The Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings skated at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.
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The Leafs will look to snap out of a three-game losing streak on Thursday without captain Auston Matthews, who is dealing with a lower-body injury.
How long will Matthews be out?
“I’m hoping a week, but maybe sooner,” coach Craig Berube said. “We’ll just see. It’s kind of like one of those things [where] he could come in a couple days from now and [he’s] feeling a lot better, and hopefully he’s good to go, but we’ll see. But it could be as long as a week.”
Berube did not specify how Matthews picked up the injury on Tuesday, but said it did not happen on the big hit from Bruins defenceman Nikita Zadorov, which garnered so much attention.
TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reports the injury is not connected to the ailment that sidelined Matthews for 15 games last season.
The Leafs went 10-5-0 without Matthews last year.
Johnston: Matthews injury isn’t serious and is unrelated to last year’s ailments TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston joins Mark Masters to discuss the injury update on Auston Matthews, the latest on when Joseph Woll will return to the Maple Leafs, if there could be a shakeup coming if Toronto doesn’t turn things around soon, and David Kämpf exiting the organization amicably.
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Matthews did not skate with the team on Thursday. John Tavares moved up to the No. 1 centre spot skating between Matthew Knies and William Nylander.
“He’s in tremendous shape,” said Berube. “I don’t feel it would be an issue if I need to use him more.”
Tavares is averaging 17 minutes and 37 seconds of ice time per game this season, which is down from 18 minutes and 14 seconds last year.
“The way I try to prepare and try to take care of myself, I don’t know if it needs to be emphasized, but when things like this happen, or you play a little bit more, or there’s a stretch where you’re playing four in six days, all sorts of things, you know you’re in a good spot to handle the workflow.”
Prior to getting hurt on Tuesday, Matthews led Leafs forwards in even-strength ice time (16:45 per game). Tavares is averaging 14:17 of even-strength ice time per outing.
“He’s kind of been the go-to guy everywhere he’s been,” said Knies. “He’s been a great player for us, so I expect him to keep going and lead us here.”
The 35-year-old Tavares is off to a strong start this season with nine goals and 12 assists in 17 games.
Max Domi is moving up to the second-line centre spot. He skated between Bobby McMann and Nick Robertson on Thursday morning.
The third line of Nicolas Roy between Dakota Joshua and Matias Maccelli is staying intact. Steven Lorentz will shift from wing to centre on the fourth line. Calle Jarnkrok, who was a healthy scratch on Tuesday, draws in.
Domi is taking Matthews’ spot on the top power-play unit.
“An amazing playmaker,” said Nylander of Domi. “Will find and thread the needle, so it’ll be a lot of fun to have him out there.”
Leafs Ice Chips: With Matthews out, Tavares ready for more minutes With Auston Matthews out against the Kings tonight, John Tavares will move up to the top line between Matthew Knies and William Nylander. Tavares is off to a great start this season but is playing a little less than last year, and TSN’s Mark Masters asked Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube to assess the ability of Tavares to take on more minutes.
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Anthony Stolarz did not take the ice on Thursday morning. He is listed as day-to-day after leaving Tuesday’s game with an upper-body injury.
So, Dennis Hildeby will play his 10th NHL game on Thursday. The 6-foot-7 goalie, known as ‘beast’ to teammates, has posted a .909 save percentage in three appearances, including two in relief, since being called up on Saturday.
“His demeanour has been excellent,” said Tavares. “Obviously he’s a beast for a reason, so I know he’s definitely chomping at the bit for the opportunity here. We’ve got to continue to get better in front of him.”
Artur Akhtyamov has been called up from the American Hockey League and will dress as the backup goalie on Thursday.
Joseph Woll is getting a rest day after starting for the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday as part of an AHL conditioning stint. Johnston reports that Woll could be called up on Friday.
Darcy Kuemper starts for the Kings, who are 7-1-2 on the road this season.
‘He’s a beast for a reason’: With Stolarz out, Hildeby starts against Kings Dennis Hildeby will be starting tonight against the Kings with Anthony Stolarz listed as day-to-day, and his teammates praise the job he’s done in goal with William Nylander saying he’s been ‘unbelievable’ after being thrown ‘right into the fire.’
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The Leafs are facing some early-season adversity as they try and snap out of a skid without their captain and No. 1 goalie. Defenceman Chris Tanev and centre Scott Laughton are also sidelined.
“We’ve got a veteran group here,” Berube stressed. “I have full trust in these guys. I think that they all know what they have to do and they’ve all been through this before in their careers in different situations, maybe different teams, but I feel like we have a veteran group and we have enough talent and determination to pull through.”
The Leafs did not lose four in a row last year, which was Berube’s first season behind the bench in Toronto.
The coach liked what he sensed from his group at the morning skate.
“I didn’t feel there was frustration today,” Berube observed. “I felt like we’re in the right mode to fix it.”
“The energy is great this morning,” said Tavares. “I think guys are upbeat and knowing we just kind of got to stick together and just continue to work through it.”
“It’s going to be a tough game,” said Kings coach Jim Hiller. “I know they had a pretty good skate there this morning. We watched a little bit of that. They’ll be ready to play.”
The Leafs have allowed five goals in each of the last three games. Toronto ranks dead last in goals against per game (3.82).
“Defensively we have been, you know, struggling, and that is something that can be fixed,” Nylander said. “You can adjust and make changes to be better at that, be better [with] attention to details. I would be more worried if we weren’t scoring goals because, you know, that’s harder to do.”
