The Maple Leafs (optional) and Jets skated at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday.
After stopping 70 of 77 shots in two games against the Leafs this week, Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck will get a rest tonight.
"Those are two heavy, heavy games that he played," Jets coach Paul Maurice explained. "You get close to 80 shots in back-to-back nights and you're that good, you can have a hot dog on the Saturday."
So, Laurent Brossoit, who has won three straight starts and owns a .923 save percentage on the season, will go for his first career win against the Leafs (0-2-0, .890 save percentage).
"I thought in the five road game trip that he was going to go in one and I actually had him scheduled for Game 2 of the Toronto series," Maurice said, "but based on the way the first one went ... Connor was so good in Game 1, I needed to go back with him."
The Jets, who played in Montreal last week, are in the middle of a road-heavy stretch of the season with trips to Edmonton, Vancouver and Calgary still to come in March.
"We have 17 games this month," Maurice added. "I've got to pick the games [Brossoit plays] and I don't want it to run too long between things right now."
The change between the pipes appears to give the Leafs an advantage in net although Frederik Andersen is just 2-2-0 with an .889 save percentage since returning from a lower-body injury.
"He's a very committed guy to being at his best and being reliable for his teammates," said coach Sheldon Keefe. "He's dealt with a number of different things, even just in the time I've been here, injuries and such. I know he works real hard with [goalie coach] Steve Briere on his game and even on a day like yesterday, it’s an optional day, but he's out there and gets his work in. He wanted to have a better workout than he would get at a morning skate. It's just another sign that he's serious about being that guy who's reliable for us."
In a rare move, Keefe made both yesterday's practice and today's morning skate optional. Only three regulars took the ice this morning with Joe Thornton, Jason Spezza and Pierre Engvall taking part. Tonight marks Toronto's 19th game in the last 38 days.
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Zach Hyman will remain on a line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner to start tonight’s game.
"When you play with Auston and Mitch you try and get those guys the puck in space as much as you can," Hyman said.
Hyman, a righty, replaced Thornton, a lefty, midway through Thursday’s game. Other than the handedness, Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey doesn't think the dynamic changes much.
"Both players are really good down low," Morrissey said. "Thornton has done that for a long time and produced a lot of assists from below the goal line and that area of the ice and I think Hyman does that pretty well also. They complement Matthews and Marner really well and either way it presents a big challenge."
The 28-year-old Hyman is faster and a bit grittier than the 41-year-old Thornton. And while Thornton is one of the greatest playmakers of all-time, Hyman has taken a big step on the offensive side this season.
"Holding onto the puck more, being more confident with the puck are things I've tried to implement into my game," Hyman said.
"He's a force," observed defenceman Jake Muzzin. "Hyms has worked hard this summer and you can see it this year with his skill around the net, his shot and putting everything together."
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The Jets have been impressed with Toronto's determination to get to the net.
"There's a real willingness on that team now that maybe you didn't see in years past to have a net-front presence, a guy taking a beating at the net, which holds a D and that turns it into a four-on-four game, which they really excel at," said Maurice.
"They're really strong at getting pucks and making little plays around the net, little passes into the slot," noted Morrissey. "They're willing to go there even though you don't always see that with skill guys. They go to the net and they make those plays as well as any team we've played this year."
Establishing a net-front presence has been a point of emphasis for Keefe.
"Whether you’re tipping a puck like Auston's been doing the last couple games or screening a goalie and getting in the way, it goes a long way to disrupting play and making things more confusing," said Hyman. "Definitely, driving the net and staying at the net is something we've been stressing."
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Winnipeg can move within four points of Toronto with a regulation win tonight. The Jets have played two fewer games than the Leafs and the teams will face off six more times this season with five in Manitoba. So, the rubber match of the series this week has taken on even greater meaning.
"They have one, we have one and we want to come out on top," Muzzin said.
"Going to be a high-flying game," Hellebuyck predicted after Thursday's overtime loss. "These are two really good teams. You can feel it. You can feel the energy and you can see it in everyone's eyes. Everyone knows this isn't going to be an easy one. You have to fight for every inch of ice."
Thanks to the addition of veterans like Thornton, Zach Bogosian and T.J. Brodie, the Leafs feel like they're better positioned to handle these high-leverage, big-pressure moments. And Muzzin actually sees some similarities between this Leafs team and the Los Angeles Kings group he won the Stanley Cup with in 2014.
"It definitely helps when you have great personalities in the room," Muzzin said. "When it feels like a tight group and kind of like a family atmosphere in there, it's a lot more fun to be a part of. Everyone caring for each other, working for each other and it helps on the ice when you're trying to set up your teammates for success. So, similar feelings in both rooms: L.A. and then with this group here."
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Muzzin, who sustained a facial fracture in Montreal on Feb. 20, is still adjusting to wearing a full shield.
"There's been a few [times] where if it's in tight in my feet it kind of gets lost," he admitted, "and when you're not feeling it that night it's sometimes a struggle to get it back."
How much longer will he have to wear it?
"Hopefully, not too much longer," he said with a smile. "Actually, I don't even know. They want to let it heal fully before the bubble comes off."
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Projected Leafs line-up for Saturday's game:
Hyman - Matthews - Marner
Thornton - Tavares - Nylander
Engvall - Kerfoot - Mikheyev
Vesey - Boyd - Spezza
Rielly - Brodie
Muzzin - Holl
Dermott - Bogosian
Andersen starts
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2021-03-13 21:14:14Z
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