After their game against the New York Rangers, the Columbus Blue Jackets are going to be right back at it against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs are going to be a tough challenge for the Blue Jackets as Toronto has multiple ways they can beat you. They can outskate, outshoot and out man you.
After going to overtime with the Rangers and winning, the Blue Jackets are going to need to be meticulous. Attention to detail is going to be important. It is going to be as close as one can get to a playoff matchup as you'll get in the regular season. The talent levels on the ice are going to be remarkable. Must watch TV as these two take the ice.
PROJECTED LINES
Panarin – Dubois – Atkinson
Foligno – Wennberg – Anderson
Bjorkstrand – Jenner – Duclair
Hannikainen – Dubinsky – Nash
DEFENSEMEN
Murray – Jones
Werenski – Nutivaara
Harrington – Savard
GOALTENDER
Bobrovsky
STORYLINES
- Any player on the Maple Leafs can hurt you in some way. That is just who they are. Every player has a role, and every player has offensive skills. Add that to the fact that they may have four of the best offensive players in the entire league on one team, trying to get into a scoring contest is going to be a foolish idea. Getting your offense where you can and being disciplined is the name of the game.
- Top line against top line, the Blue Jackets aren't going to have an advantage. Depth wise they may not have an advantage there either. They're going to need to lean on their goaltending and defense to carry them. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is coming off a first star of the week performance. Columbus may need him to steal another one for them.
- The Maple Leafs are still integrating William Nylander into the lineup. They've put him with plenty of players but playing with Auston Matthews has afforded him some room. Many teams are death by a thousand cuts; the Maple Leafs are death by a thousand meat cleavers. Keeping most of them at bay is the goal, and it won't be easy.
