The only game of the NHL schedule today pits the Columbus Blue Jackets against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It’s rare that the eyes of the hockey world are fixed on the Columbus Blue Jackets. That will be the case tonight though as the team faces the Toronto Maple Leafs. The game, slated to start at 7pm, is the only game in the entire NHL today.
The Leafs are coming into tonight coming off of back-to-back 3-2 shootout victories much like the Jackets performance last night against the Panthers. Toronto is in the middle of a five game home stand to start 2018.
The center of the hockey universe will get their first look at the 2017-2018 Columbus Blue Jackets tonight. The Maple Leafs will host the Blue Jackets later on in March as well to close out the three game regular season series between the two. The Jackets won 4-2 at home on December 20th.
The Leafs were without their young superstar Auston Matthews that game though. Matthews will be on the top line tonight along side William Nylander and Zach Hyman.
Starting Goalie Questions
Sergei Bobrovsky will likely start tonight as Joonas Korpisalo was out on the ice for this morning’s optional skate in Toronto according to Dave McCarthy.
Joonas Korpisalo is the only goalie on the ice for #CBJ optional skate which suggests Sergei Bobrovsky will start vs #TMLtalk.
— Dave McCarthy (@DaveAMcCarthy) January 8, 2018
Stopped 42 of 44 in win vs #Panthers on Sunday. #NHL
Bob is coming off a game where he faced 44 shots in regulation and overtime. Add in another eight in the shootout and Bob put in a ton of work. Back-to-back starts with travel in between after such a workload Sunday night isn’t the greatest idea in my mind.
Joonas Korpisalo is coming off a start for the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday night and should be fresh and focused. Giving the Finn the start is a much better idea in my mind but with only seven games left this month, Torts is going to ride Bob as much as possible.
We’ll find out tonight at 7pm if it was the right decision to start Bob.