The Leafs are looking to bounce back from a frustrating loss to the Lightning on Thursday, in which they fired 49 shots on Andrei Vasilevskiy to break through only once in a 4-1 loss. Will a tilt against the lowly Panthers be just what the doctor ordered? Let’s hope so.

Leafs Lines

Last update: December 15, 2018

LW	C	RW	Forwards
ZACH HYMAN	JOHN TAVARES Rating: 80.9#14 C	MITCH MARNER Rating: 78.0#17 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 77.42#17 FL1
ANDREAS JOHNSSON Rating: 74.5#36 LW	AUSTON MATTHEWS Rating: 86.4#5 C	KASPERI KAPANEN Rating: 74.0#44 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 78.30#2 FL2
PATRICK MARLEAU Rating: 74.4#38 LW	NAZEM KADRI Rating: 77.0#36 C	WILLIAM NYLANDER Rating: 76.5#25 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 75.94#1 FL3
TYLER ENNIS Rating: 70.6#109 LW	PAR LINDHOLM Rating: 71.4#128 C	CONNOR BROWN Rating: 69.4#111 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 70.44#15 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS	Defense
MORGAN RIELLY Rating: 79.8#5 LD	RON HAINSEY Rating: 72.6#44 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 76.18#9 DL1
JAKE GARDINER Rating: 77.7#9 LD	NIKITA ZAITSEV Rating: 70.6#82 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 74.14#16 DL2
TRAVIS DERMOTT Rating: 74.7#28 LD	IGOR OZHIGANOV Rating: 72.3#50 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 73.51#3 DL3

Status quo for the Leafs tonight. Zach Hyman returns from his 2-game suspension, too, so the Leafs’ fully optimized forward lineup is back in action.

Panthers Lines

LW	C	RW	Forwards
JONATHAN HUBERDEAU Rating: 79.3#13 LW	ALEKSANDER BARKOV Rating: 81.4#13 C	MIKE HOFFMAN Rating: 76.3#23 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 79.00#11 FL1
FRANK VATRANO Rating: 72.6#90 LW	HENRIK BORGSTROM	EVGENII DADONOV Rating: 79.7#10 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 74.84#14 FL2
TROY BROUWER Rating: 68.4#134 LW	JARED MCCANN Rating: 71.4#126 C	DENIS MALGIN Rating: 72.0#75 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 70.63#24 FL3
MICHEAL HALEY Rating: 67.5#140 LW	JUHO LAMMIKKO Rating: 71.5#124 C	JAYCE HAWRYLUK	FL4 Rating Rating: 69.50#25 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS	Defense
KEITH YANDLE Rating: 78.5#7 LD	AARON EKBLAD Rating: 74.9#30 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 76.71#7 DL1
MICHAEL MATHESON Rating: 73.0#51 LD	MARK PYSYK Rating: 71.2#69 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 72.11#21 DL2
ALEX PETROVIC Rating: 69.0#131 LD	MACKENZIE WEEGAR Rating: 70.6#80 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 69.79#27 DL3

News flash: the Florida Panthers are bad. They’re also incredible forgettable – but, to be fair, are injured as well. Derek McKenzie, Nick Bjugstad, Jamie McGinn and Vincent Trochek are all sidelined right now.

Starting Goalies

Luongo (5-5-1, .903) versus Frederik Andersen (17-9-0, .925) is our matchup tonight. Luongo has been seemingly always injured for the Panthers, but hasn’t been good in his time playing either. Andersen, meanwhile, has struggled a little in his recent starts, but has been remarkably consistent for the majority of the season. Let’s see if he can bounce back tonight.

Notes

The Huberdeau-Barkov-Hoffman line has been dangerous for the Panthers this season, but they’ve definitely been a top-heavy team scoring-wise.
For the Leafs, depth has certainly been their strength. If William Nylander can really get going offensively, we’re going to begin seeing that on a whole different level, too, which is hilarious.

Puck Drop is at 7pm ET on CBC.

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Leafs Lines

Panthers Lines

Starting Goalies

Notes

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