> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Preview: Leafs open against Penguins - URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-open-against-penguins/ - Published: 2024-10-12T15:07:00.000Z - Updated: 2024-10-12T15:07:00.000Z - Description: Will the Toronto symphony be on the ice for the home opener? - Author: Cathy Squires - Tags: Game Coverage ### Pittsburgh Penguins @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SN, NHLN, CBC, SN-PIT ### Stream this game in Canada for free on [gem.cbc.ca](https://gem.cbc.ca/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). If it doesn't work for you. Turn your ad blocker off. This is the main HNIC game, and something begun last season is continuing this year where Citytv shows the other Canadian contest of the night, so they have the Senators at Canadiens. The Leafs last game was away on October 10 against the New Jersey Devils, which Toronto won by a score of 4-2 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 1-1-0 for a 0.5 Points %. The Pittsburgh Penguins last played away on October 10 against the Detroit Red Wings. The Penguins won by a score of 6-3 in regulation, and their current league record is 1-1-0 for a 0.5 Points %. > There will be the usual 48th Highlanders pre-game performance tonight, every opener since 1931. > > — Lance Hornby 🇺🇦 (@sunhornby) [October 12, 2024](https://twitter.com/sunhornby/status/1845118093233631577?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Them Who is this team now? Last year fortune favoured the Capitals while the Penguins didn't squeak into the last playoff spot in the east, like they seemed to deserve. There is no deserve in hockey, of course. But barely making the playoffs wouldn't have been much of an achievement. Reporting from the AHL world has been extoling the strength of the WBS Penguins in the AHL, and if there's one thing that's unchanged, it's that Kyle Dubas knows how to build a stellar AHL franchise. He actually started there this summer with signings of a host of minor leaguers before he got into fleshing out the NHL team. NHL signings included Bruins defender Matt Grzelcyk, surplus on the Bruins and top pair on the Penguins. Anthony Beauvillier, an underperforming forward from the Islanders who has some offensive ability, is slotted in next to Sidney Crosby. And of course Michael Bunting has landed the job of playing with Evgeni Malkin. Rutger McGroarty, a 20-year-old rookie is an NCAA player they picked up in trade when he didn't want to sign with the Jets. Rookie Joel Blomqvist, who has had a trajectory out of Finland that mirrors Dennis Hildeby's made his debut in the win against the Red Wings. This team is a spine of veterans, one on every line or pair, and a host of reclamation projects, rookies, unappreciated castoffs and market inefficiency choices. What it adds up to is going to take a few games to determine. #### Lines Last Game (2024-10-10) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/pittsburgh-penguins/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and subject to change. Anthony Beauvillier - Sidney Crosby - Rickard Rakell Michael Bunting - Evgeni Malkin - Drew O'Connor Rutger McGroarty - Lars Eller - Jesse Puljujärvi Kevin Hayes - Cody Glass - Noel Acciari Matt Grzelcyk - Kris Letang Marcus Pettersson - Erik Karlsson Ryan Graves - Jack St. Ivany Tristan Jarry Joel Blomqvist ### Us Anthony Stolarz starts tonight in the home opener after having to miss the chance to play in his home state against the Devils. > After day off, Leafs back to work on wonky power play at morning skate. Assistant Marc Savard keeps urging them to speed things up. > > — Lance Hornby 🇺🇦 (@sunhornby) [October 12, 2024](https://twitter.com/sunhornby/status/1845111701844222014?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The power play is not quite cooking, while the changes on the PK seem to be working well. The PK is a simple adjustment that has a less aggressive pressure, particularly from the defence. The power play is struggling at maintaining possession of the puck or doing much other than passing it around. The second unit is hampered by a lack of skill, not an excuse the first unit can claim. The real news is that John Tavares was absent from morning skate, and rather than just slotting in a substitute for the morning this was the lineup: > [#Leafs](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Leafs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) lines during morning skate Oct. 12/24 > > Knies-Matthews-Marner > McMann-Holmberg-Nylander > Pacioretty-Domi-Robertson > Lorentz-Kampf-Reaves > Absent: Tavares (illness) > > Rielly-Taney > OEL-McCabe > Benoit-Timmins > Myers-Liljegren > Hakanpaa[@BodogCA](https://twitter.com/BodogCA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — David Alter (@dalter) [October 12, 2024](https://twitter.com/dalter/status/1845109814185123897?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Craig Berube says John Tavares is a “possibility” for tonight. [@BodogCA](https://twitter.com/BodogCA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — David Alter (@dalter) [October 12, 2024](https://twitter.com/dalter/status/1845118786325614955?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) #### Lines Last Game (2024-10-10) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), if Tavares is well, this looks to be the lineup again, otherwise it will be the above. Matthew Knies - Auston Matthews - Mitch Marner Max Domi - John Tavares - William Nylander Max Pacioretty - Pontus Holmberg - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - David Kämpf - Bobby McMann Morgan Rielly - Chris Tanev Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Jake McCabe Simon Benoit - Conor Timmins Anthony Stolarz Dennis Hildeby ### The Game I think we'd all like to see some improvement on the execution of the power play, but also a little less shooting from the weeds and a little more shooting from in tight – the game the Leafs produced in the second half against New Jersey – is the most important improvement.