Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Dallas Stars – Game #45 Preview, Projected Lines & TV Info

After two disappointing performances in opposition to Carolina and Vancouver, the Maple Leafs want to discover their approach again into the win column in opposition to a surging Stars staff that’s 8-1-1 in its final 10 video games however has misplaced seven straight to Toronto relationship again to February 2020 (7:00 p.m. EST, TSN4).

Recreation Day Quotes

Craig Berube on the problem introduced by the Dallas Stars:

Excellent staff. Very deep staff. They don’t give a complete lot up. They’re stable throughout. The goaltending is sweet. Heiskanen and Harley on the backend are excellent skaters and transporters of the puck. They’re a tricky opponent.

Chris Tanev on the problem introduced by his former staff: 

They play with quite a lot of tempo and transfer pucks in a short time. 5 guys related, shifting pucks, and getting pucks up the ice. They clearly wish to play in our finish than much more than in their very own.

We’ve solely performed one recreation in opposition to them, and so they most likely ought to’ve beat us, however our goalie was actually good. It was a superb recreation in Dallas, however within the first half of the sport, they form of managed quite a lot of the play. We have been undoubtedly capable of create some possibilities offensively, however we gave up just a little greater than we needed to.

Tanev on essentially the most under-recognized gamers in Dallas: 

Most likely Thomas Harley. Unimaginable participant. Nice skater. Strikes the puck very well. Nice offensive instincts, however works simply as arduous defensively. He’s the true deal for a very younger participant.

He most likely doesn’t get talked about sufficient — he and Esa (Lindell).  Esa is an unimaginable defenseman — nice stick, makes the precise play on a regular basis, large, and robust.

These two guys are extraordinarily good defensemen who undoubtedly don’t get sufficient recognition.

Peter DeBoer on the Leafs‘ seven straight wins over the Stars: 

They appear to have our quantity right here in Dallas. Primary, our Robertson has to outplay their Robertson for the primary time. That message goes to be delivered clearly right here to Jason for us. We now have to start out there.

I’m joking, however larger than that, we have now to play a very good recreation in opposition to them. If you’re off in a single space — your particular groups are off, or your goaltending is off, or the element within the five-on-five recreation is off — they’ve too good of a staff. They’ll make you pay.

We now have to place all of it collectively tonight.

DeBoer on Steven Lorentz becoming a member of a line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner: 

These two guys drive the road.

I’m comfortable for Lorentz — good Waterloo-Kitchener boy who has had a very nice journey by way of hockey. I wish to see that. I prefer it when coaches reward guys like that for effort.

I don’t assume it hurts the large gamers to get a few of that directness and physicality of their recreation. We try this on occasion right here, too. A variety of the occasions it sparks your large guys.

DeBoer on beginning goaltender Jake Oettinger’s 0-3-0 file in opposition to the Leafs:

He’s a proud man. He is aware of what’s at stake. He has been enjoying actually good hockey for us.

You don’t get an even bigger stage than in Toronto. I’m positive you will note a superb recreation out of him.

DeBoer on Chris Tanev:

I beloved the man. What you see is what you get each night time. He by no means wavers. He is aware of what his recreation is and brings it to the rink each night time.

He performed by way of some actually important accidents with us within the playoffs. He was actually compromised, and also you’d by no means realize it. There have been some days when he may barely get his skates on, and he discovered a option to get on the market and assist us in a deep playoff run.

Only a warrior.

DeBoer on Jani Hakanpaa’s recreation when wholesome: 

He is identical. That was a very good signing by them in the summertime if he’s wholesome. If he’s wholesome, he’s an enormous man who’s bodily and ends performs. Good penalty killer. Actually good man. Good within the dressing room.

The one query is his well being, but when he’s wholesome, he could be a actually, actually good participant for them, notably within the playoffs. He gave us some nice minutes throughout my time there.

Berube on the expectations for his staff tonight after a few losses in a row:

Only a extra full recreation. Within the final recreation, I believe we have been fairly stable defensively, however we didn’t create sufficient offensively — energy play included. We have to put all of it collectively tonight.

On the similar time, they’re a stingy staff. You must take what they provide you. We are able to’t open it up. We don’t wish to play that approach, both.

We simply wish to play an actual stable hockey recreation for 60 minutes tonight. We’d like everyone. We are able to’t have any passengers tonight.

Berube on the expectation for Lorentz on the Matthews-Marner line: 

Simply deliver power to the road, greater than something — dimension, compete, and a fairly easy recreation. He’s going to be on the web. He’s going to forecheck for them. He’s going to get in there and create free pucks.

It’s simply including just a little little bit of power to that line.

Berube on the message to Lorentz, who admitted he was nervous to play with Matthews and Marner: 

Hold it easy. He doesn’t want to vary his recreation. He simply must do what he does. Matthews and Marner will do what they do. I don’t assume he must pressure pucks or attempt to discover them. Simply maintain enjoying your recreation and do your factor.

He’s a meat-and-potatoes man who’s going to go to the online, hound pucks, and create loose-puck battles for these guys. Generally, if you put a employee with two expert gamers, they want that.

Lorentz on whether or not he has skilled an identical alternative up the lineup within the league earlier than:

There have been some occasions in Carolina when somebody would go down, and I’d play with Sebastian Aho or Andrei Svechnikov. They’re straightforward guys to play with. Pretty much as good as they’re — world-class expertise — they’re arduous staff, too. So long as you’re working arduous and are on the identical web page with an identical mindset, good issues will occur.

It’s a good problem. Not on daily basis do you get to play with two of the highest gamers on this planet. It’s thrilling.

Head-to-Head Stats: Maple Leafs (27-14-2) vs. Stars (27-14-1)

Within the 2024-25 common season statistics, Dallas holds the benefit in 4 out of 5 offensive classes and three out of 5 defensive classes.

Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Traces

Forwards
#18 Steven Lorentz— #34 Auston Matthews — #16 Mitch Marner
#23 Matthew Knies — #91 John Tavares — #88 William Nylander
#74 Bobby McMann — #11 Max Domi — #89 Nick Robertson
#24 Connor Dewar — #64 David Kampf — #75 Ryan Reaves

Defensemen
#95 Oliver Ekman-Larsson —#8 Chris Tanev
#44 Morgan Rielly — #51 Philippe Myers
#2 Simon Benoit — #25 Conor Timmins

Goaltenders
Starter: #60 Joseph Woll
#35 Dennis Hildeby

Extras: Max Pacioretty, Pontus Holmberg, Marshall Rifai
Injured (IR): Jake McCabe, Anthony Stolarz
Injured (LTIR): Calle Jarnkrok, Jani Hakanpää

Dallas Stars Projected Traces

Forwards
#21 Jason Robertson — #24 Roope Hintz — #63 Evgenii Dadonov
#14 Jamie Benn — #95 Matt Duchene — #53 Wyatt Johnston
#18 Sam Metal — #22 Mavrik Bourque — #11 Logan Stankoven
#10 Oskar Again — #15 Colin Blackwell — #25 Matej Blumel

Defensemen
#4 Miro Heiskanen — #46 Ilya Lyubushkin
#23 Esa Lindell — #Nils Lundkvist
#55 Thomas Harley — #3 Matt Dumba

Goaltenders
Starter: #29 Jake Oettinger
#1 Casey DeSmith

Injured/Out: Tyler Seguin, Mason Marchment