Tuesday, August 4, 2020 – 4:00 EST
Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, Ontario
TV: Fox Sports Ohio & NBCSN; Radio: 97.1 FM
Opponent’s Blog: Pension Plan Puppets
Columbus Blue Jackets (33-22-15, 81 points, 6th Metro, 9th East)
vs.
Toronto Maple Leafs (36-25-9, 81 points, 3rd Atlantic, 8th East)
Game 1: 2-0 win, Columbus.
So who had Joonas Korpisalo with the first CBJ franchise playoff game shutout on their 2020 Apocalypse bingo card?
Not me! But I’m thrilled. So weird to have something to be thrilled about this year! Thank God for bubble hockey.
Anyways, Game 2 is today, and although I’m bolstered and encouraged by the Blue Jackets’ Game 1 performance, I’m keeping my hopes in check for Game 2. Korpi had a career-highlight game last night – one that will be hard to top.
The Jackets’ defense was airtight – MrSwift13 put it best Sunday night in his recap when he wrote, “The forecheck, the defensive system, and the goaltender. The players working in tandem, confident together, won this hockey game. No shots on net for Toronto in the final 6:12. Unreal.”
The Jackets truly did create an impenetrable situation for the Maple Leafs, which was then hilarious and gratifying to see the Leafs fanbase up in arms after their team’s frustrating performance.
That seals the deal. I am no longer a Maple Leafs fan. I’ve been a fan since 1967 and a season ticket holder since 1972. I officially will not be renewing my plan next season nor will I watch on tv ever again. Dubas is officially the worst gm in history.
— trey™️ (@mxkheyev) August 3, 2020
I’m not bothered by the Columbus Blue Jackets slander coming from around the league; it just makes it that much more satisfying when non-CBJ hockey fans sit around and scratch their heads and can’t figure out why they keep losing to a team that apparently lacks [insert literally any criticism here].
2019-20 Regular Season Stats
| Toronto | Columbus | |
|---|---|---|
| 3.39 (3) | GPG | 2.57 (28) |
| 3.17 (26) | GAPG | 2.61 (4) |
| 23.1% (5) | PP% | 16.4% (27) |
| 77.7% (21) | PK% | 81.7% (12) |
| 52.0% (6) | 5v5 Shot Attempt % | 49.2% (19) |
| 51.3% (9) | 5v5 Unblocked shot attempt % | 50.9% (11) |
| 8.6 (9) | 5v5 Shot % | 6.8 (28) |
| .912 (25) | 5v5 Save % | .928 (5) |
| Auston Matthews, 47 | G Leader | Oliver BJORKSTRAND, 21 |
| Mitch Marner, 51 | A Leader | Pierre-Luc Dubois, 31 |
| Auston Matthews, 80 | P Leader | Pierre-Luc Dubois, 49 |
| Justin Holl, 43 | PIM Leader | Nick Foligno, 62 |
| 18-9-7 | Home/Away | 13-10-11 |
| 5-4-1 | Last 10 | 3-4-3 |
Projected Lineups
| Alexandre Texier | Pierre-Luc Dubois | Oliver BJORKSTRAND |
| Nick Foligno | Alexander Wennberg | Cam Atkinson |
| Gustav Nyquist | Boone Jenner | Liam Foudy |
| Eric Robinson | Riley Nash | Emil Bemstrom |
| Zach Werenski | Seth Jones |
| Vladislav Gavrikov | David Savard |
| Ryan Murray | Dean Kukan |
| Joonas Korpisalo |
| Elvis Merzlikins |
| William Nylander | Auston Matthews | Zach Hyman |
| Ilya Mikheyev | John Tavares | Mitch Marner |
| Nick Robertson | Alexaner Kerfoot | Kasperi Kapanen |
| Kyle Clifford | Frederik Gauthier | Jason Spezza |
| Jake Muzzin | Justin Holl |
| Morgan Rielly | Cody Ceci |
| Travis Dermott | Tyson Barrie |
| Frederik Andersen |
| Jack Campbell |