2021 North Division Semifinals Game 6
Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
TOR leads 3-2
How to watch
Start time: 7:30 PM EDT / 4:30 PM PDT
In Canada: CBC, Sportsnet (English), TVA Sports (French)
In the U.S.: NBCSN
Streaming: NHL.tv/NHL Live, Sportsnet Now
For the first time all season — the first time since March 10, 2020 — the sounds of fans will be heard at the Bell Centre. The stands may only be filled to about 10% capacity, but those who are there have 14 months’ worth of cheering to make up for as they try to push the team to another big win and send the series to a seventh game.
The Canadiens are dealing with another injury, this time to Jon Merrill who will need one to two weeks of recovery. In his place comes Brett Kulak, who was scratched for Erik Gustafsson in Game 5, and now has him as a partner on the third pair. Jake Evans may be a game-time decision tonight, but who he would replace after the Canadiens finally got their offence in gear in the previous game is the question.
On Toronto’s side, Nick Foligno is likely back in the lineup, though that is also a decision to make after warmups. The call has already been made to sit Rasmus Sandin, who played a role in Montreal’s first and third goals on Thursday, and will continue the alternation with Travis Dermott.
We should expect the same kind of forechecking strategies Montreal used so effectively in Game 5. They matched their production from the entire series to that point by putting pressure on the Leafs’ defence, and that is clearly the key to success. Every player will be fired up to keep their season going, and the crowd will only amplify the intensity in a must-win game.
Montreal Canadiens projected lineup
Forwards
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Jake Evans | Phillip Danault | Brendan Gallagher |
| Tyler Toffoli | Nick Suzuki | Cole Caufield |
| Paul Byron | Jesperi Kotkaniemi | Josh Anderson |
| Joel Armia | Eric Staal | Corey Perry |
Defencemen
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| Joel Edmundson | Jeff Petry |
| Ben Chiarot | Shea Weber |
| Brett Kulak | Erik Gustafsson |
Goaltenders
| Starter | Backup |
|---|---|
| Carey Price | Jake Allen |
Scratches
F: Alex Belzile, Laurent Dauphin, Michael Frolik, Lukas Vejdemo, Jesse Ylönen
D: Cale Fleury, Otto Leskinen, Xavier Ouellet, Alexander Romanov
G: Charlie Lindgren, Michael McNiven, Cayden Primeau
Injured/Ill
F: Jonathan Drouin (leave of absence), Jake Evans, Artturi Lehkonen, Jon Merrill
Toronto Maple Leafs projected lineup
Forwards
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Zach Hyman | Auston Matthews | Mitch Marner |
| Alex Galchenyuk | Nick Foligno | William Nylander |
| Ilya Mikheyev | Alexander Kerfoot | Wayne Simmonds |
| Joe Thornton | Pierre Engvall | Jason Spezza |
Defencemen
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| Morgan Rielly | T.J. Brodie |
| Jake Muzzin | Justin Holl |
| Travis Dermott | Zach Bogosian |
Goaltenders
| Starter | Backup |
|---|---|
| Jack Campbell | Frederik Andersen |
