Maple Leafs Lineup Updates Ahead Of Game Against Hurricanes, Scott Laughton’s Timeline Remains Unknown

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Maple Leafs Lineup Updates Ahead Of Game Against Hurricanes, Scott Laughton's Timeline Remains Unknown

The Toronto Maple Leafs have decisions to make for Sunday night’s lineup against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Scott Laughton won’t be in the lineup when Toronto takes the ice after taking a big hit from Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov on Saturday night. It was his second game back after missing the first 13 of the year with a lower-body injury.

As for who comes into his spot on the fourth line, that’ll be decided after warmups, says head coach Craig Berube. “We’re gonna make some lineup decisions here tonight after warmup, see on a couple guys,” he added.

There’s no timeline on when Laughton could return to the Maple Leafs’ lineup.

Dennis Hildeby will get the start for Toronto after stopping 19 of 20 shots against Boston. He came in for relief of Anthony Stolarz in the second period after Stolarz allowed four goals on 19 shots against.

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Craig Berube, on tonight’s lineup vs. the Hurricanes:

“We’re going to make some lineup decisions after warmup, see on a couple guys.”

Dennis Hildeby gets the start for the Maple Leafs.

“I just think Stolly’s been obviously overworked, we all know that, and give him a break tonight,” Berube said of why Toronto’s going with Hildeby against the Hurricanes.

“I just think (Hildeby) went in and he was, like I said, he was calm, he was big in net, did a good job for us, I thought. Not much he could do on the final goal, but other than that, he was covering a lot of the net and doing what we needed him to do. I thought just coming in there like that, it’s not easy, you know, but he did a good job.”

Below is more from Berube on the team’s power play, how they’re approaching a strong Hurricanes team, and Nick Robertson’s play as of late.

Q: What’s the key to having success against a team like Carolina?
A: Yeah, they’re hard. You got to move pucks quick. We obviously got to win battles tonight on the walls because the way they come, the speed they come with and their D are very aggressive up the ice. You got to win battles on the walls tonight, and if you make good plays and get pucks out, they give up odd-man rushes, but it’s gonna be a battle though, and you got to make sure that we’re strong on the walls. Our D are moving pucks quick, getting it going north and as much as we can, let’s make them work in their own zone. That’s the key for me tonight is what we do through the neutral zone, our forward check and then our O-zone play. You know, we can make them play in their end tonight. They’ve been giving up quite a bit too, so we got to make them work in their end.

Q: How encouraging was it to see the power play execute?
A: Yeah, it was good. I thought that they moved the puck around really well all night, and it was nice to get that other unit to score a goal for us right away.

Q: What stands out about the way Nick Robertson’s been playing?
A: Tenacious work ethic is everything for him. And for me, that’s what he’s doing, it’s every shift and he has the ability to put the puck in the net with a shot, but it’s the work. He’s just working tenacious, everywhere on the ice.

Scott Laughton Leaves Maple Leafs Game Against Bruins With Upper-Body Injury, Will Miss Game Against Hurricanes
Laughton was playing in his second game this season after missing time with a lower-body injury.

Q: What did you like about that other power play unit, that second unit?
A: Yeah, I think just quick puck movement and movement. It was just a heads-up play by Max (Domi), but it’s also the movement from Robbie going through the box and opening up on the backside, so you know, that for me was the key to that goal.

Q: Does that give you a different look at the net front with a right-handed shot?
A: Yes, yeah, for sure. Yeah, it’s always nice when you have two righties on a unit, but we’re a little limited there.

Q: You started the second unit on one run on the power plays, that just simply because you liked what you were seeing from that unit?
A: Yeah.