Bunting forced to wait and watch as Leafs stick with winning lineup

TSN SportsCentre Reporter Mark Masters reports on the Maple Leafs, who practised at Ford Performance Centre on Wednesday ahead of Game 5 on Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena.

Michael Bunting will be a healthy scratch for the first time in his Leafs career on Thursday night. 

"Listen, I want to play," the gritty left winger said. "I want to be in the lineup and that's what I intend on doing in the future here ... There's a little adversity for me here but, you know what, I've gone through adversity my whole life and I made it here so this is just another day for me."

Bunting was suspended three games for hitting Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Erik Cernak in the head when he didn't have the puck in Game 1. The Leafs have won all three games in his absence. 

"His situation opened the door for someone like Matthew Knies to come in," said coach Sheldon Keefe. "He did a terrific job for us ... It is not an easy decision because Bunts has played really good hockey for us and has been an important guy for our team, but really the message is that he will get back in. It is just not going to be tomorrow."

Bunting, who scored 23 goals while suiting up in all 82 regular-season games in 2022-23, started the series on the top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.

"My job is to be a good teammate and be a professional in all aspects so that's what I intend on doing," Bunting vowed. "I'm hoping there's a lot more games to be played and I'll be in them."

"He's been pumping the boys up," said winger William Nylander. "He's had great energy around the guys. You'll have to ask him how he feels about not playing tomorrow, but it is what it is. I mean, we've won three games in a row so there's not too much you can do there." 

Fourth-line winger Zach Aston-Reese says "it means a lot" that Keefe is sticking with the players who helped the team pull off two comeback wins in Tampa Bay. Keefe cited chemistry as a factor in the decision. 

"We are just comfortable rolling with the same group that has been working here and has won three games in a row," said Keefe. "That is it."

Bunting will just have to wait and watch. 

"Watching's stressful," the 27-year-old from Scarborough, Ont., said. "It's very stressful up there ... I'm almost more nervous watching than playing, but the guys have responded great. Three in a row, that's unbelievable so I'm just trying to be a great teammate and just cheer the boys on and help in any way I can and not be a distraction."

Bunting, who is in the final year of his contract, sat beside injured defenceman Jake Muzzin in the press box on Monday night. 

"He's been with me through this whole way," Bunting said. "He's been the voice in my head and just the way he's been talking me through it, I can't thank him enough." 

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Bunting reached out to Cernak after the hit. 

"I sent him a text," Bunting said. "I'll leave that between him and I and I wish him the fastest recovery."

Cernak hasn't played since the hit and has already been ruled out for Game 5.

"Him and I battle a lot and I have a lot of respect for him," said Bunting. "He's a great defenceman. He plays hard. He plays the game right. We've butted heads a few times but it's very unfortunate what happened. I never want to see someone get hurt and miss games."

What happened on the play?  

"I tried to create space for myself because I was kind of expecting contact from him but that time he wasn't going in for contact and the rest happened. I never intend to hurt anyone out there and that's not my game. I've played over eight years, over 500 games in pro, and never had a suspension. Yeah, that's not my game."

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Knies was promoted to the second line with John Tavares and Marner on Monday night as the Leafs mounted a push from 4-1 down. He remained in that spot at Wednesday's practice. 

"It means a lot," the 20-year-old said. "Two special players who have unreal experience in the league. Terrific, complete players so it's a privilege and pleasure to play with those guys." 

Knies has only played six career NHL games, but has handled the pressure well so far. His confidence is evident.

"Just with the puck," observed Keefe. "He doesn't throw it away. Sometimes he is hanging onto it a little bit too long, which is an adjustment for a player to make, but you like that he is skating with it. He plays with his head up. He has created some scoring opportunities for others because he plays that way. He is not intimidated in any way by the opposition because of the physicality or the pace. It doesn't affect his game and his mindset. It makes you very comfortable playing him."

Knies even made a key save in Game 4 by swatting a puck off the goal line. 

"Honestly, I don't remember it too well," the University of Minnesota product said. "I kind of blacked out. It was such a quick moment. Just lucky that one didn't bounce in and I could get a handle of it and stop that."

Knies was one of three players to step in front of a bank of cameras following Wednesday's practice. Ever experience something like that at school? 

"No, no, not at all," he said with a smile while surveying a throng of reporters. "This is all new to me."

On the ice, though, it doesn't feel that way.  

"In addition to the talent, he has confidence and some swagger to him," said Keefe. "He just goes out and plays."

"I'm focusing on doing the little things in my shift," Knies said. "Making sure I had a good shift and making sure the guys around me are getting opportunities to score. Just focusing on the little things kind of takes away from the pressure for me."

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Ilya Samsonov looked uncomfortable after making a save early in practice, but stayed in net to finish the drill. He departed the ice shortly thereafter. Keefe says that was always the plan. 

"It was just going to be a light day," the coach said. "There was actually a discussion about not having him go out at all, but just felt getting him a little bit of time and helping him prepare for tomorrow was most important."

