The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without one of their key players for the first three games of their playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens. Zach Hyman’s run-in with Alexander Edler in the Canucks’ final game of the regular season has been the subject of much discussion, and the NHL has suspended him for three games. While the Leafs are certainly disappointed to be without one of their top wingers, the team is confident they have the depth to overcome this obstacle. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Hyman’s suspension, how it will impact the Leafs’ lineup, and what the team will need to do to secure a victory in Game 2.
Michael Bunting, a forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs, has been suspended for three games by the NHL Department of Player Safety and will miss Game 2 of the team’s best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The suspension came after Bunting committed an illegal check to the head and interference against Erik Cernak, a Lightning defenseman, during Game 1. Bunting was given a five-minute match penalty for the hit, and the Lightning scored two goals on the ensuing power play to take a 6-2 lead. Cernak left the game and will not be playing in Game 2.
The Maple Leafs have not advanced past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the past six seasons and have not won a series since 2004. In Game 2, Calle Jarnkrok will replace Bunting on a line with Auston Matthews and Mitchell Marner while Matthew Knies, who could make his playoffs debut, replaces Ryan O’Reilly on a line with Noel Acciari. John Tavares played left wing in Game 1 on a line with O’Reilly and William Nylander but will be shifting to center between left wing Alexander Kerfoot and Nylander in Game 2.
Although head coach Sheldon Keefe has not made any final decisions about the lineup for Game 2, he confirmed that Ilya Samsonov would start in goal, with Joseph Woll as backup.
As Bunting begins his 3-game suspension, the Toronto Maple Leafs will have to find a way to move forward without one of their key players. Bunting’s physicality and energy have been a huge asset to the team, but their depth will be put to the test as they look to fill the void left by his absence. It remains to be seen what impact this suspension will have on Bunting’s future with the team, but for now, the Maple Leafs must focus on the task at hand and continue to push towards their ultimate goal of a Stanley Cup championship.
