Every year in the playoffs, people discuss, argue, and debate which team all Canadians should rally around and cheer for in the NHL playoffs. Now these teams must be based in a Canadian city, because our national pride rests on a corporation made up of people from countries all over the world, like certain a Brazilian owned coffee company.
This year there are only two teams in Canada making the playoffs: The century old Toronto Maple Leafs, winners of 13 Stanley Cups who sell out arenas all over the continent making all 30 other arenas home games for the Leafs. The other, a young franchise who was unwanted by anyone but the TRUE NORTH hockey corporation and moved them into an AHL arena, a franchise that has never, ever, EVER, won a playoff game.
This is it. The winner is the one true Canadian playoff team, the loser, cast off and ignored unless it’s the Jets* because TV producers love to whack off to their story and fans.
Winnipeg Jets* at Toronto Maple Leafs
7:00PM - Air Canada Centre
Watch: CBC, Sportsnet, CBC.ca, Sportsnet Now, NHL Live
Listen: TSN1050, Sportsnet590
SBN: Arctic Ice Hockey
The Maple Leafs are setting another storybook season, aiming to go farther than six games into round one. The Jets* are looking for their first ever playoff victory in franchise history. In the Leafs past five games, they’ve won them all except to the damn Buffalo Sabres. The Jets* past five games were either a loss to an accountant or eeking out victories in over time or shootouts. For such a lauded team, not being able to close out a win without extra time doesn’t give me any confidence that they are the team to carry our nation’s flag into battle or whatever is supposed to happen.
Toronto Maple Leafs lines
Leo Komarov is a game-time decision
Zach Hyman - Auston Matthews - William Nylander
Patrick Marleau - Nazem Kadri - Mitch Marner
James van Riemsdyk - Tyler Bozak - Connor Brown
Andreas Johnsson - Tomas Plekanec - Kasperi Kapanen
Morgan Rielly - Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner - Nikita Zaitsev
Travis Dermott - Roman Polak
Curtis McElhinney - starter
Frederik Andersen
Winnipeg Jets* Lines
Kyle Connor - Mark Schiffle - Blake Wheeler
Nikolaj Ehlers - Paul Statsny - Patrik Laine
Mathieu Perrault - Bryan Little - Joel Armia
Andrew Copp - Adam Lowry - Brandon Tanev
Josh Morrissey - Tyler Myers
Joe Morrow - Dustin Byfuglien
Ben Chiarot - Tucker Poolman
Connor Hellebyuck
Eric Comrie
The Jets* have firepower upfront and Hellebyuck is having an amazing season, considering they were looking to have Steve Mason be the starter this year.
Numbers Preview
| Maple Leafs | Team | Devils |
|---|---|---|
| 265GF - 226GA - +29 | Goal Differential | 238GF - 234GA - +4 |
| 24.4% - 2nd overall | Power Play | 21.7 - 10th overall |
| 81.3% - 12th overall | Penalty Kill | 81.9% - 7th overall |
| James van Riemsdyk - 36 | Most Goals | Taylor Hall - 39 |
| Mitch Marner - 47 | Most Assists | Taylor Hall - 54 |
| Mitch Marner - 69 | Most Points | Taylor Hall - 93 |
| Matt Martin - 50 | Most PM | Miles Wood - 84 |
| Jake Gardiner - 22:33/G | TOI Leader | Sami Vatanen - 22:42 |
| Frederik Andersen - .917sv% | Starting Goalie | Keith Kincaid - .911sv% |
Many people are hyping up tonight as a preview for the Stanley Cup Final. I, for one, do not wish this to be true as I do not want our Maple Leafs players stabbed when they get off the bus they had to take to the game. It’s bad enough they have to bus in from Thunder Bay, the nearest airport, but to then be stabbed and have the buss stolen would mar the Cup victory.
Go Leafs Go!
