LGD: Cruisin’ Blues
By ThatsKappy
5 years agoGood Afternoon – it’s a Game Day!
The Leafs are in St. Louis tonight for a date with the scorching hot St. Louis Blues. The Blues are not a team that anybody wants to face right now – winners of 10 straight with three consecutive shutouts, no less. That being said, it might be fun for the Leafs to play spoilers in Tyler Bozak’s new barn, no? Let’s get this Tuesday night party started.
Leafs Lines
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 ZACH HYMAN Rating: 73.7#52 LW |  JOHN TAVARES Rating: 82.8#9 C |  MITCH MARNER Rating: 79.0#14 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 78.46#14 FL1 |
 PATRICK MARLEAU Rating: 73.2#61 LW |  AUSTON MATTHEWS Rating: 85.3#5 C |  KASPERI KAPANEN Rating: 74.9#41 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 77.79#3 FL2 |
 ANDREAS JOHNSSON Rating: 77.7#19 LW |  NAZEM KADRI Rating: 78.3#33 C |  WILLIAM NYLANDER Rating: 75.6#34 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 77.20#1 FL3 |
 PAR LINDHOLM Rating: 70.5#114 LW |  FREDERIK GAUTHIER Rating: 69.3#174 C |  CONNOR BROWN Rating: 70.4#111 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 70.05#25 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 MORGAN RIELLY Rating: 80.2#5 LD |  RON HAINSEY Rating: 72.9#53 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 76.51#13 DL1 |
 JAKE MUZZIN Rating: 76.5#18 LD |  NIKITA ZAITSEV Rating: 71.5#77 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 73.99#13 DL2 |
 JAKE GARDINER Rating: 76.7#15 LD |  TRAVIS DERMOTT Rating: 74.4#33 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 75.56#1 DL3 |
Andreas Johnsson back: good.
Tyler Ennis out: bad.
Rielly-Hainsey: sigh.
Blues Lines
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 BRAYDEN SCHENN Rating: 76.9#41 LW |  RYAN O’REILLY Rating: 82.2#12 C |  VLADIMIR TARASENKO Rating: 85.1#2 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 81.39#2 FL1 |
 JADEN SCHWARTZ Rating: 77.6#20 LW |  TYLER BOZAK Rating: 73.9#69 C |  ALEX STEEN Rating: 72.8#70 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 74.76#18 FL2 |
 ZACH SANFORD Rating: 72.1#83 LW |  OSKAR SUNDQVIST Rating: 72.1#109 C |  PATRICK MAROON Rating: 73.2#62 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 72.48#14 FL3 |
 MACKENZIE MACEACHERN |  IVAN BARBASHEV Rating: 72.5#76 C |  ROBERT THOMAS Rating: 73.6#54 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 73.00#1 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 JOEL EDMUNDSON Rating: 73.6#45 LD |  ALEX PIETRANGELO Rating: 80.5#6 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 77.02#10 DL1 |
 JAY BOUWMEESTER Rating: 72.0#76 LD |  COLTON PARAYKO Rating: 78.1#17 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 75.03#6 DL2 |
 VINCE DUNN Rating: 75.8#20 LD |  ROBERT BORTUZZO Rating: 73.4#43 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 74.64#2 DL3 |
Forget Colton Parayko and Alex Pietrangelo being trade targets – this team might be here to stay. The Blues are sitting pretty in the Central division right now, having skyrocketed all the way up to third place.
David Perron and Carl Gunnarsson are out for St. Louis at the moment, so one reunion with a former Leaf legend won’t be happening tonight.
Who’s Hot
Despite being robbed of a goal on Saturday night, William Nylander has found his game for the Leafs. Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson have been working to earn their keep, and Auston Matthews has six points in his last three games.
For the Blues, how do you go with anybody but Jordan Binnington? The rookie netminder is boasting back to back shutouts – and four in just 16 games. He’s 12-1-1 with a .937 save percentage.
Starting Goalies
The afformentioned Binnington will square up with Frederik Andersen (.923) tonight. Andersen has remained steady for the Leafs down the stretch, and has likely benefitted from a somewhat lesser workload that will hopefully keep him fresh and poised.
Notes
- With Boston winning 6 straight and jumping to 8-0-2 in their last 10, the Leafs will be looking to keep pace in the Atlantic Division playoff race. Home ice is still easily possible, but the Bruins now sit three points up with two games in hand. Gotta get those wins.
Puck Drop is at 8pm ET on Sportsnet Ontario.
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