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New York Islanders at Toronto Maple Leafs

Sat Oct 177:00 PM ETESPN+Toronto, ON
By JR·2 min read
Islanders(3-3-1)
Maple Leafs(3-3-2)
Saturday 10/177:00 PM

TLDR: The Islanders opened their season with a 2-1 loss in Toronto, and on Saturday, October 17, they go back to Scotiabank Arena. Toronto's defense looks a lot thinner now than it did that night.

SAT 10/17, 7:00 PMESPN+
Islanders
(3-3-1)
LWLWL
Maple Leafs
(3-3-2)
LLWLW

The Islanders visit Toronto for the second time this season after losing the opener 2-1 at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto's blue line is without Chris Tanev, who is week-to-week, and the Leafs just blew a 4-2 lead to Buffalo. New York has Sorokin's goaltending, but its offense managed only 1 goal against a short-handed Ottawa defense.

New York Islanders
  • Sorokin keeps games tight and low-scoring
  • Horvat carrying the scoring early
  • Already played Toronto to a 1-goal game
  • 1 goal in 65 minutes vs depleted Ottawa D
  • Barzal still working back from lower-body injury
  • Lost the season opener in this building
Toronto Maple Leafs
  • Beat the Islanders 2-1 in the opener
  • Built a 4-2 lead on Buffalo before it slipped
  • Scored 6 on Colorado earlier this month
  • Tanev week-to-week, top shot-blocker gone
  • Blew a 2-goal 3rd-period lead to Buffalo
  • Defensive depth tested without Tanev

Puck drop is 7:00 PM ET. Both teams lost their last game in extra time, and they lost them in opposite ways. Toronto led Buffalo 4-2 after 2 periods at home, didn't score again, and lost 5-4 in overtime to a Sabres team playing without Rasmus Dahlin and 3 other defensemen. New York gave up only 1 goal in 65 minutes in Ottawa, scored just 1 of its own, and lost 2-1 in a shootout.

Toronto's problem is clear enough. Chris Tanev went on injured reserve and is week-to-week with an upper-body injury after leaving a 6-3 win over Colorado in the 1st period. He had been tied for the team lead with 14 blocked shots, so the Leafs lose their best shot-eater right when they're having trouble protecting a lead. He also missed 71 games last season, so nobody in Toronto is counting on a quick return. Whoever takes his minutes is going to get tested.

The Islanders have their own question at forward. Mat Barzal has been skating on his own while he works back from a lower-body injury. Until he's in the lineup, the top 6 is thinner than DeBoer would like. Bo Horvat has carried most of the scoring early, including 2 goals in a win over Chicago. New York also has 6-0 over New Jersey on its résumé, so the offense can show up. It just didn't show up in Ottawa.

New York Islanders
(3-3-1)
10/15L@Senators1-2
10/13WvsCanucks3-2
10/10LvsLightning3-5
10/08WvsBlackhawks4-1
10/06L@Rangers2-5
Toronto Maple Leafs
(3-3-2)
10/15LvsSabres4-5
10/14L@Mammoth4-5
10/10W@Avalanche6-3
10/09L@Golden Knights3-4
10/06WvsPredators5-4

In net, the Islanders have Ilya Sorokin, and that's their best argument for a second straight tight game. He made 22 saves against Chicago, and the Ottawa game turned into a shootout because neither team could beat the other's goaltending. If Toronto blows another lead on Saturday, the Isles are built to make it hurt. If the Leafs build a lead and hold it, the Buffalo game starts to look like a one-off.

Neither team has another game before this one, so both get the full layoff. These two already played a 2-1 game in Toronto to open the season. The open question is whether the Leafs can protect a lead without Tanev, after a week when they couldn't. Watch the 3rd period.

Islanders Get Another Crack at a Leafs Blue Line That Keeps Leaking | Polymarket Odds · Barstool Bush