The Leafs are second overall in 5-on-5 goals this season.
Leafs staying positive despite skid: ‘We have enough talent, determination to pull through’ Despite being mired in a three-game losing streak, John Tavares says that the mood around the Maple Leafs’ practice on Thursday was upbeat and they’re focused on sticking together and continuing to work through it.
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The Leafs will make one change on defence with Dakota Mermis drawing in.
“He moves the puck fairly well,” said Berube. “He’s a good skater. He’s got experience. We’ve used him in the past, so just wanted to make a switch on D.”
Philippe Myers was the last defenceman on the ice at the skate and projects to be a healthy scratch.
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Kings centre Anze Kopitar, who is retiring after this season, will be playing his final regular season game in Toronto.
“I think this is the one rink I haven’t scored in,” the 38-year-old said with a smile. “So we’ll see if we can change that tonight.”
The only other NHL city where Kopitar has not scored is Utah where he’s only played once.
Kopitar has played at Scotiabank Arena13 times in the NHL (six career assists) and also played six more games here with Team Europe in the 2016 World Cup (four assists).
After missing some time earlier this season, Kopitar is heating up with points in five of the last seven games.
“When he was injured there for a couple of games, it was like, ‘Oh, s–t, without him next year we’re going to be in one,” said defenceman Drew Doughty.
“We want to make his last season the best we can possibly make it. It’s not a distraction or anything like that, like, honestly at all. We’re just going business as usual, and we’re not even thinking about him retiring next year.”
Doughty tried to talk Kopitar out of retiring in the summer. He calls the Slovenia native the most even-keeled teammate he’s ever played with.
“I wish I had that quality,” Doughty said with a smile. “I’m f–king up and down.”
Kopitar hoping to finally score in final trip to Toronto Anze Kopitar will play in his final game in Toronto tonight ahead of his retirement at the end of the season and hopes to score his first ever goal in the big smoke. The two-time Stanley Cup winner explains how Drew Doughty tried to talk him out of retirement and talks about the differences between the two teammates.
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Doughty readily admits that he’s constantly thinking about the Olympics.
“They’re on my mind a lot,” the 35-year-old from London, Ont. said. “Obviously, I want to be on that team. You know, offensively, I’m not doing a ton this year or not getting the numbers that I want but, I mean, I’m not going to make that team based on my offence. So as long as I keep playing well defensively, which I have been, I think I got a good shot.”
Doughty has produced just two goals and four assists through 17 games.
“Well, I’m not on the first power play unit, so that takes away a lot,” he pointed out. “I’m only getting maybe 40 seconds on the PP a night so that’s one thing, and then things just haven’t been going in for me. I’m still playing against the other team’s best lines, like always, and, you know, when you play those guys, you gotta think defence before offence, and that’s what I’ve been doing.”
Doughty is averaging 23:15 of ice time this season. He’s the only King logging more than 20 minutes a night.
“I can skate so much better this year,” said Doughty, who is plus-four. “I was in one last year, and, I mean, I’m moving good. I’m playing good defensively. My gaps are back. I’m playing physical, playing tough in front of the net, and, yeah, I’m back to who I was before last season.”
Doughty fractured an ankle in the pre-season last year and returned just in time to be on Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Doughty has his eye on Olympics; downplays low point total Drew Doughty says that the Olympics are on his ‘mind a lot’ and he wants to be on the team. He explains that as long as keeps playing well defensively he thinks he has a good shot to make Team Canada.
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Andrei Kuzmenko, who has just three goals and four assists through 17 games, will be a healthy scratch for the Kings on Thursday.
“I think one of the things [general manager] Ken [Holland] did this summer was add some depth up front,” noted Hiller. “Somebody’s got to sit out. It’s always a tough conversation.”
Burlington, Ont. native Jeff Malott will draw in.
“He’s been really good for us,” Hiller said. “Physical, he’s forechecked. He’s one of those guys that’s dependable. You know what you’re going to get from his game.”
The 29-year-old will be playing his first NHL game in Toronto.
“It’s a great story,” said Hiller. “Worked his way through and he’s really, really established himself as an important player for us. It was hard to take him out to begin with. He was one of our more consistent forwards, so he’ll be good. Good spot for him. I’m glad he earned his way into a Toronto game.”
Malott, who fought defenceman Brandon Carlo when the Leafs visited Los Angeles last season, isn’t the only King who will be fired up.
“It’s such a fun building to play in,” said Kings defenceman Brandt Clarke, who is from Ottawa. “The whole city is so rampant about the team. We only get to come here once and do this swing once, so we want to make a statement and show people that maybe don’t watch us all that much that we’re a good team out there. So that’s kind of where our heads are at.”
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Lines at Leafs skate:
Knies – Tavares – Nylander
Robertson – Domi – McMann
Joshua – Roy – Maccelli
Blais – Lorentz – Jarnkrok
Rielly – Carlo
Benoit – McCabe
Mermis – Ekman-Larsson
Myers
Hildeby starts
Akhtyamov
Power-play units at Leafs skate:
QB: Ekman-Larsson
Flanks: Domi, Nylander
Middle: Tavares
Net front: Knies
QB: Rielly
Flanks: Maccelli, Robertson
Middle: McMann
Net front: Roy
Projected Kings lineup for Thursday’s game:
Armia – Kopitar – Kempe
Fiala – Byfield – Laferriere
Foegele – Danault – Moore
Malott – Turcotte – Perry
Anderson – Doughty
Edmundson – Clarke
Dumoulin – Ceci
Kuemper starts
Forsberg
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