Music: {allcanada} 3 Keys: Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs, Game 1 of Cup Qualifiers

Sunday, August 2, 2020

{allcanada} 3 Keys: Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs, Game 1 of Cup Qualifiers

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No. 9 Blue Jackets vs. No. 8 Maple Leafs

8 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS, FS-O, NHL.TV

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs open a best-of-5 Stanley Cup Qualifier series at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Sunday.

Joonas Korpisalo will start for the Blue Jackets but coach John Tortorella declined to comment on the decision he earlier likened to "a coin toss" in terms of two strong goaltending options along with rookie Elvis Merzlikins.

Frederik Andersen will start for the Maple Leafs, who were 1-0-1 against the Blue Jackets before the season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus.

Nicholas Robertson will make his NHL debut for Toronto. The 18-year-old forward led the Ontario Hockey League with 55 goals this season.

There hasn't been a best-of-5 series in the NHL since 1986. The League used them for the preliminary round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs from 1980-86, and the team that won Game 1 went on to win the series 87.5 percent of the time (49 of 56).

Here are 3 keys to Game 1:

1. Blue Jackets goaltending

Goaltending was one of the Blue Jackets' primary strengths this season. Korpisalo was 19-12-5 with a 2.60 goals-against average, .911 save percentage and two shutouts in 37 games (35 starts). He allowed seven goals in two starts against the Maple Leafs (1-1-0, 3.44 GAA, .883 save percentage). Merzlikins, who had five shutouts in an eight-game span from Jan. 11 to Feb. 7, will be ready to step in if Korpisalo falters. He was 13-9-8 with a 2.35 GAA and .923 save percentage in 33 games (31 starts).

2. Maple Leafs need secondary scoring

The Maple Leafs were shut out once in 70 games and third in goals per game (3.39). Auston Matthews scored NHL career highs in goals (47), points (80) and power-play points (25). He's scored 10 goals in 20 postseason games, including five in seven games last season. Production was concentrated at the top with two 60-point scorers, Mitchell Marner (67) and John Tavares (60), and William Nylander's NHL career-high 31 goals. Forwards Zach Hyman, Kasperi Kapanen and Alexander Kerfoot will need to chip in on offense. Robertson, who will play left wing on the third line with Kapanen and Kerfoot, is an interesting wild card and any production from him would provide a boost.

3. Strength vs. strength

Toronto's potent offense and power play will be a huge test for the Blue Jackets' defense. Though Columbus had numerous injuries throughout the regular season, Korpisalo, forwards Cam Atkinson, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Alexandre Texier, and defensemen Seth Jones, Dean Kukan and Ryan Murray are ready. The Blue Jackets will need all hands on deck in their bid for their second postseason series win.