Leafs lean on Domi in bid to snap skid
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The Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins (optional) skated at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.
Leafs centre Auston Matthews will miss Tuesday's game against the Boston Bruins due to a nagging upper-body injury.
"He's been fighting through it a little bit," said head coach Craig Berube.
Berube said the injury is not related to the wrist issue that led Matthews to undergo surgery in the summer of 2021. With five goals in 13 games, the reigning Rocket Richard Trophy winner isn't scoring at the same rate as usual so far this season.
With Matthews out, Max Domi will move up to that top-line spot between Matthew Knies and Mitch Marner.
"He's been elite up there when he's been playing with those guys," said winger William Nylander. "I'm excited for him tonight."
"He's the type of player that relishes that type of thing," said Berube.
When Matthews missed Games 5 and 6 against the Bruins in the playoffs last spring, Domi filled in admirably and helped the Leafs stave off elimination.
"It doesn't matter, it's in the past," Domi said with a smile when asked about that experience. "We always talk about that [past success]. I know you hate me for saying it but, no, it doesn't matter. I just got to get ready to go for a big test tonight against a good team in Boston. We owe them, so looking forward to it."
Domi has six assists this season, but has yet to score a goal. He has gone seven straight games without a point.
"Obviously, every game you're not going to be able to score and get on the scoresheet, but you just got to keep playing good D," he said. "It's something I'm trying to work on. And, obviously, the coaching staff and I have talked about it. You want to be able to go out in any situation and carry that responsibility, be able to play against anyone out there, and that's kind of what I'm focused on. All the other stuff will fall into place."
Pontus Holmberg, who sat out Sunday's game as a healthy scratch, will draw back into the lineup and take Domi's place as the third-line centre.
Matthews missed one regular-season game last year due to illness, which the Leafs won.
"Everyone needs to step up," said Marner. "Take another step up, bring more intensity. Obviously, it's a big missing piece to our team, but we've done a good job of guys stepping up and playing in bigger roles."
The Leafs are looking to avenge a 4-3 overtime loss to the Bruins in Boston on Oct. 26. That was actually Toronto's eighth straight regular-season defeat against Boston, which matches the longest streak in the history of this Original Six rivalry.
"Everybody needs to elevate their game tonight," said Berube. "Not just because Auston's out of the lineup, but because we're playing the Bruins. It's going to be a good game and a hard game, and we need everybody on board tonight."
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Nylander is close friends with Bruins winger David Pastrnak, who was benched for the entire third period of Boston's win on Sunday. What is Nylander expecting from his pal tonight?
"I don't know," Nylander said with a smile. "Fired-up Pasta. We'll see."
Pastrnak has gone a season long four games without a goal. Pastrnak's last goal came against the Leafs. He does have three assists during this stretch.
"He's one of the best players in the world and I know he'll come out tonight and be flying," said Bruins forward Matt Poitras. "I feel like he always saves his best for the Leafs. He'll be great tonight."
Pastrnak scored the overtime winner in Game 7 of the playoff series against Toronto last spring.
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The Leafs went with a five-forward look on the power play in the game against Minnesota on Sunday, with Knies joining the top unit. With Matthews out, defenceman Morgan Rielly rejoined the No. 1 group at Tuesday's morning skate.
Toronto snapped an 0-for-21 skid on the man advantage on Sunday with Nylander scoring off a Matthews seam pass.
"Just keep the puck moving quickly," said Marner, who picked up a secondary assist in Minnesota. "I think we did a really good job of spreading out that diamond last game. Trying to do the same tonight. Try to open up plays. If there's no plays to be made, try to move it around quickly. Try to find one and try to deliver pucks around that net to get second opportunities."
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Berube called over winger Bobby McMann for a pep talk after the skate on Tuesday morning.
"Mostly just sticking with it and trusting myself and just knowing that I can be a good player," McMann said of the message. "And just trust my reads and stuff like that."
After being a healthy scratch in the season opener, McMann scored twice in his first three games of the season. Since then, though, he has just one assist in nine games.
