LGD: Firing Back
By ThatsKappy
6 years agoIt’s Game Day!
In a rare home game this month, the Leafs (17-10-1) welcome the Calgary Flames (14-12-1) to town. The two teams squared off in Calgary last week, with the Leafs winning that game 4-1.
The Leafs will look for a bounce-back effort tonight after a frustrating game in Vancouver on Saturday. Here’s to hoping they’ll be able to take advantage of a struggling Flames team that has lost 2 straight and currently sits on the outside looking in in the Pacific Division.
Leafs Lines
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 ZACH HYMAN |  AUSTON MATTHEWS |  CONNOR BROWN |
 PATRICK MARLEAU |  NAZEM KADRI |  LEO KOMAROV |
 JAMES VAN RIEMSDYK |  TYLER BOZAK |  MITCH MARNER |
 MATT MARTIN |  DOMINIC MOORE |  WILLIAM NYLANDER |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | |
|---|---|
 MORGAN RIELLY |  RON HAINSEY |
 JAKE GARDINER |  NIKITA ZAITSEV |
 ANDREAS BORGMAN |  ROMAN POLAK |
Tyler Bozak is back tonight after a bout of food poisoning. Connor Brown remains on Auston Matthews’ wing, and Connor Carrick remains in the press box. Roman Polak will be in the lineup for a fifth straight game.
Flames Lines
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 JOHNNY GAUDREAU |  SEAN MONAHAN |  MICHEAL FERLAND |
 MATTHEW TKACHUK |  MIKAEL BACKLUND |  MICHAEL FROLIK |
 SAM BENNETT |  MARK JANKOWSKI |  JAROMIR JAGR |
 TROY BROUWER |  CURTIS LAZAR |  GARNET HATHAWAY |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | |
|---|---|
 MARK GIORDANO |  DOUGIE HAMILTON |
 T.J. BRODIE |  TRAVIS HAMONIC |
 BRETT KULAK |  MICHAEL STONE |
For Calgary, Mikael Backlund is officially in after being questionable due to illness. Former Leaf legend Kris Versteeg, meanwhile, is out month-to-month after undergoing hip surgery.
Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan are still red-hot, so look for that top line to be pretty scary, as always.
Starting Goalies
Mike Smith and Frederik Andersen will go head-to-head once again. Andersen ultimately came out victorious during their first meeting, and he’s been red-hot of late, with his save percentage up to .919 on the season.
Smith, meanwhile, has struggled of late. He’s posted a sub-.900 in four of his last five starts, including last week’s game against the Leafs.
Notes
- This is the first of only three home games for the Leafs this month. After tonight, they’ll host Edmonton on Sunday and Carolina on the 19th.
- What’s the over/under on whether we’ll get a Brian Burke untied-tie interview in which he’s asked about Auston Matthews?
- A win tonight would put the Leafs ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights in the standings, which is a sentence that I’m writing in December.
Puck Drop is at 7:30 ET on Sportsnet.
LGD BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE PINT
Make the Pint your home for all things game day. We give away a free pound of wings during every game either home or away. 4.40$ mugs of Bud and Bud Lights.
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