Toronto Maple Leafs: What needs to change going into Game 3 vs. Bruins

Returning home with the series tied, the Toronto Maple Leafs can regain their advantage over the Boston Bruins but they will have to make some adjustments in order to do so.

The Toronto Maple Leafs gained a big advantage winning Game 1 on the road but their effort in Game 2 gave the Boston Bruins life. Now they head back to the drawing board for Game 3 which is going to be a bigger challenge without Nazem Kadri.

Boston could also be without defencemen Torey Krug and Connor Clifton who left Game 2 with injuries and didn’t return. Both are making the trip to Toronto but whether they are physically ready to go is another story which would play into the Leafs favour.

Kadri’s absence (depending on how long it is) will put the Leafs in a tough spot. Patrick Marleau is expected to draw into Kadri’s spot and Tyler Ennis will likely get back in after sitting in the press box.

You can tell the decision by Kadri (or lack of thinking) to go after Jake DeBrusk with a high crosscheck isn’t being received well by Mike Babcock who knows his forward went too far.

"“You have to play real hard and look after yourself, but you can’t cross the line,” head coach Mike Babcock said on a conference call with reporters. “Any time you do, you leave decisions in someone else’s hands and it’s not within your control. “In anything in life, you want to be in control and you’ve got to own everything. You’ve got to own your play, you’ve got to own your discipline, you’ve got to own what’s going on for you. In the end, Naz has someone else making a decision whether he’s playing or not.”"

While the Leafs chances of winning this series take a hit with Kadri out of the lineup, they can try to make necessary changes to give themselves a better chance.