Game Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning vs Toronto Maple Leafs - Key Players to Watch 

By Ryan Gagne

Modified Apr 03, 2024 19:29 GMT

The Toronto Maple Leafs (43-22-9) will host the NHL's leading scorer, Nikita Kucherov (127 points) and the Tampa Bay Lightning (41-26-7) at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night.

This game is the last time these two divisional rivals will face each other in the regular season, yet it will be a contest with many implications. Toronto is only four points behind the Florida Panthers for second in the division, while Tampa Bay is only six points behind Toronto for third.

Considering that the Panthers and Boston Bruins are not skating on Wednesday night, this game will not affect anything in the standings tonight, but the focus will shift to future games.

Auston Matthews vs. Nikita Kucherov showdown for Maple Leafs-Lightning game

Auston Matthews became the NHL's first 60-goal scorer and is up to 62 heading into the Lightning contest. During the previous two meetings, he's recorded two goals and an assist for three points and is plus-4.

Although he's leading the league in goals, he's only collected 98 points, 29 fewer than his counterpart tonight, Kucherov. Kucherov has been battling Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) for the Art Ross Trophy.

Entering the contest with the Maple Leafs, the pair is tied again at 127 points, but Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) is right behind them with 126. The Oilers also skate tonight in Dallas.

Unlike Matthews, Kucherov has been red hot against the Maple Leafs in 2023-24, scoring four goals and seven points and having a plus-7 rating.

Goalie Showdown: Joseph Woll vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy

In one of the season's most important games, Toronto appears to be going with rookie Joseph Woll, who is just 3-4-0 with a .893 save percentage since returning from an injury on Feb. 29.

Woll is 11-9-1 in 22 games this season with a 2.87 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. He's undefeated against Tampa Bay in his career, with a 3-0-0 record, surrendering just four goals in those contests.

Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning

On the flip side, Andrei Vasilevskiy may not be having a Vezina-caliber season as he's used to, but he's still compiled a 28-17-2 record after missing the first two months of the season after surgery.

Because Vasilevskiy missed time, he has yet to play against Toronto this season. However, he is 14-10-2 in 26 games against the team in his career, the most starts against any opponent in his 10-year career.

Secondary scoring: William Nylander vs. Brayden Point

William Nylander has collected 95 points, which is already a career-high, and he is just five points away from becoming the 13th Swedish player to reach 100 points in an NHL season.

Considering that Mitch Marner has missed significant time with an injury, Nylander has helped carry the offense with 55 assists. He is just a couple of points behind Matthews for the Toronto scoring title.

In two meetings this season, Nylander has three points (one goal and two assists) against Tampa Bay and will be heavily relied on to help secure two critical points for the Maple Leafs in Game 75.

Outside of Kucherov's career season, Brayden Point has quietly scored 42 goals and 82 points. After scoring 51 goals and 95 points last season, he's taken a step back offensively, but he's still one of the team's most dangerous skaters.

In the two previous encounters with the Maple Leafs, Point tallied a goal with three helpers for four points.