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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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The Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning (optional) skated at Amalie Arena on Friday. 

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John Tavares has not been on the ice for a five-on-five goal by the Leafs in the series. He also hasn't been on the ice for a goal against. 

"I think 200-foot game is the big focus for me," the 31-year-old centre said, "knowing the team you're up against and the game breakers that they have. I want to continue to find ways to generate more and breakthrough but, overall, five-on-five has been tight."

Another factor: the first two games of the series have been dominated by special teams play. 

"It's probably been the two most penalized games we've had all season," said Lightning centre Steven Stamkos, who's also seeking his first even-strength point. "There hasn't been a lot of five-on-five, to be honest, so it disrupts the flow of things."

During the first two games of the series, the Leafs looked to match Auston Matthews against Tampa's top line of Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat.

"It's certainly a challenge," Stamkos said. "You're talking about an MVP-calibre player and then Mitch Marner too is right up there in that conversation probably. It's a little bit of a different mindset when you're on the ice against those guys. I mean, you're conscious of trying not to turn the puck over and trying not to make mistakes. That's the matchup that they went with most of the time in Toronto and now we got to take advantage of home ice."

It's expected that Jon Cooper will use his shutdown trio of Anthony Cirelli between Brayden Point and Alex Killorn to combat Toronto's top line. That likely means Tavares and Stamkos will see a lot of each other.  

Tavares will be reunited with William Nylander on the second line. Nylander is also looking to get on the board in five-on-five play. 

"John and Will will likely have a tougher matchup defensively," said Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe, "but offensively there will be more opportunities. But the defensive responsibility will grow ... My biggest thing for John and Will is to continue to focus on their defensive game and making sure that's tight and the offence and chances and the time in the offensive zone will come."

"My role and evolution as a player has continued to happen," Tavares said. "Obviously [scoring] is still a big part of my game, but I know the way to go about it and how to impact it is maybe a little different ... But, no doubt, you want to go out and be a difference maker and make plays and be coming on in that area." 

The Lightning have a lot of respect for Tavares, who has won 79 per cent of his draws in the series. 

"He's a pain in the ass in the faceoff circle because he wins so many, so they're always starting with the puck," said Cooper. "He's gritty in the sense that he has that really good stick so anywhere within six feet of the net, Tavares might get his stick on it. He's a smart player."

"So consistent for his whole career," noted Stamkos. "That's not easy to do. Sometimes people take that for granted."

Stamkos, 32, is coming off a career-best 106-point regular season. 

"His release," said Tavares when asked what stands out about his captain counterpart in this series. "He can really take a one timer. His range is as good as anybody's. He plays an up-tempo style of game and I think he's really shown, throughout the course of his career, that his playmaking ability is strong as well. He competes really hard and plays to win."

 

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With all the penalties in the first two games, Nylander has averaged just 16:20 of ice time, which is down from 18:16 in the regular season. 

"There's really been no rhythm to five-on-five play so that’s impacted both John and Will, to be honest, and that's why putting them together, it's a little bit easier to get them on the ice more consistently," Keefe noted.

How does the addition of Nylander change the second line? 

"Willy's as dynamic a player as they come," Tavares said. "His poise and his skating ability, it's such a dual-threat option. Obviously, such a good shooter, but can see the ice really well. When you add that it obviously adds a different dynamic because his skill set is so strong."

Ondrej Kase, who missed the morning skate to attend to a personal matter, is expected to be the right winger on the line.  

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Jason Spezza will make his series debut on Friday. 

"I don't think words can describe how hard it is to watch a game when you're a player," the 38-year-old forward said. "It's difficult, but it's part of the process of being on a team. We have a great team here and we're going to need to use our depth throughout playoffs but, as a player, it's one of the hardest things to do."

Spezza will play beside Pierre Engvall and Colin Blackwell on the fourth line while skating on the second power-play unit. 

"I got a lot of experience this time of year," said Spezza, who will be suiting up in his 93rd playoff game. "It's the best time of year to play hockey, so I can bring some enthusiasm to the game today and have some poise and also hopefully help the power play and get the line in good order."

Keefe had Wayne Simmonds and Kyle Clifford in the lineup for Game 1, but the pair of gritty wingers will sit out Game 3. 

"We're at a point in the series where we have to get Spezz involved," the coach explained. "As we forecasted the series and how things might go, usually when you get by the first couple of games the physicality and those things settle in because there's so much at stake and the teams know what to expect from each other."

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Right-shot defenceman Justin Holl will also make his series debut, replacing rookie Timothy Liljegren on the third pair alongside Mark Giordano. 

"We've moved our defence around all season," Keefe said. "We think it's important to do so. There's been times where Lily's inexperience has showed up a little bit. It's been a lot for him to take on here. Now, we come on the road, and we don't control the match-ups the same way."

The Lightning scored three power-play goals in Game 2. 

"Hollsy has been a really big part of our penalty killing all season so all that pointed to us making a change," Keefe concluded. 

Holl averaged 2:38 of shorthanded ice time in the regular season, which was second most among Toronto's defence. 

 

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Leafs lines at Friday's skate: 

Bunting - Matthews - Marner 
Nylander - Tavares - Anderson 
Mikheyev - Kampf - Kerfoot 
Engvall - Blackwell - Spezza 
Simmonds, Clifford 

Rielly - Lyubushkin 
Muzzin - Brodie 
Giordano - Holl
Sandin - Liljegren 

Campbell starts 
Kallgren 
Mrazek