Samsonov did not dress in the final two games of the regular season due to an undisclosed injury. 

Samsonov has posted an .876 save percentage in the series, which is down from .919 in the regular season. But the 26-year-old has made timely saves and been better than Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has a save percentage of .856. 

"That is the key," said Keefe. "He has been battling and competing, which we come to expect from him. Obviously, it has helped us a great deal."

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Samsonov has not addressed the media since following the Game 2 win in Toronto. The Leafs decided not to make their goalie available to reporters because Vasilevskiy was not doing any interviews. 

Well, the Lightning goalie broke his silence on Wednesday and had a lot to say. What adjustments can he make to deal with the screens from Leafs players? 

"Buy myself like f--king X-ray glasses," Vasilevskiy told reporters, including Eduardo Encina of the Tampa Bay Times. 

The 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy winner credited the Leafs for their net-front work. 

"I'm 100 per cent sure that it's the game plan for them and so far they've been executing that plan very well," Vasilevskiy said. "Lots of screens, tips, deflection."

"We've got some tips and got bodies in front of the net," confirmed Nylander said. "That's been a big thing, but obviously he's a great goalie and knows how to stop the puck." 

Vasilevskiy sees a different Leafs team. 

"I think last year, they played more skill hockey," the 28-year-old noted. "This year, they're playing that playoff hockey ... Instead of creating that super highlight-reel loop play, they're just trying to get as many bodies in front as possible and just shoot the puck from the blue line."

Samsonov is expected to speak to reporters following Game 5. 

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Nylander had a hand in three of Toronto's four goals on Monday, but logged just 14 minutes and 21 seconds. 

"I feel like this series has been a little bit unusual that way with the ice time," he said. "Just try and do my best when I'm out there."

Nylander's offensive-zone penalty led to the game's opening goal on Monday.  

"It is what it is," he said. "It's not like I try and do that intentionally or anything."

Nylander was also on the ice for the second and fourth goals by the Lightning. Keefe is doing his best to maximize Nylander's offensive attributes while keeping him away from Tampa Bay's best offensive players. 

"It is a balance," the coach acknowledged. "When Willy is at his best, you don't have to protect as much and you can just go. On the road, in particular, that wasn't the case necessarily. He is still a very important guy for us. It is important for me not to lose him. He can still provide a lot in very important moments. He did that the other night."

Nylander has been on the ice for seven 5-on-5 goals against, which is tied for most among all forwards in the playoffs entering play on Wednesday. Is it more about defensive acumen or engagement? 

"They go hand in hand," Keefe said. 

Nylander averaged 18 minutes and 33 seconds of ice time per game in the regular season, which was third among forwards on the Leafs. He's down to 17 minutes and six seconds per game in the playoffs, which is fifth among forwards on the team. Part of that is the fact Nylander has been bumped to the second power-play unit. 

While the Leafs have failed to break through during this era, Nylander has produced eight points (one goal, seven assists) in the nine potential close-out games. So, perhaps the smooth-skating Swede is saving his best for the business end of this series.  

"I just try to play the same way I would in a regular game in the regular season," he insisted. "I just try and do my best out there in these games. Obviously, you got to try to be a little bit relaxed, too. That's pretty important. So, obviously working hard and try to be a little relaxed too is the key." 

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With the Leafs down 4-1 in the second intermission on Monday night, centre Ryan O'Reilly spoke up. 

"'Factor' was a big voice for us in between period and keeping us motivated," revealed Aston-Reese. "We didn't play the way we wanted to for the full 60, but we stuck together."

What did the 2019 Conn Smythe Trophy winner say? 

"Ah, I don't know if I want to give away that secret right now," Aston-Reese said with a smile. 

"Everyone I thought was positive," O'Reilly said on Monday night. "The talk was, 'We get one and put them on their heels a bit and give ourselves a chance,' and that's exactly what happened. The feeling in the room was, 'Let's go at them and give it a chance.'"

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Matt Murray spent around 90 minutes on the ice on Wednesday as he works his way back from a concussion sustained on April 2. 

"He has been working mostly in recovery mode on his own," Keefe said. "Now, he is starting to take shots from players in more game-like situations. It is steady progress there."

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Lines at Wednesday's Leafs practice: 

Jarnkrok - Matthews - Nylander 
Knies - Tavares - Marner 
Kerfoot - O’Reilly - Acciari 
Aston-Reese - Kampf - Lafferty
Simmonds, Bunting 

Rielly - Schenn 
McCabe - Brodie 
Giordano - Holl 
Gustafsson - Liljegren 
Mete - Timmins 

Samsonov 
Woll 
Kallgren 

Power-play units at Wednesday's Leafs practice: 

QB: Rielly 

Flanks: Matthews, Marner 

Middle: O'Reilly 

Net front: Tavares 

QB: Giordano 

Flanks: Nylander, Jarnkrok 

Middle: Kerfoot 

Net front: Knies