"They've got a lot of good players - we all know that - and their goaltending is strong, obviously. They have high skill and can make plays. That is the biggest threat that I see with them. Now, with the coach, they have a bit of a new style and a new identity of how he wants them to play. I think they will be a more aggressive team in general under [Mike Sullivan]. They will come at you harder."
"At the same time, we have to focus on our game and take care of business. We talk about checking, and we have to check tonight. If we check and do a good job, we'll get offense, but we have to make sure we are tight on people and aren't giving too much time and space out there to the Panarins, Zibanejads, and so on. We have to get to our game early against these guys and keep it for 60 minutes."
The Maple Leafs seek consecutive wins for the first time this season when they host the 2-3-0 New York Rangers tonight at Scotiabank Arena (7:00 p.m. EST, TSN4). The Rangers feature many skilled players and strong goaltending and have adopted a new, more aggressive identity under coach Mike Sullivan. Their defensive approach emphasizes defending out of the offensive zone, tight defensemen, faster play, protecting the middle, and boxing opponents. The Leafs must emphasize checking, limit time and space for players like Panarin and Zibanejad, and sustain consistent play for 60 minutes. Easton Cowan demonstrates high hockey IQ, cerebral movement, strong short-area play, and maturity handling moments as a rookie.
Read at Maple Leafs Hotstove
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