Christine: Jack Roslovic dropped two goals and added an assist in a losing effort, Auston Matthews had three helpers, but the Toronto Maple Leafs still fell 3-2 to the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday night. Now, they have less than twenty-four hours to reset for the biggest rivalry game of the early season against the Montreal Canadiens.
Jason: That is right, Christine. It’s the Battle of Ontario, and it’s coming up tomorrow night at Scotiabank Arena. The stakes are high, the roster is thinned out by injuries, and the pressure is on to bounce back immediately.
Christine: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network, America's number one daily sports podcast. I’m Christine, and joining me as always is our lead analyst, Jason. Good morning, everyone. We are live on November 7th, 2026.
Jason: Good morning, Christine. And good morning to all the Leaf fans tuning in from across the Great Lakes and beyond. We’ve got a packed show today.
Christine: Here is what we are covering this hour. First, we will break down the matchup angles between these Atlantic Division rivals. Second, we will look at who is actually healthy enough to play and how the line combinations might shift with so many guys on Injured Reserve. And finally, we will give you our keys to victory and our final score predictions for tomorrow night.
Jason: Exactly. If you want to know if the Maple Leafs can stop Nick Schmaltz from doing damage again, or if their power play can find its rhythm against Montreal’s penalty kill, you are in the right place. Let’s get into it.
Christine: Okay, Jason. Let’s start with the big picture. The Maple Leafs are sitting at 8-7, which puts them tenth in the Eastern Conference. They just lost a close one to Utah, 3-2, after giving up a late power-play goal. Now they face Montreal, who is 10-3-3 and currently leading the Atlantic Division. What is the first thing that jumps out to you about this matchup?
Jason: The disparity in standings is huge, Christine. Montreal is playing like one of the top teams in the league. They are 10-3-3. Toronto is 8-7-2. It’s not even really close yet. But the story here isn’t just the record; it’s the momentum. Utah beat Toronto because they exploited a defensive lapse late in the second period. Nick Schmaltz scored on the power play with 6:48 left in regulation to take the lead. That kind of penalty killing failure cannot happen against Montreal.
Christine: Right. And Montreal is going to be hungry for this. Rivalry games always seem to elevate the intensity. Do you think the Maple Leafs are more worried about stopping Montreal’s offense, or do they need to lean into their own scoring depth to keep up?
Jason: I think they have to do both, but defensively, they have to be smarter. You look at the last game, Jack Roslovic was fantastic for Toronto. He had two goals and an assist, finishing with four points. Auston Matthews had three assists. The offense was generating chances. But when you allow a power-play goal late like that, you are handing the game away. Against Montreal, who has Clayton Keller leading their scoring with assists and points, you cannot afford those mistakes.
Christine: Clayton Keller is having a monster start to the year. He’s been instrumental for Montreal. If Toronto wants to win, they need to neutralize him. But here is the issue: the Maple Leafs are dealing with a massive injury list. We talked about this yesterday, but it feels like it’s getting worse, not better. Who exactly is out for this game?
Jason: It is staggering. John Tavares is on Injured Reserve. Kirill Marchenko is on Injured Reserve. Miles Wood is on Injured Reserve. Nick Blankenburg is on Injured Reserve. Marshall Rifai is on Injured Reserve. John Marino is on Injured Reserve. Maveric Lamoureux is on Injured Reserve. That is seven players on IR alone. Then you have Kailer Yamamoto and Nate Schmidt listed as Day-To-Day. This is a depleted roster.
Christine: Seven players on IR? That changes the entire identity of this team. You lose your captain, you lose key defensemen, you lose bottom-six forwards. How does a coach manage line matchups when you don’t have your usual rotation available?
Jason: It forces improvisation. You mentioned Auston Matthews earlier. He is still playing center. He had those three assists against Utah. He is going to need support from William Nylander and the secondary scorers. But with Tavares out, the second-line centering duties fall to someone else. Maybe Teddy Blueger? Or Colton Sissons? These are experienced guys, but they are stepping into a bigger role than usual.
