Craig Berube Makes Eye-Opening Lineup Change Ahead of Game 6 vs Senators

Craig Berube is making a lineup change after failing to close out the series against the rival Senators in game 5, losing a painful 4-0 game in which Toronto struggled to match up with Ottawa throughout.

Now, Toronto is making a change as the team failed to showcase offence in game 5, doing a swap to hope that comes in game 6.

In practice for the Leafs, Max Pacioretty is practicing on the team's second line next to John Tavares and William Nylander.

Max Domi, who had been playing on the Tavares/Nylander line, has been dropped to the third line next to Pontus Holmberg & Bobby McMann.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will hope the addition of Max Pacioretty will kick up the Leafs offensive gears, although Pacioretty has struggled to find his own offense, being pointless in three playoff games.

Craig Berube pointed to the fact that Pacioretty had done well alongside Tavares and Nylander in the regular season prior to injury, not a demotion for Domi.

Berube also says a major lineup change at this stage is not planned.

Toronto will have a few issues to sort out, but the offense stepping up will be the most necessary source of impact for the Leafs to finish off Ottawa.

While the "core-four" group have done well producing offense this series, there has been a lack of scoring from those four, with Marner, Matthews, & Nylander all each having just a goal to their playoff tally.

The bottom-six is where offense has been lacking. For that group (now including Domi), no one has more than a single point.

Pacioretty is without a point, as is fourth-liners Steven Lorentz and Pontus Holmberg. Their linemate Scott Laughton, the Leafs marquee trade deadline acquisitions, has just an assist so far this series.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will hope that the swapping of Pacioretty and Domi work in making the Leafs middle-six more efficient, but more necessary is the Leafs entire offense producing, otherwise major chances may be on the horizon in a potential do-or-die game 7.