Maple Leafs and Lightning face off start the NHL Playoffs
Tampa Bay Lightning (51-23-8, third in the Atlantic Division) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (54-21-7, second in the Atlantic Division)
Toronto; Monday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Maple Leafs -124, Lightning +103; over/under is 6.5
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Maple Leafs host series opener
BOTTOM LINE: The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Tampa Bay Lightning in game one of the Eastern Conference first round. The teams meet Thursday for the fifth time this season. The teams tied the regular season series 2-2. In their last regular season matchup on April 21, the Lightning won 8-1. Steven Stamkos led the Lightning with three goals.
Toronto is 54-21-7 overall with a 14-7-1 record against the Atlantic Division. The Maple Leafs are 22-5-2 in games they have fewer penalties than their opponent.
Tampa Bay has gone 51-23-8 overall with a 13-8-3 record in Atlantic Division games. The Lightning rank seventh in NHL play with 285 total goals (averaging 3.5 per game).
TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell Marner has 35 goals and 62 assists for the Maple Leafs. Ilya Mikheyev has six goals and two assists over the last 10 games.
Brayden Point has scored 28 goals with 30 assists for the Lightning. Nikita Kucherov has 10 goals and 13 assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Maple Leafs: 7-2-1, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.4 assists, 4.5 penalties and 13.4 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
Lightning: 7-3-0, averaging 4.8 goals, 8.6 assists, 5.2 penalties and 14.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.
INJURIES: Maple Leafs: Ondrej Kase: out (concussion), Rasmus Sandin: out (undisclosed), Petr Mrazek: out (groin), Jake Muzzin: day to day (undisclosed), Michael Bunting: day to day (undisclosed).
Lightning: None listed.
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