Pacioretty promoted to Tavares line as Leafs look for more offence

Max Pacioretty is getting a promotion. The veteran winger will start Thursday's game on Toronto's second line with John Tavares and William Nylander. 

"Two easy guys to play with because they're so damn good," said Pacioretty. 

The 36-year-old also played with Tavares and Nylander early this season and seemed to complement them well.

"We actually had some really good chemistry," Nylander recalled. "Just hounding the puck and getting a lot of O-Zone time." 

"He had some real good stretches with those guys before he got hurt," said Leafs coach Craig Berube. "Big guy, strong, you know, physical, good around the net ... I just feel like with JT and Willy, the puck, it'll be in the offensive zone more, and that's where he can do his thing to me."

Pacioretty missed the last 27 games of the regular season due to an undisclosed injury. He returned to the Leafs lineup for Game 3 of the series against the Ottawa Senators. It was his first game since Feb. 8. He played primarily with Max Domi and Bobby McMann in the past three games.  

After riding some early energy in Game 3, Pacioretty admitted to struggling with the pace of playoff hockey in Game 4.

"I think I'm there," he said of ramping back up. "You're playing off adrenaline there early, and then your body comes back to reality a bit and it's a bit of a mental grind after that. But I feel like I'm ready."

After getting blanked 4-0 in Game 5 on Tuesday, the Leafs are looking to generate some more offence. Pacioretty has scored 25 goals in 81 career playoff games. 

"He's been an unbelievable goal scorer in his career," Nylander noted. "Hopefully we see some of that tonight."

---

Nylander is celebrating his birthday on Thursday. Did he get well wishes from teammates? 

"A lot from the guys, yeah," the now 29-year-old said with a smile. "It's been a good day. Good morning."

After netting a 5-on-3 goal in Game 1, Nylander has gone four straight without scoring, which matches his longest drought since February. 

"I feel good," he said. "Apart from maybe last game, I think I've had a lot of chances to score. It is whatever. Sometimes they go in and sometimes they don't."

Nylander fired just two shots on net in Game 4. 

---

Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is predicting the Canadian Tire Centre will feel like "pure insanity" in Game 6. 

"I think the fans deserved another game for all the energy they've had not just in playoffs but the last eight years, sticking with us," the left winger said. "But it doesn't mean anything if we don't come out and play the way we need to."

Ottawa fans razzed Toronto stars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner with specific chants during the two previous games here in this series. 

"Honestly, when you're out there you don't really hear it," Matthews said. "Yeah, it is what it is."

Matthews hopes to silence the crowd by getting back on the scoresheet. He saw his seven game point streak snapped on Tuesday. 

"Sometimes you just gotta be patient," Matthews said. "I thought we had good looks last game. Obviously, you don't want to see the puck go in the back of your net so just being harder on pucks. I think in the O-zone we can do a better job of getting to the dirty areas, scoring those greasy goals, and delivering pucks there."

Matthews has scored one goal in the series and has just two goals in his last 15 playoff games.

---

The Leafs are now an ugly 1-13 in games when they have an opportunity to eliminate an opponent since 2018. 

Is there any added pressure in these close-out games?

"I don't know," Nylander said. "I haven't really thought about it. But, you know, winning a series is a big deal. We've only done it once before, so that's something that we want to do."

The Leafs are 1-8 in playoff series since Matthews, Marner and Nylander arrived on the scene. The core players are taking a lot of heat for their performance in Game 5.

"All the outside noise, all that stuff, it just is what it is," said Matthews. "It's not something you really focus on at all." 

Matthews and Marner finished minus-four in Tuesday's loss.

"It's never going to easy," Matthews said. "It's not going to be a perfect day every single day, so just trying to fight through that."

Berube likes what he's feeling from his team ahead of Game 6. 

"Business-like," he said of the mood. "Let's go. Ready to go. Business. Let's go."

Meanwhile, Senators coach Travis Green senses his inexperienced group growing in confidence as they become more comfortable with playoff hockey. 

"Certain players like pressure and don't really look at it like pressure," Green said. "I think our team is enjoying themselves. They're excited to play. They're enjoying the so-called 'pressure,' that you call it. That's a good thing. I think our guys like it."  

"I don't think there's really any pressure," Tkachuk said. "There's no pressure on us." 

---

Projected Leafs lineup for Game 6:

Knies - Matthews - Marner
Pacioretty - Tavares - Nylander
Lorentz - Laughton - Jarnkrok
McMann - Holmberg - Domi

McCabe - Tanev
Rielly - Carlo
Ekman-Larsson - Benoit

Stolarz starts
Woll