Sheldon Keefe makes surprising line changes ahead of must-win Game 4
In Game 3, the Leafs and Sheldon Keefe decided that 11 forwards and 7 defensemen was the way to go. Unfortunately, it didn't help them as they lost 3-2 in overtime and are now on the verge of getting swept in the second round. In Game 3, we saw Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner begin with Michael Bunting while Calle Jarnkrok skated on the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander. Justin Holl and Erik Gustafsson also drew back into the lineup on the blueline in favour of Timothy Liljegren.
At practice today, both left wingers on the top two lines were different from Game 3 with Jarnkrok back with Matthews and Marner and Alexander Kerfoot being reunited with Tavares and Nylander. Michael Bunting moved down to the third line and Zach Aston-Reese drew back in on the fourth line as the Leafs project to go back to the traditional 12 and 6 lineup for Game 4.
Additionally, Keefe only left the defensive pairing of Morgan Rielly and Luke Schenn together. He had TJ Brodie lined up with Justin Holl and Jake McCabe with Timothy Liljegren meaning that Mark Giordano and Erik Gustafsson are likely to be scratches tomorrow night.
There is more on the line for Game 4 than there was in Game 3, which felt like a must-win in and of itself. Game 4 really is win and continue or lose and go home and it's a bit of a shock to just about everyone, I'm sure, that we're even in this predicament.
