Tomorrow night's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning is just another meaningless regular season game, right? Well, it might be just another meaningless game in the sense that a win or a loss may not advance or eliminate the Leafs from contention or in a playoff series. However, there is meaning in this one, regardless of the time of year that it is taking place.
The Leafs are currently sitting in 2nd in the ultra tough Atlantic Division and in a 3-way tie with New Jersey and Carolina for 3rd overall in the NHL with 44 points, but the Lightning are breathing down their necks in both the division and in the league standings with 41 points. The kicker here is that Tampa also has 2 games in hand.
Tampa is coming into this one having won 5-straight games. The Leafs, on the other hand, have lost in back-to-back games in regulation for the first time this season. After having their 15-game point streak broken by the New York Rangers on Thursday, the Buds were clobbered by the Washington Capitals on Saturday. This team needs to snap this skid before it goes on any longer.
We know what losing to inferior opponents last season did to the Leafs. The lost points against teams like Montreal, Buffalo, Ottawa and Arizona had ultimately cost them the Presidents Trophy and a softer round 1 matchup. Instead, they played Tampa. While they very arguably outplayed the Lightning in that series, the end result was what it was. Vasilevskiy made one more timely save than Campbell did and the Leafs were sent packing, once again, in round 1.
Now, while Tampa is anything but an inferior team, the Leafs have the better record this season and you could certainly make the case that they've been the better team this season from a consistency standpoint. With this being a divisional game against a team who has shown that they can get the best of the Leafs when the games matter, this is a real statement game. This is one the Leafs need. A loss puts the Lightning 1 point behind the Leafs and will keep their 2 games-in-hand intact. However, a win for the Buds means a 5-point buffer on the Bolts and some confidence that not only can they hang with Tampa - they can beat them in important games.