Christine: And on the blue line, losing John Marino and Nick Blankenburg is tough. They have Jake McCabe and Morgan Rielly anchoring the top pair, but then you have Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Matt Hellickson, Dakota Mermis, Darren Raddysh, Troy Stecher, and Chris Tanev. That is a lot of bodies trying to fill gaps. Do you trust this defensive group to handle Montreal’s speed?
Jason: I am skeptical. Not because they lack skill, but because they lack depth. When you are shorthanded, you rely on structure. But Montreal is fast. They are skilled. If Toronto’s neutral-zone play gets sloppy, Montreal will eat that up. The key is zone entries. If they can bring the puck in cleanly without turning it over, they stand a chance. If they turn it over in their own end, it’s going to be a long night.
Christine: So, structure and clean zone entries. That sounds like a tall order given the injuries. But let’s talk about the other side of the puck. The Maple Leafs have Sergei Bobrovsky in net. He is the veteran presence. Anthony Stolarz is the backup. With all these injuries, do you expect Bobrovsky to be tested heavily tonight?
Jason: Absolutely. Montreal scores a lot of goals. They are third in the league in offensive production, basically. Bobrovsky is going to see shots. He needs to make the routine saves so the defense doesn’t have to scramble. If he makes the big saves in the second period, it keeps the game close. If he gives up soft goals, the deficit becomes too large to overcome.
Christine: Alright, Jason. We have a lot to unpack regarding the injuries and the defensive matchups. Before we go to break, let’s quickly touch on the forward lines. With Tavares, Marchenko, and Wood out, who is starting where?
Jason: Matthews is still centering his line, likely with Nylander and maybe someone like Easton Cowan or Brandon Duhaime on the wings. On the second line, without Tavares, it could be Jack Roslovic moving up or staying put while someone like Luke Haymes or Vinni Lettieri takes the center spot. It’s fluid. But Roslovic is hot. He had four points against Utah. He is the guy to watch.
Christine: Roslovic is definitely the story of the week for Toronto. Four points in a loss is frustrating, but it shows he is finding the lane. We will dig deeper into the players and the specific injury impacts next. Stick with us.
Christine: Welcome back. We are talking about the Maple Leafs’ upcoming clash with the Montreal Canadiens. Jason, we established that the injury list is decimated. Let’s look at the specific players who are out and how that shifts the lineup. You mentioned John Tavares is on Injured Reserve. What does his absence mean for the locker room and the ice?
Jason: Tavares is the leader. He is the face of the franchise. His absence is felt everywhere. On the ice, it means the second line loses its stabilizer. He controls the tempo. Without him, the younger guys or the veterans like Colton Sissons have to step up and control the pace. It’s a leadership vacuum that is hard to fill.
Christine: And Kirill Marchenko is also on Injured Reserve. He was expected to provide some grit and scoring depth. Miles Wood is out too. He is a classic checking forward. So you lose scoring, you lose grit, you lose leadership. Who steps in for those roles?
Jason: Zack MacEwen and Dakota Joshua are likely to see increased time. They are physical forwards. They can forecheck. They can hit. That is what you need when you are shorthanded. You need guys who can disrupt the opposition’s cycle. Montreal likes to cycle the puck in the offensive zone. If MacEwen and Joshua can clog the middle, it helps Bobrovsky.
Christine: Okay, so MacEwen and Joshua on the bottom six. What about the top six? Auston Matthews is healthy. William Nylander is healthy. Jack Roslovic is healthy. But what about the wingers? With Marchenko and Wood out, who is skating with Matthews and Nylander?
Jason: It’s likely Easton Cowan or Brandon Duhaime for Matthews. For Nylander, it could be Gavin McKenna or maybe even Luke Haymes moving over. These are smaller, faster guys. It changes the style. Instead of a heavy forecheck, it becomes more about speed and skill through the neutral zone. That is a gamble against Montreal, who is strong in all three zones.
Christine: Speed through the neutral zone. That is interesting. Because if they turn it over, Montreal kills you. Let’s talk about the defensemen. You have Jake McCabe and Morgan Rielly. Those are your locks. But behind them, it’s a mix of veterans and call-ups. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is there. Chris Tanev is there. But Nick Blankenburg, John Marino, Marshall Rifai are all on IR.
