Puck drop: 7:00 p.m. EST | Arena: Air Canada Centre | TV: TSN4 | Radio: TSN1050
Game Day Quotes
Mike Babcock on managing the puck better against the Kings:
I was just reading our report from our analytics guys on this team and they don’t turn the puck over. We can’t turn the puck over or else it just gets lopsided in a hurry and you don’t have a lot of fun playing in your own zone.
It’s exactly what the doctored ordered for us. We need to play against these teams and learn how to play.
Babcock on the team signing Roman Polak:
We’re just not big on the back or heavy on the back. We’re not mean back there. The other thing we were concerned about is we get Zaitsev — who is not a monster of a man; I mean, he’s a real good player and all of that — we get his minutes up too high, he’s going to get hurt. If you won’t play the other guys and keep feeding the same guys out there, those guys end up worn down and then they’re not playing. It’s great to say, “We are going to play them, we’re going to play them,” but the game is on and we don’t play them, and the same guy keeps going out there. That was part of the concern as well.
I should add to that: Whether you’re Carrick or Rosen or Borgman, when you stand next to Polie or Ron Hainsey or someone who tells you what to do every second you’re on the ice, it’s just a comforting feeling and makes you a better player. That’s why it’s always nice to break in when you’re playing with somebody who has some experience and knows what to do.
Babcock on whether shot blocking was a consideration in the signing of Polak:
I like shot blocks, don’t get me wrong, but I like to play in the offensive zone so you’re not blocking shots.
Roman Polak on returning to the team on a one-year contract:
I wanted to sign here. I wanted to stay with the boys here. I like the boys. I like the team we have right now. I’m just glad it all worked out.
Polak on the challenge presented by the Kings:
They’re big bodies. It’s a heavy, skating team. They do a good job on the forecheck, so we need to be prepared for it and be better.
Matchup Stats
| TOR | LAK | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 6-2-0 | 6-0-1 |
| GF/g | 4.63 (1st) | 3.86 (3rd) |
| GA/g | 3.50 (24th) | 2.00 (1st) |
| PP% | 31.3% (3rd) | 18.5% (16th) |
| PK% | 84.4% (7th) | 92.6% (1st) |
| Shots/g | 34.3 (8th) | 34.4 (7th) |
| Shots Against/g | 32 (14th) | 31.4 (13th) |
| 5v5 CF% | 53.23% (8th) | 51.33% (10th) |
| 5v5 SV% | .900 (26th) | .933 (8th) |
| 5v5 SH% | 11.8% (2nd) | 10.5% (4th) |
Toronto Maple Leafs Leafs Projected Lineup
Forwards
Hyman – Matthews – Nylander
Marleau – Kadri – Komarov
van Riemsdyk – Bozak – Brown
Martin – Moore – Marner
Defencemen
Gardiner – Zaitsev
Rielly – Hainsey
Borgman – Polak
Goaltenders
Andersen
McElhinney
Scratched: Leivo, Carrick
Los Angeles Kings Projected Lineup
Forwards
Iafallo – Kopitar – Brown
Pearson – Shore – Toffoli
Cammalleri – Kempe – Lewis
Andreoff – Laich – Dowd
Defencemen
Forbort – Doughty
Muzzin – Martinez
MacDermid – Folin
Goaltenders
Quick
Kuemper
Injured: Gaborik, Clifford, Carter
