Nation Sites
The Nation Network
The LeafsNation has no direct affiliation to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, NHL, or NHLPA
LGD: Smurf Line
Photo credit: @Canucks
By ThatsKappy
Mar 6, 2019, 13:47 ESTUpdated: Mar 6, 2019, 14:10 EST
Good Afternoon! It’s a Game Day.
The Leafs take to the ice in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia tonight. After a convincing 6-2 victory featuring a Tyler Ennis hat trick on Monday night, the boys in blue and white will look to build off of that momentum in the second game of their Western Canadian road swing.
Leafs Lines
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 ZACH HYMAN Rating: 74.6#38 LW |  JOHN TAVARES Rating: 83.0#7 C |  MITCH MARNER Rating: 80.4#9 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 79.33#14 FL1 |
 ANDREAS JOHNSSON Rating: 75.2#32 LW |  AUSTON MATTHEWS Rating: 84.0#6 C |  KASPERI KAPANEN Rating: 74.5#46 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 77.91#3 FL2 |
 PATRICK MARLEAU Rating: 74.2#43 LW |  WILLIAM NYLANDER Rating: 75.8#47 C |  CONNOR BROWN Rating: 70.4#103 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 73.47#8 FL3 |
 TYLER ENNIS Rating: 72.5#79 LW |  NIC PETAN Rating: 68.8#178 C |  TREVOR MOORE Rating: 73.6#56 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 71.62#10 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 MORGAN RIELLY Rating: 79.9#6 LD |  RON HAINSEY Rating: 73.2#44 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 76.55#12 DL1 |
 JAKE MUZZIN Rating: 76.1#18 LD |  NIKITA ZAITSEV Rating: 71.2#78 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 73.65#17 DL2 |
 MARTIN MARINCIN Rating: 71.9#80 LD |  IGOR OZHIGANOV Rating: 72.2#63 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 72.04#16 DL3 |
The Smurf Line. The 5’9″ Line. Call them what you will, but they’re your fourth line tonight! Frederik Gauthier is out, and goal-per-game Nic Petan is back in, centering Trevor Moore and Tyler Ennis. This is gonna be a fun one.
No Nazem Kadri still, though he did participate in his first full practice yesterday, so his recovery is moving along.
Jake Gardiner and Travis Dermott remain week-to-week.
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 TANNER PEARSON Rating: 72.9#73 LW |  BO HORVAT Rating: 76.6#41 C |  NIKOLAY GOLDOBIN Rating: 70.5#101 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 73.34#28 FL1 |
 JOSH LEIVO Rating: 73.7#48 LW |  ELIAS PETTERSSON Rating: 78.5#27 C |  BROCK BOESER Rating: 81.3#6 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 77.85#4 FL2 |
 ANTOINE ROUSSEL Rating: 73.2#63 LW |  ADAM GAUDETTE Rating: 71.6#112 C |  MARKUS GRANLUND Rating: 71.5#116 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 72.11#19 FL3 |
 LOUI ERIKSSON Rating: 70.4#119 LW |  JAY BEAGLE Rating: 67.4#183 C |  TYLER MOTTE Rating: 69.1#123 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 68.99#30 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 ALEXANDER EDLER Rating: 75.5#24 LD |  ALEX BIEGA Rating: 72.7#54 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 74.09#18 DL1 |
 BEN HUTTON Rating: 71.5#92 LD |  TROY STECHER Rating: 73.1#47 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 72.30#25 DL2 |
 ASHTON SAUTNER Rating: 73.3#54 LD |  LUKE SCHENN Rating: 68.7#95 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 71.00#25 DL3 |
The Leafs finally get their first look at Josh Leivo tonight, who was injured when the Leafs steamrolled the Canucks 5-0 back in January. They’ll also see another familiar face in Luke Schenn (not that many are around who still remember him).
Jake Virtanen and Chris Tanev, two people who I confuse endlessly, are both injured for Vancouver, as is Brandon Sutter.
Who’s Hot
Tyler Ennis and Zach Hyman have become offensive dynamos for the Leafs out of nowhere. Ennis has five goals in his last five games, and Hyman has three in his last three.
For the Canucks… well, no one has been particularly hot, aside from Jacob Markstrom, who has been a steady presence in four of his last five starts between the pipes. He’s riding a .936 through those games, and a .914 save percentage on the season.
Starting Goalies
The aforementioned Markstrom will duke it out against Frederik Andersen, who’s up to a .924 on the season after a phenomenal performance in Calgary.
Notes
- Rookie Elias Pettersson will face the Leafs for the first time. He was injured during the Canucks’ January visit to Toronto. Pettersson has been cold of late, with just 2 assists in his last five games, but is always a threat.
- Speaking of cold, Auston Matthews is goalless in his last four games. Don’t expect that to last; he’s already at 30 on the season.
It’s a later one tonight, with a 9pm ET puck drop. You can catch the action on Sportsnet.
Breaking News
- Gavin McKenna might be a Mitch Marner replacement but not in year one
- Maple Leafs’ activity on Day 1 of free agency indicates heavy investment into next two years
- Ryan Tverberg reportedly signs 1-year, $850K extension with Maple Leafs
- Leafs development camp scrimmage notebook: McKenna’s playmaking, Koblar shines, Nansi wins superlatives, quick hits
- Gavin McKenna confirms he’ll wear No. 92 for Maple Leafs