Game #6 – Oilers @ Maple Leafs: 2am CAT

The Leafs dropped a 3-1 decision to the Oilers just two nights ago and are looking for redemption tonight.

Sadly, they’ll have to do that without the help of Auston Matthews and Joe Thornton:

Sheldon Keefe confirms Auston Matthews it OUT tonight for #Leafs vs. Oilers. Upper body soreness. Day-to-day.

Joe Thornton has a rib fracture, will miss at least a month.

— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) January 22, 2021

How they arrange the lines is anybodys guess, however, the teams lack of depth is beginning to show. With Matthews and Thornton joining Nicholas Robertson on the sidelines, the Leafs are looking thin towards the bottom of their lineup.

Keefe says Engvall, Barabanov and Brooks will slot in tonight for #Leafs.

No hints on how the lines with shake out though, other than to say that William Nylander will NOT be moving to centre.

— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) January 22, 2021

Hopefully Engvall and Brooks will have a strong showing and prove that they deserve a spot at the table in the NHL. Forget about tonight, the team will need some depth pieces to step up and play above their heads if they truly want to contend for a Stanley Cup. After all, the guys at the top of the lineup can’t do it all, even if they can rack up a lot of points in the regular season:

Mitch Marner needs just 3 points to reach 300 for his career. At 23 years, 262 days old, he is on pace to become the 2nd-youngest player in #LeafsForever history to record 300 points (Vincent Damphousse 23 years, 47 days old). pic.twitter.com/acWsynFHVV

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) January 22, 2021

Enjoy the game!! GO LEAFS GO!!