The Toronto Maple Leafs are off to a surprisingly strong start after destroying the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 on Wednesday night.
Many pundits predicted that Toronto would struggle this season without a secure option in goal. However, through three games, goaltending has not been an issue. The team took down Montreal 2-1 in its first game before losing 2-1 in a tightly fought battle with Buffalo. In its most recent game, Toronto broke out for five goals against the mighty Pittsburgh Penguins. Leading the way was summer acquisition James Van Riemsdyk who scored three points. The team unfortunately lost forward Joffrey Lupul in the process, but Toronto has proven in the early going that it is a competitive squad that will be tough to contend with.
On Thursday, the Maple Leafs host the New York Islanders; a team coming off a 4-3 win at home. The Islanders got off to a bad start last Saturday in a 2-1 loss to New Jersey but showed tremendous offensive prowess in their 4-3 win over Tampa Bay. Up and coming superstar John Tavares had two points in that affair but he has not played to his best through the two games. Winger Michael Grabner has however as he scored the opening goal and created a variety of opportunities. Goaltender Evgeni Nabokov has also been excellent for the Islanders and could get the start on Thursday. However, with the team slated to play five games in eight days (including one on Friday in Boston), coach Jack Capuano may feel inclined to give backup Rick DiPietro a chance in the net on Thursday against Toronto.
Predictions: Both teams are trying to prove pundits wrong. Toronto won three of four last season, but Tavares usually has strong games against his hometown team. In my opinion this comes down to the Islanders' goaltending. If Nabokov gets the start, the Islanders' chances of winning become infinitely higher. A DiPietro start will not spell doom for New York, but it could create a tentative and nervous night for Islanders fans. Nabokov should start and I think this goes to a shootout: 3-2 Islanders.
Start Time: 7 PM EST
TV Info: MSG Plus, TSN Canada
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