Maple Leafs To Roll Out Same Lineup Vs. Hurricanes, Easton Cowan Discusses Funny Post-Game Moment

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Maple Leafs To Roll Out Same Lineup Vs. Hurricanes, Easton Cowan Discusses Funny Post-Game Moment

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube isn’t changing a thing.

After a 4-1 win against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers, Toronto is sticking with the same group two nights later against the Carolina Hurricanes. They’ll also have Joseph Woll in net, which’ll be his eighth start of the season.

Entering Thursday’s game against the Hurricanes, the message Berube has for his team is to be urgent.

“We know how they play, and they’re going to come at you,” he said on Thursday morning. “And, again, it’s about beating the pressure tonight, a lot like Florida. So it’s got a good opportunity for our team. Just about starting the game on time and being urgent right away, and making strong plays with the puck.”

Toronto’s head coach added that it was a fairly easy decision to start Woll over Dennis Hildeby, who hasn’t played since Nov. 29 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“(Woll) had a day yesterday, and he’s been rolling good, and he’s feeling good,” Berube said. “So I think when you communicate with him and how he’s feeling, where he’s at from a physical standpoint and a mental standpoint, you know, it’s a pretty easy decision.”

Woll has three wins and a .924 save percentage through seven games this season.

This is how the Maple Leafs’ lineup will shape out on Thursday night in Carolina, with no changes:

Matthew Knies – Auston Matthews – Max Domi
Easton Cowan – John Tavares – William Nylander
Dakota Joshua – Nicolas Roy – Bobby McMann
Steven Lorentz – Scott Laughton – Nick Robertson

Morgan Rielly – Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Jake McCabe – Troy Stecher
Simon Benoit – Philippe Myers

Following their win over the Panthers, the Maple Leafs’ social team recorded a funny moment in the dressing room. After Cowan placed his shin pads above him on the shelf, they fell back down onto his head.

“You clip me?” he laughed.

Two days later, he discussed the moment: “Yeah, it’s just, I don’t know. I got to wake up, I guess. I don’t know. It was just slippery up top, I guess. I don’t know. Just unlucky, I guess, maybe.”