With Marc Methot back, the Jackets will hopefully see Fedor Tyutin and James Wisniewski get a bit of a break on their ice time, while John Moore will hopefully pick up where he left off on Sunday.
At this point we assume that Optimus Reim starts for the Leafs, and it will be the Jackets’ job to push them back and challenge the returning netminder early and often.
As Dan pointed out in the preview, the Leafs have a LOT of team speed, and the Jackets will be hard pressed to match it. Smart decisions with the puck are a must, or this team will happily take advantage of turnovers and miscues all night long.
If the Jackets come out like they did on Sunday, this could be a very high octane affair. If not, we may see a repeat of the blowout they visited on the team two years ago. Cross your fingers, grab your seat, and let’s hope for one hell of a ride.