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# Wednesday FTB:  Mid-week breather
- URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesday-mid-week-breather-toronto-maple-leafs-columbus-blue-jackets-stanley-cup-playoffs-tavares/
- Published: 2020-08-05T09:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2020-08-05T09:00:00.000Z
- Description: We’re headed into tomorrow’s game with a nice, relaxing 1-1 tie.
- Author: taaeeve
- Tags: From The Branches, #chorus, #Import 2023-04-05 11:01

Hope everyone is ready for a nice chill day watching other teams fight to stay in the qualifying round! Not only is that not the Leafs today, that won’t be the Leafs tomorrow either! Such relaxation! Such bliss!

Good luck to the Florida Panthers though. That seems tough.

### NHL Games to Watch Today

[**NY I**](https://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/new-york-islanders?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)**slanders @** [**Florida Panthers**](https://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/florida-panthers?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) **(2-0)** 12:00 PM ET | NHL.TV, SN, TVAS, FS-F, MSG+  
**Nashville Predators @ Arizona Coyotes (1-1)** 2:30 PM ET | NHL.TV, SN360, FS-A, FS-A PLUS, FS-TN  
**Tampa Bay Lightning @ Boston Bruins** 4:00 PM ET | NHL.TV, SN, TVAS, NESN, FS-F  
**Colorado Avalanche @ Dallas Stars** 6:30 PM ET | NHL.TV, FX-CA, FS-SW, ALT  
**Pittsburgh Penguins @** [**Montréal** ](https://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/montreal-canadiens?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)**Canadiens (1-1)** 8:00 PM ET | SN, TVAS, ATTSN-PT  
**Edmonton Oilers @ Chicago Blackhawks (1-1)** 10:30 PM ET | NHL.TV, SN, NBCSCH

[Current standings of all series, and the round robin seeding games.](https://www.nhl.com/stanley-cup-qualifiers?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

### ICYMI

[Back to Excited Episode 113: Leafs vs Blue Jackets Game 2 Reaction](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/toronto-maple-leafs-columbus-blue-jackets-game-two-reaction/)  
Exactly what it says on the tin!

[John Tavares leads the Leafs to a win over Columbus in game 2](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/john-tavares-leads-the-leafs-to-a-win-over-columbus-playoffs-series-tied/)  
Our captain, Auston Matthews, and Morgan Rielly all scored last night in a very satisfying response to being shut out in game 1.

[2020 NHL Draft Profile: Zayde Wisdom, the next Zach Hyman](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2020-nhl-draft-profile-zayde-wisdom-power-forward-next-zach-hyman-feel-good-story/)  
Big eyes emoji looking ahead towards the 2020 NHL draft and Toronto native Zayde Wisdom.

### From the Branches

[Penalties aplenty are common theme early in NHL playoffs](https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2020/08/04/penalties-aplenty-are-common-theme-early-in-nhl-playoffs/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)  
Though you may not have guessed it from the first game the Leafs played.

[What Maple Leafs can learn from Tampa Bay’s playoff loss to Columbus](https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/leafs-frustration-vs-blue-jackets-tactics-mirrors-lightnings-last-year/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)  
It’s not just “work out the wording of your apology to your fans in advance”.

[Early starts and late nights: NHL coaches have new routines inside the bubble](https://theathletic.com/1962914/2020/08/04/early-starts-and-late-nights-nhl-coaches-have-new-routines-inside-the-bubble/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)  
Coaches including Bruce Cassidy and Sheldon Keefe share their perspective on life inside the bubble.

[Hats hit the ice after McDavid’s third goal thanks to NHL employees](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-employees-throw-hats-on-ice-for-connor-mcdavid-hat-trick/c-317854862?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)  
In a fun attempt to keep some traditions going despite the lack of fans in the audience, NHL staff threw hats on the ice to celebrate Connor McDavid’s hat trick earlier this week, resulting in possibly the most McDavid quote of all time...

> "I found the hats unnecessary, just drop the puck and keep on going" - Connor McDavid [#LetsGoOilers](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetsGoOilers?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Brennan Klak (@nhlupdate) [August 4, 2020](https://twitter.com/nhlupdate/status/1290517891477934082?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

[Why the Lightning want to play the Maple Leafs in the first round](https://www.rawcharge.com/2020/8/4/21351744/tampa-bay-lightning-want-to-play-toronto-maple-leafs-in-first-round-nhl-playoffs-analysis-scoring?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)  
The TL;DR is exactly the argument I’d make when saying that the Leafs should want the Lightning: our play styles are very complimentary of each other.

And finally, the QMJHL, OHL, and WHL have set their... optimistic season start date:

> QMJHL, OHL, and WHL seasons apparently starting on December 1st, with training camps opening up in late October after the NHL draft. Down to 64 games from 68.
> 
> — Andrew Zadarnowski (@AZadarski) [August 4, 2020](https://twitter.com/AZadarski/status/1290744473379577858?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

That’s all for now!