LEAFS NOTES AND GAMENIGHT: Liljegren gets another shot, Holl to sit again
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Timothy Liljegren will stay within the Maple Leafs’ lineup.
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Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe hinted on Saturday morning that he may not take defenceman out after giving him a glance that evening towards the Detroit Purple Wings, relying on the 22-year-old’s play.
Certain sufficient, Liljegren had a strong recreation with companion Rasmus Sandin in Toronto’s victory and can get one other shot towards the visiting Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.
Justin Holl once more shall be a wholesome scratch.
What does Keefe see within the recreation of Liljegren, who put it on his personal shoulders in camp to make a dent on the Leafs roster after spending a lot of the previous 4 seasons with the Toronto Marlies?
“It’s simply elevated confidence,” Keefe stated. “Confidence when he goes into battles, when he’s closing in protection, with the puck within the offensive zone.
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“These are the stuff you’re actually on the lookout for — is he ending performs defensively, is he conserving performs shifting offensively? I believed he did an excellent job of that, so we wish to give him one other probability.
“It’s troublesome while you’re coming out and in of the lineup and sitting for lengthy durations. We acknowledge that. I really feel like he’s earned one other alternative to stay in.”
The sport towards Vegas will mark Liljegren’s fourth this season and seventeenth within the Nationwide Hockey League.
Liljegren has needed to fine-tune his considering since making his NHL debut in 2019-20.
“It’s simply being okay with making a straightforward play,” Liljegren stated. “Down with the Marlies, you at all times wish to do some good performs.
“Right here, it’s extra simply getting the puck to the forwards and attempting to spend as a lot time as attainable within the O zone. As you grow old, you mature and that’s a part of it too.
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“I really feel good. I’m simply attempting to do pretty much as good as I can. My power is my skating and hole management. Different stuff will come.”
Holl understands why he was taken out of the lineup.
“I might be higher killing performs by the impartial zone, one thing that’s often my major power and one thing I’ll get again to,” Holl stated. “And a few stuff within the offensive zone as nicely (could be higher), simply serving to the offence get going and staying on offence.
“It’s disappointing anytime you’re not on the market competing with the fellows, it’s irritating, however all you are able to do is management you may and place confidence in your skills.”
Holl stated an sickness that stored him out of a recreation on Oct. 16 was not for use as an excuse.
“I don’t suppose that actually had a lot to do with (his poor play),” Holl stated. “It’s simply one thing that was going round on the time and stored me out for a recreation, however I felt fairly good bodily.”
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MATTHEWS ON THE CUSP
Six video games into his return from low season wrist surgical procedure, Auston Matthews hasn’t discovered private satisfaction.
“Bodily, I really feel like I’m again in recreation form,” Matthews stated. “I feel my rhythm and all the pieces is coming again.
“Contact and really feel remains to be a piece in progress. Simply attempting to make good on a few of these probabilities I’m getting.
“I hope one drops and hopefully get on a roll. They’re coming, it’s irritating when it’s not getting into, however I simply should maintain working and proceed to get these probabilities and make good on them.
“(His shot) feels shut. Accuracy-wise, it’s not the place I need it to be, however loads of that stuff, you may work on in follow.”
Matthews is caught on one objective, which got here final Monday in Carolina, however he has been across the opposition’s internet so much.
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Regardless of taking part in three fewer video games than nearly all of his Leafs teammates, Matthews is fourth on the workforce with 25 photographs on objective. His 15 missed photographs are a team-high, however so is his 62% in possession.
REST FOR MRAZEK
Keefe continues to handle his goalies’ workload.
On Monday, Petr Mrazek, who gained in his first begin on Saturday after recovering from a groin harm suffered within the second recreation of the season, took half in a session previous to follow however then departed the ice.
The Leafs even have given Jack Campbell some relaxation from follow up to now few weeks.
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4-4-0 at TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS 4-4-1
Tonight, 7 p.m., TV: TSN4 Radio: AM 1050
WHY WATCH?
No current losses right here
Every workforce is feeling good about itself, comparatively talking. The Maple Leafs have gained two in a row, whereas the Golden Knights have gained their previous three after successful as soon as of their first 5 video games. “Any time you come to Toronto, there’s loads of issues occurring, loads of guys from the realm,” Vegas coach Peter DeBoer stated. “The place do you begin (with the Leafs)? A harmful workforce and so they’re slightly little bit of a wounded workforce, which implies the coach has their consideration.”
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POINTS LEADERS
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
GP G A PTS +/-
John Tavares 9 3 4 7 -1
William Nylander 9 3 3 6 -3
Jason Spezza 9 3 2 5 -1
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
GP G A PTS +/-
Chandler Stephenson 8 4 5 9 +3
Jonathan Marchessault 8 2 2 4 -5
Reilly Smith 8 2 2 4 -3
SPECIAL TEAMS
Energy play
VGK: 0% (thirty second)
TOR: 14.8% (twenty sixth)
Penalty kill
VGK: 84.2% (twelfth)
TOR: 82.8% (sixteenth)
THREE THINGS ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
1. We’re not going to see something near a full lineup from Vegas, as integral gamers Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, Alex Tuch, Nolan Patrick, Mattias Janmark and William Karlsson and Zach Whitecloud are nursing accidents. Nonetheless, the Leafs had been anticipating the Golden Knights to deliver their normal sound work ethic. Preserve a watch out for Michael Amadio, claimed final week off waivers from Toronto.
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2. The expectation is that Robin Lehner will get the nod in internet for Vegas. He has gained his previous two video games and could be trying to enhance upon a strong profession save proportion (.925) in 12 video games towards the Leafs. Versus Toronto, Lehner is 6-5-0 with one shutout.
3. Of their first recreation on a four-game journey, the Golden Knights will try to realize a primary for the franchise. They’ve not gained in any of their three earlier visits to Toronto, dropping in a shootout, in regulation and in time beyond regulation. To presumably assist this time round, the membership arrived on Saturday, had a time without work on Sunday and practised on Monday.
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