Bunting puts himself in ‘a bad spot’; Maple Leafs lineup changes are coming

TORONTO – Michael Bunting’s reckless headshot to Erik Cernak alone did not cost the Toronto Maple Leafs Game 1.

But it will trigger lineup changes for both teams ahead of an even more urgent Game 2 Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“He’s put himself into a bad spot here,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said Wednesday, following a line-juggled practice in anticipation of Bunting’s forthcoming suspension.

Yappy and scrappy, the talented and cap-friendly Bunting skates on a razor’s edge, baiting opponents into retaliatory penalties while taking more than his share too.

So, when the top-line winger unwisely knocked an unsuspecting Cernak out of Game 1 with a high hit, he was dealt a costly five-minute major, plus a match penalty, plus a hearing with the NHL's department of player safety.

Cernak needed help off the ice and has already been ruled out for Game 2. That factored into the three-game suspension Bunting was handed Wednesday evening.

“He has to play with that emotion, that aggressiveness, and I think he’s done a good job, especially lately of trying to hold his emotions in check,” teammate Mark Giordano said.

“Especially with the refs and stuff like that after whistles, he has been really good. And I think it's a play last night where it had nothing to do with any of that. Puck squirts into the corner, and they were both going, looking at it. It looks like he was trying to get some separation from (Cernak), and their guy wasn't really looking to engage there.”

Giordano was echoing Keefe’s original defence of Bunting of a puck race gone bad, but the coach changed his tune and his lines Wednesday.

Remember, Keefe and the Leafs had been pulling out all the tools in weeks leading up to the postseason — an in-game benching, a demotion to the bottom six, off-ice conversations, a GM’s chat with the league — to nudge Bunting onto the right side of the law.

Now, Bunting’s emotional check will impact his own team's depth, the shape of the series and, possibly, his next contract. 

(Bunting was not made available for comment by the Leafs Wednesday.)

Following Bunting’s ejection, Calle Järnkrok finished off a tic-tac-toe rush with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner in Game 1 and looks to be the easy choice to sub in a first-line left wing.

Keefe’s line juggling during Wednesday’s high-tempo, 20-minute refocus practice did not end there, however.

Alexander Kerfoot jumped to a familiar spot on a second line with John Tavares and William Nylander, while Ryan O’Reilly dropped down to centre a third unit with Noel Acciari and rookie Matthew Knies.

“Playoffs are a different animal. It’s a lot more physical, faster, and special teams matter. Staying disciplined matters,” said Knies. 

The 20-year-old considered the feeling of drawing into such a critical contest after just three regular-season games as an NHLer: “That’d be awesome. Every kid's dream to play in the playoffs and play for the Stanley Cup. So, I’d be super stoked to be a part of it.”

Keefe had previously mentioned feeling “very comfortable” using Knies in the series, even if no one anticipated the move coming so soon. 

“We think he’s a great option for us,” Keefe said. “We brought him in here for a reason and gave him the games we gave him for a reason — because we felt he'd be a good option for us if needed.”

The coach won’t commit to any lineup changes until Thursday morning and is still entertaining the possibility of using 11 forwards and seven defencemen. (Bubble forward Zach Aston-Reese committed an egregious error on Tampa’s opening goal.) 

One decision has been made, however: Ilya Samsonov and his 1-7 playoff record will “for sure” be back in the crease. 

The goaltender allowed six in 40 minutes’ worth of work Tuesday but was adamant to get in a good practice and prepare for the next biggest test of his career. 

Samsonov was also requested to speak and not made available to reporters.

Samsonov has not lost consecutive home games in Toronto all season, and the Maple Leafs are desperate for a bounce-back. 

“It was a tough night for all of us. We didn't pay anywhere close to where we feel like we can get to,” Giordano said. “For us, it’s going out there with no fear. Getting to our game. Playing well defensively, but also being really aggressive.

“Our urgency has to go way higher than what it was. It just felt like we were, for whatever reason, just a step off — and it felt that way all night.” 

One-Timers: Keefe on his decision to pull Matthews and Marner away from Anthony Cirelli’s shutdown line: “When I have an opportunity to keep them away from their best defensive people, it’s part of my job to do so.”… Victor Hedman skated just 6:35 in Game 1 before leaving with an injury. He’s a game-time decision for Game 2… Tampa winger Michael Eyssimont remains out, thanks to a hard hit from Jake McCabe…. Will Tanner Jeannot fill in? “Potentially, yes,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.

Maple Leafs projected Game 2 lineup

Järnkrok – Matthews – Marner

Kerfoot – Tavares – Nylander

Knies – O'Reilly – Acciari 

Aston-Reese – Kämpf – Lafferty

McCabe – Brodie

Giordano – Holl

Rielly – Schenn

Samsonov starts

Woll