Sheldon Keefe explains reasoning behind throwing Leafs lines into the blender

The Toronto Maple Leafs are once again treading water, riding a two-game losing skid into tonight's matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes and former teammate Frederik Andersen. 

Their past two games have ended in disaster, consecutive losses to the San Jose Sharks followed by a 7-1 embarrassment against the shorthanded Pittsburgh Penguins in the Steel City. And during the third period, head coach Sheldon Keefe switched up his forward lines in an effort to provide a jolt into the offense, and that will carry over into tonight's game. 

"I just think with where we're at as a team, it's time for a different look," Keefe said. "Just to change the chemistry a little bit with the group."

The lines are as follows: 

FORWARDS

Bunting-Matthews-Nylander



Kerfoot-Tavares-Marner



Engvall-Kampf-Kase



Ritchie-Spezza-Simmonds



Amadio



DEFENSEMEN

Rielly-Brodie



Muzzin-Holl



Sandin-Dermott

"I mean the response is clear," Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly said. "We have to prove that we're going to break some bad habits and we have to play better."

For Keefe, he personally called out defensemen Jake Muzzin and Justin Holl, who were a combined minus-8 against the Penguins Saturday at PPG Paints Arena. 

"[Muzzin and Holl] haven't played at the level that we've come to expect from them," Keefe said. "Those guys take on a lot of tough assignments and it is difficult for them. But we've come to expect them to thrive in that position and it hasn't happened here yet."

Muzzin himself would say that the mood in the dressing room 

“The mood ain’t great,” said Muzzin on Saturday. “When you lose like that, it is not a good mood. But it’s early in the season. It’s a test for us, and let’s see how we respond. You learn from it. You understand it. It’s very hard to win in this league, and we’re going to have to work a lot harder to win.”

The Leafs will especially be looking for some offensive output from the reigning Rocket Richard Trophy winner Auston Matthews, who has yet to light the lamp in the three games he's played this season. Neither has forward Mitch Marner. 

"Within the room we realize that we need to play better," Matthews said.