LGD – Game 75: Still hanging on

10 years ago

The Leafs absolutely need a pair of wins this weekend. Though they’ve seen their chances of the playoffs take an enormous hit over the last couple weeks, if they can scrape out four points in the next 48 hours things could be interesting right down to the last day of the season. But they need both games.

Of course a lot of attention will be on the divisional make-or-break game with the Wings tomorrow, but tonight they’re trying to knock off the Flyers in a game equally as important. Many of us have already written the Leafs off at this point, but drop one of these games and we can really put the fork in them. Two regulation wins would do enough to at least delay the heartbreak.

BY THE NUMBERS

Here’s one key statistic: The Leafs have dropped six straight games and apparently that’s not good for your playoff chances.
The Leafs have won the two previous match-ups against the Flyers: 3-1 at the beginning of the season, and a recent 4-3 OT win earlier this month.
Through those two games, shots have been close overall, 63-61 in favor of the Flyers.
Philly has climbed well into the playoff picture after a brutal start to the season, but they’ve lost two straight this week and sit third in the Metro with 83 points. The Leafs have 80, but with two more games played.
Both teams are near the bottom of the league in terms of possession: The Flyers at 25th in close-situation Fenwick percentage (47.9%), the Leafs next to last (41.6%). Big gap there, obviously. This isn’t news.

LEAFS LINEUP

Kessel-Bozak-vanRiemsdyk

Lupul-Kadri-Raymond

Clarkson-Bolland-Kulemin

Orr-McClement-Bodie

Gunnarsson-Phaneuf

Gardiner-Franson

Rielly-Gleason

FLYERS LINEUP

Hartnell-Giroux-Voracek

Simmonds-Schenn-McGinn

Raffl-Couturier-Read