LEAFS NOTES: Max Pacioretty to replace Nick Robertson in Game 3 lineup (2025)

Whether they needed it or not, the Maple Leafs got some Patches in their Game 3 lineup.

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Heading into Thursday’s Game 3 in Ottawa, Max Pacioretty was on the left wing of the third line with centre Max Domi and Bobby McMann, as Nick Robertson was scratched.

Coach Craig Berube alluded to a possible change the day before when the Leafs didn’t skate. The obvious candidate to come out was Robertson, with one assist in two games, a team-low 9:36 of ice time Tuesday and a second-period high-sticking penalty.

It resulted in Ottawa’s first goal, en route to its comeback, before Max Domi won it 3-2 in overtime. McMann, who also is in a scoring slump, was to move from left to right wing.

Pacioretty, who re-gained active status after the last regular-season game following a February training injury after the 4 Nations Face-Off ended, clearly was frustrated at having to watch the first two games of the series from the sidelines.

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“This is why I’m here,” he told reporters in Ottawa on Thursday morning. “I have to pitch in and help the team win. I’m just really excited, I’ve put in a lot of work and have had great (medical) people in my corner.”

When healthy, the 36-year-old has 78 games of NHL playoff experience with 25 goals and 25 assists. He brings a huge physical presence that the smaller Robertson does not.

With Ottawa looking to come out hitting to get back in the series, Pacioretty had an eye to countering Sens such as Ridly Greig, who has been involved with Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz.

Big centre David Kampf also is available to the Leafs, but head coach Craig Berube likes the effort he’s getting down the middle from Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Domi and Scott Laughton.

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ANDLAUER ADDS TO FORTUNE

The net profits from Ottawa’s first playoff game in eight years wasn’t the only uptick in the ledger of Senators owner Michael Andlauer on Thursday.

It was announced United Parcel Service had reached agreement to purchase Toronto-based Andlauer Healthcare group for $2.2 billion. The supply chain company will be utilized by the American package service for its cold storage capabilities.

Andlauer spent $950 million US to buy the Senators last year, with a proposed deal being worked on to build a new arena in downtown Ottawa.

FLY BOYS RE-UNITE

Claude Giroux of the Sens has now played with and against Stolarz and Laughton, all with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Judging by the way he and Laughton tried to rag doll each other in a Game 2 scrum, they’re all business.

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“Me and Scotty had a lot of years playing together, we became pretty close,” Giroux said earlier this week. “When it comes to playoffs, you put that friendship on hold for a couple of days. But he’ll compete every game and it’s fun to play against those guys.”

Stolarz was with the Flyers for a few games in 2018-19 before Giroux was the first of the two forwards to leave.

“I always thought he was a good goalie,” Giroux said. “When he started having chances with other teams (he thrived).”

LOOSE LEAFS

After making the playoff trip to the second round in Florida two years ago and Boston in 2024, Leafs radio voices Joe Bowen and Jim Ralph were held back this week to continue calling games from a studio … It was 58 years ago Friday that Bob Pulford had the most recent overtime goal by a Leaf in the Stanley Cup final, at the 28:26 mark on Montreal’s Rogie Vachon at the Gardens … Berube had a chuckle when video emerged of his assistant coaches prematurely celebrating what they thought was a power-play goal early in the series and him showing disapproval. “We ask the players to be composed and that goes for us, too” … You might not know his name, but he’s seen at every Stanley Cup trophy presentation with commissioner Gary Bettman. Now ‘keeper of the Cup’ Phil Pritchard is getting his own 15 minutes of fame at the Hall of Fame this Saturday. The NHL is inviting all silver-haired, nattily attired, white-gloved lookalikes of Pritchard to ‘KeeperCon’ at the Hall’s Hockey Store at 4:30 p.m. Contestants will give their best trophy presentation and the winner, judged by applause, gets a photo with the real Pritchard and the Cup.

lhornby@postmedia.com

X: @sunhornby

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