LGD: Totes Ma’Yotes
By ThatsKappy
6 years agoIt’s Game Day!
I’m sure we’re all still sitting fat and happy after Saturday’s blowout win, but it’s time to get going again. The Leafs (14-7-0) return home and welcome the Arizona Coyotes (lol-lol-lol) to town. It’s a rare home game for the Leafs, after which they’ll close out the month of November with 4 of 5 games on the road.
The Yotes, surprisingly, come into this game as winners of two straight, doubling their win total on the season in a span of those two contests. We in Leaf-land were big fans of Arizona after they knocked off the Habs and Sens last week, but they’ll be back to enemy status tonight.
Leafs Lines
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 ZACH HYMAN |  AUSTON MATTHEWS |  WILLIAM NYLANDER |
 PATRICK MARLEAU |  NAZEM KADRI |  LEO KOMAROV |
 JAMES VAN RIEMSDYK |  TYLER BOZAK |  MITCH MARNER |
 MATT MARTIN |  DOMINIC MOORE |  CONNOR BROWN |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | |
|---|---|
 MORGAN RIELLY |  RON HAINSEY |
 JAKE GARDINER |  NIKITA ZAITSEV |
 ANDREAS BORGMAN |  CONNOR CARRICK |
The Leafs appear poised to revert back to their typical lines, despite a great performance by the Matthews and Marner duo in the Montreal game. I’m not necessarily against that decision, but I’d be curious to see if Babcock considers switching up the matchups and slotting Marner in on occasion, maybe even sending out the Big Three on a line together for a few shifts.
Coyotes Lines
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 BRENDAN PERLINI |  DEREK STEPAN |  TOBIAS RIEDER |
 CLAYTON KELLER |  BRAD RICHARDSON |  CHRISTIAN FISCHER |
 MAX DOMI |  CHRISTIAN DVORAK |  ZAC RINALDO |
 JORDAN MARTINOOK |  NICK COUSINS |  ANTHONY DUCLAIR |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | |
|---|---|
 OLIVER EKMAN-LARSSON |  JASON DEMERS |
 ALEX GOLIGOSKI |  LUKE SCHENN |
 KEVIN CONNAUTON |  JOEL HANLEY |
The Coyotes are, well… you know. Clayton Keller is on fire to start his rookie campaign, with 11 goals and 18 points topping things off. OEL is producing well, as per usual, and Leafs Savior™ Luke Schenn makes his triumphant return to the ACC. Also, Zac Rinaldo is both employed and on the third line, so that’s a thing.
Starting Goalies
All signs point to a goaltending matchup of Antti Raanta versus Frederik Andersen. Raanta hasn’t had the best start to his time in Arizona, sporting just a .907 save percentage, though he did stop 30 of 32 against the Senators in his most recent start.
On the good guys’ end, it’s Freddie Andersen, who has not allowed a goal since November 10th against Boston(!). He’s got a 2+ game shutout streak going, and is rocking a much-improved .914 save percentage these days.
Notes
- Auston Matthews will be back on the ACC ice tonight for the first time in exactly 2 weeks. We’ve missed you, Auston.
- Speaking of Auston – which we don’t do enough – he goes up against his childhood team for the third time tonight. He has 2 points (1G,1A) through his first two games against them.
- The Leafs went l-o-l against Arizona last season, which coincidentally is also my reaction when I look at the Coyotes’ record.
- The Leafs look to win their seventh game in a row tonight, which would be their longest winning streak since they won 8 straight contests in 2003.
Puck Drop is at 7pm ET on Sportsnet Ontario!
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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