"He was going good, and it kind of dipped a bit," Berube said. "He needs to find it again. I think sometimes players overthink things and try to do more than they need to do. Like, his game needs to be a simple up-and-down game and bang bodies, and go to the net hard and things like that. He can be better, for sure."
"There's always times when you have a little self-doubt throughout the season," McMann said. "I'm doing what everybody says and trusting the process. If you do the little things, you compete hard and come ready to play every night, eventually things will start turning your way."
McMann was benched in the last game against Boston after his turnover led to a Bruins goal.
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Bruins winger Justin Brazeau will have a little extra motivation on Tuesday night as he plays his second NHL regular-season game in Toronto. The native of New Liskeard, Ont. will have his grandma, Heather, in the house.
"It will be her first game, the first one watching me playing in the NHL, so it will be pretty cool," the 26-year-old said. "She's been my biggest supporter ever since I was a kid, so it will be pretty special to play for her tonight."
Brazeau, who scored against the Leafs last month, had dinner with his parents and grandparents on Monday night.
"It's special," he said of these homecoming games "I have a lot of people that will be watching. They don't necessarily get to watch a lot of the Bruins games so when it's broadcast live here in Canada, I know I have a lot of people watching. It's the team I grew up cheering for so it's always special."
Brazeau leads all Bruins with four goals in the past six games.
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Poitras is also playing his second regular season NHL game in Toronto. He was minus-two in his hometown debut last December.
"It was all kind of a blur," the 20-year-old from Whitby, Ont. recalled. "That is probably the most nervous I've been before playing a game. This year I hope it's a little less stressful and don't have as many things to worry about."
Poitras isn't sure exactly how many friends and family members he will have in the building on Tuesday.
"My mom is dealing with some of that stuff this year, so I don't have to worry about it," he said with a smile.
He does know that big brother Adam, who missed last year's game because he was at school at Loyola University in Maryland, will be in attendance.
"I'm most excited for my brother to be here and watch me play," he noted. "He doesn't get to see too many games, so it's cool for me to have him here."
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Anthony Stolarz, who stopped 31 of 33 shots in Sunday's overtime loss, will start again for the Leafs.
"I liked Stolie's game last game, so I chose to go with him tonight," Berube said.
Jeremy Swayman, who picked up a 23-save shutout on Sunday, gets the start for the Bruins.
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As part of a long-term injured reserve conditioning loan, Jani Hakanpää (knee) suited up for the Toronto Marlies in an American Hockey League game on Saturday.
"It was unreal," the 6-foot-7 defenceman said. "It was a big milestone for me."
It was Hakanpää's first game action since March 16.
"The knee felt good," the 32-year-old assured. "The body felt pretty good too. It's always a little shocker to the system to get that first one out of the way."
Hakanpää broke into a big smile when asked about landing his first hit.
"It felt nice," he said. "It really did feel good. It really gets your blood flowing. It's something you don't get anywhere else."
This type of conditioning loan can only last three games or six days, although the Leafs can request an extension. The Marlies don't play again until Saturday.
When does Hakanpää expect to be called up?
"I don't know," the Finland native said. "Hopefully soon here."
The Leafs wrap up the week with home games on Friday and Saturday.
"I haven't really thought about that yet, to be honest," Hakanpää said of the next step. "I've just been over the moon with playing a game. I was smiling all [Sunday] just having that feeling inside of me."
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Calle Jarnkrok (lower body) skated on his own before the main team session on Tuesday. It's the first time the veteran winger has been spotted on the ice since the season began. There is no timeline listed for his return to game action.
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Lines at Leafs skate on Tuesday:
Knies - Domi - Marner
Pacioretty - Tavares - Nylander
McMann - Holmberg - Robertson
Lorentz - Kampf - Reaves
Rielly - Ekman-Larsson
McCabe - Tanev
Benoit - Timmins
Myers, Benning
Stolarz
Woll
Power-play units at Leafs skate on Tuesday:
Rielly
Marner Tavares Nylander
Knies
Ekman-Larsson
Domi Robertson Pacioretty
McMann