Toronto native Michael Pezzetta will make his Leafs debut as the Maple Leafs hope to snap their ghastly eight-game losing streak when they host the Anaheim Ducks tonight at the Scotiabank Arena (7:00 p.m. EST, TSN4). Game Day Quotes

Michael Pezzetta ahead of his Maple Leafs debut: 

Super stoked. Being from Toronto growing up, I’ve wanted to put this jersey on my whole life. I’ve just got to pinch myself. I am super excited. I could barely sleep last night. It’s crazy.

Sundin was my favourite player growing up. I wore #13 all of the time because of him. I came down to a few games. I was usually sitting much higher than I will be tonight. It’ll be fun.

Any time you get an opportunity to be back on NHL ice, it is exciting, and to put on this Leafs sweater for the first time, it will come with a lot of emotions.

Pezzetta on joining Bo Groulx among the Marlies call-ups: 

We’ve spent a lot of time together. He was over for dinner last night. It is awesome to see. It has been a couple of years since he was up here. He earned the opportunity and right to be here after his season down there. I’m stoked to be here with him. It should be fun.

Pezzetta on what he hopes to bring to the ice tonight: 

Definitely energy and physicality. That has been my role over the last four years when I was in Montreal. I am excited to do that and to prove to myself that I still belong here.

Bo Groulx on facing his former team in the Ducks: 

Really good memories. I grew up in that organization. I spent two years in San Diego and a year and a half with the Ducks. Most of the guys who are there now were there when I was there.

It’ll be fun. It is a really, really nice city. The boys are tight together with good chemistry around the room. I wish them nothing but the best.

Easton Cowan on Auston Matthews’ attitude amid his 12-game goal-scoring drought: 

He is pretty positive. He is a good leader. He leads us in a very positive way. Hopefully, I can help him break that drought tonight.

Cowan on the positives to build on from his strong performance in Montreal: 

Keep playing fast, keep making plays, and keep playing with confidence.

John Tavares on Easton Cowan’s rookie season: 

He has had a great mindset all year, really, and is just continuing to try to maximize the opportunity. At the same time, he is taking it all in during his first year. It is great to see.

He is an extremely talented player. I can’t speak highly enough of his approach every day, how much he loves the game, and how he is continuing to work on improving — whether it is on the ice or off the ice.

There is an internal belief and confidence that he has — not in an arrogant or cocky way, but wanting to prove he belongs and the impact he can make.

Tavares on Matthews’ disposition during his scoring slump: 

It speaks volumes to him that you wouldn’t really notice too much is different. I think he feels it probably more than anyone, as our captain and leader. It has been a lot of hockey and a lot of emotions that he has been through. He continues to be extremely dialed in on his preparation and is trying to do everything he can to help our team get out of the funk we’ve been in.

You wouldn’t really be able to tell day-to-day with how he handles himself, how he interacts with the guys, and how he is trying to lead the way.

Craig Berube on the call-up of Michael Pezzetta:

We are going to look at guys down there. He is one of the guys we’ve wanted to see for a little while now. We’ve wanted to get him up here. He will bring a lot of energy, and he is a good, strong skater. We will see how it goes.

Berube on the challenge presented by an upstart Ducks team:

They’re a very good young team. They’re very deep down the middle of the ice. They have a lot of weapons. On the backend, it is really a breakout year for Jackson Lacombe. They’ve been getting really good goaltending.

It is a good challenge for us. That is a good team over there — a good, young team.

Maple Leafs (27-27-11) vs. Ducks (36-25-3): Head-to-Head Stats

via NaturalStatTrick.com & AdvancedHockeyStats.com

Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines

Forwards
#53 Easton Cowan– #34 Auston Matthews – #88 William Nylander
#23 Matthew Knies – #91 John Tavares – #11 Max Domi
#63 Matias Maccelli – #29 Bo Groulx – #89 Nick Robertson
#61 Michael Pezzetta – #26 Jacob Quillan – #19 Calle Jarnkrok

Defensemen
#44 Morgan Rielly – #25 Brandon Carlo
#22 Jake McCabe – #95 Oliver Ekman-Larsson
#2 Simon Benoit – #51 Philippe Myers

Goaltenders
Starter: #60 Joseph Woll
#41 Anthony Stolarz

Extras: Dakota Joshua, Steven Lorentz, Troy Stecher
Injured: Chris Tanev (LTIR)

Anaheim Ducks Projected Lines

Forwards
#20 Chris Kreider – #91 Leo Carlsson – #61 Cutter Gauthier
#23 Mason MacTavish – #64 Mikael Granlund – #45 Beckett Sennecke
#17 Alex Killorn – #25 Ryan Poehling – #28 Jeffrey Viel
#24 Jensen Harkins – #42 Tim Washe – #44 Ross Johnston

Defensemen
#2 Jackson Lacombe – #65 Jacob Trouba
#51 Olen Zellweger – #7 Radko Gudas
#98 Pavel Mintyukov – #3 Ian Moore

Goaltenders
Starter: #1 Lukas Dostal
#33 Ville Husso

Injured: John Carlson, Troy Terry, Petr Mrazek