Jason: Correct. And Nate Schmidt is Day-To-Day. So you might have him back, or you might not. It’s uncertain. Dakota Mermis and Darren Raddysh are likely getting significant minutes. Troy Stecher is another option. This is a young, inexperienced defensive corps relative to what Toronto usually has. They have to play disciplined hockey. No penalties. No mistakes.
Christine: No penalties. That brings us back to the power play. Utah scored on the power play late in the last game. If Toronto gets a power play opportunity tonight, can they capitalize? Jack Roslovic has been the spark. He had two goals against Utah. Auston Matthews had three assists. They are clicking.
Jason: They are clicking because they are creating traffic. Roslovic is crashing the net. Matthews is distributing from the point or the circle. It works when the defense is focused on the high-danger areas. But Montreal’s penalty kill is elite. They shut down the slot. Toronto needs to move the puck quickly. If they hold it too long, Montreal breaks the press and clears the zone.
Christine: So quick movement. High-danger chances. That is the formula. What about the goaltending? Sergei Bobrovsky vs. Montreal’s offense. Bobrovsky is a Hall of Famer. He has seen everything. But he is older now. Does age factor into how he handles a heavy workload against a team like Montreal?
Jason: Age is a factor, but experience is the counterweight. Bobrovsky knows how to manage a game. He conserves energy for the critical moments. He doesn’t try to make every save. He positions himself perfectly so he only has to react to bad shots. If he plays like that, he can keep Toronto in the game. But if he plays hero ball, he will burn out.
Christine: Hero ball is the enemy here. Discipline wins this game. We are running out of time for this segment. One last thing on the roster: Kailer Yamamoto and Nate Schmidt are Day-To-Day. If either of them plays, how much does that help?
Jason: Huge. Yamamoto adds speed and creativity on the wing. Schmidt adds puck-moving ability on the blue line. If they are active, it stabilizes the whole system. If they are out, it’s even more of a challenge for the backups. We will find out closer to game time.
Christine: Stability through youth and speed. That is the theme. Jason, we have one segment left. Keys to the game and our predictions. Let’s get bold here. What is the one thing Toronto must do to win?
Jason: Win the face-off circle. If they win draws, they control possession. If they lose draws, Montreal cycles, shoots, and scores. Face-offs are the foundation of this game. Especially with their defensive corps being thin, they need to grab pucks off the dot and clear them or set up the attack.
Christine: Face-offs. Got it. Okay, Jason, let’s hear your prediction. Last time, you predicted a 4-2 Maple Leafs victory. Are you sticking with that?
Jason: I am. I think Roslovic continues his hot streak. He scores twice. Matthews adds a goal and an assist. The defense holds firm, mostly. Bobrovsky makes twelve saves. Final score: 4-2 Toronto.
Christine: Bold. I am going to match you. I predicted 3-2 last time. I am sticking with 3-2. I think it’s tighter. A 3-2 Maple Leafs victory. The offense clicks just enough, the defense squeaks by. What do you think, listeners? Will the injuries doom Toronto, or will Roslovic carry them to a win? Stay tuned for our sign-off.
Christine: Alright, that is our preview. We broke down the matchup, looked at the heavy injury list with Tavares, Marchenko, and others on IR, and highlighted Jack Roslovic’s recent surge. Jason, thanks for breaking down those defensive matchups.
Jason: Anytime, Christine. It’s a tough test for Toronto, but if they play disciplined hockey, they can steal this one. See you tomorrow.
Christine: Before we go, we want to ask for your help. Our deep dive into these injury impacts and line combinations requires real research and analysis. To keep this show free and daily for all of you, please consider chipping in via the link in the episode description. Your support fuels this work directly.
Jason: We appreciate every listener who shares the podcast or leaves a review. It helps us reach more fans. And remember, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss a preview or reaction.
Christine: Our predictions stand: Christine says 3-2 Maple Leafs, Jason says 4-2 Maple Leafs. Who do you think wins the Battle of Ontario? Let us know online. Tonight, we go out with the Maple Leafs. Go Leafs Go!