
Toronto Maple Leafs vs New York Islanders Game 79 Preview: Lineups, Goaltenders, & Best Bets
TLN After DarkShow Notes
The Toronto Maple Leafs are back in action for Game 79 against the New York Islanders, and this preview breaks down everything to know before puck drop. Zack Phillips looks at the projected Leafs lines, Easton Cowan’s opportunity to bounce back, Luke Haymes making his NHL debut, and Artur Akhtyamov getting his first NHL start in a fascinating late-season matchup. He also dives into what Pete DeBoer’s first game behind the Islanders bench could mean, why the Leafs should be giving more runway to some of their younger players, and which lineup decisions still raise questions heading into the night.
Plus, Zack gives out his best bets for Leafs vs Islanders, including an Islanders alternate puck line play and a couple of anytime goal scorer picks.
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Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:22 Why this game is worth watching 00:46 Leafs vs Islanders preview begins 01:09 Projected first line: Cowan, Tavares, Nylander 02:17 Easton Cowan bounce-back focus 03:22 Luke Haymes called up, lineup changes 04:11 Benoit-Olivier Groulx sent down, what it means 04:55 Why Haymes needs real minutes 06:20 Defensive pairings and William Villeneuve case 07:37 Power play units 08:01 Artur Akhtyamov’s first NHL start 08:44 Ilya Sorokin and Pete DeBoer angle 10:10 Best bets 12:04 Islanders -2.5 pick 12:47 Matthew Schaefer anytime goal 13:12 Luke Haymes anytime goal 13:35 Final thoughts and outro
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