postseason collection win the franchise has managed to have previously 21 years.
Previous to signing a seven-year, $77 million contract ($11 million common annual worth) with the Maple Leafs on July 1, 2018, Tavares already had produced a series-deciding postseason second.
In Recreation 6 of the 2016 first-round collection between the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers, Tavares tied it with 54 seconds left within the third interval, then received it at 10:41 of the second additional time for a 2-1 victory and the Islanders’ first collection win since 1993.
It speaks to Tavares’s capacity to return by way of within the clutch, a trait the Maple Leafs hope he’ll replicate Tuesday.
“I simply assume it’s the entire alternative,” Tavares mentioned. “I feel it’s the entire sport the place you go on the market and attempt to make a distinction and attending to compete within the Stanley Cup Playoffs and have a chance to pursue that aim and that dream. Any time you may have an opportunity to maneuver on, that’s what it comes all the way down to.
“It’s a scenario the place you need to go on the market and make a distinction, whether or not that’s doing one thing defensively, making a play that may result in a aim, or placing it behind the web your self. So, you proceed to play your sport the correct solution to play effectively and play at a excessive stage and execute when the alternatives come.”
With the scenario from Recreation 4 within the rearview mirror, the agenda of the Maple Leafs is straightforward — discover a solution to win their fourth sport within the collection, which has confirmed to be a tough job.
“We simply must match the desperation they’re going to return with,” defenseman Chris Tanev mentioned. “We felt we did lots of good issues the final sport, however the end result clearly wasn’t what we needed.
“Look, it’s going to be a tougher sport tomorrow than it was final sport. They’re going to be extra determined, and we’ve to match that desperation. Hopefully we are able to feed off the power of our crowd and use that to our benefit.”
🔹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

source