The Maple Leafs believe Michael Bunting will be suspended, and it has just been confirmed that he will miss 3 games due to a Game 1 foul.
Darsa was wearing a gray tunic, which is usually reserved for sanitary scrapers.
Bunting was scheduled to appear before the NHL’s Player Safety Administration on Wednesday afternoon following a penalty kick in Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night.
Michael Bunting received a penalty kick as a result of this hit to Eric Cernak.
(🎥: ESPN) pic.twitter.com/rgN4WrOSXY
– TSN (TSN_Sports) April 19, 2023
During the second period of the Lightning’s 7-3 victory, Bunting hit Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak, who had no puck. Bunting night was cut short when he was assessed an illegal header check/tackle during a game. Cernak never returned to the game.
“He’s put himself in a bad position, but we have options if needed and we’ll move things around,” Leafs coach Sheldon Cave said, referring to Ponting. “We think (Matthew Kniss) is a great choice for us. I think he’s done a good job in the games he’s played. He’s taken care of everything he can do in the short time he’s been here.”
The Knies appeared poised to make their Stanley Cup playoff debut in game two of the best-of-seven series Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena, but Keefe stated that final lineup decisions would be made on Thursday.
One decision was made: Ilya Samsonov would start after he was pulled on behalf of Joseph Wall to start the third period in Game One.
“Sami definitely hits the net,” Keefe said. “He wanted to get on the ice today. We were going to bring that practice to what he wanted from the start. He wanted to be out there and for me, he was sending a message to the team about how focused he should be.”
Keefe may go with 11 forwards and seven defenders, as he often did late in the regular season.
The 20-year-old Knies skated a line in practice with center Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari left.
Kniss played well in three games at the end of the regular season after signing a three-year contract.
“That would be great,” Kniss said of the opportunity to participate in Game Two. “Every kid’s dream is to play in the playoffs and play for the Stanley Cup, so I’m going to be really excited and driven to be a part of it and just try to contribute.”
And Callie Jarnkreuk skated, as he did after Ponting’s finish on Tuesday, on the top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.
Alex Kerfoot was on the left side of the second line, with captain John Tavares back in the middle and William Nylander on the right.
David Kampf’s fourth line, made up of Zach Aston-Reese and Sam Laverty, has remained unbroken.
The defensive pairings of Jake McCabe and TJ Brody, Morgan Riley and Luke Shane, Mark Giordano and Justin Hall remain unchanged.
Goalkeepers Ilya Samsonov and Josef Wall were also on hand for training, which began in the afternoon.