Toronto Maple Leafs agitator Michael Bunting made a stupid play in the second period of last night’s game that cost the Leafs any chance of making a comeback in game one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Bunting hit defenseman Erik Cernak in the head with his elbow which knocked Cernak out of the game.
Michael Bunting has a hearing at 3 pm ET today with the department of player safety. Our bet, he gets a one game suspension.
Bunting is a key contributor for the Maple Leafs where he put up 23 goals and 26 assists for Toronto this season. If he is suspended for more than one game, the Leafs will miss his work ethic, tenacity, and scoring ability.
Bunting, 27, played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and the Hamilton Bulldogs. He was selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, and he made his NHL debut with the Coyotes in the 2018-19 season.
Want to watch Michael Bunting on TV? View the Toronto Maple Leafs TV Schedule for the time and channel.
View Michael Bunting hit on Erik Cernak
Projected Leafs lineup for Game 2 against the Tampa Bay Lightning
Järnkrok – Matthews – Marner
Kerfoot – Tavares – Nylander
Knies – O’Reilly – Acciari
Aston-Reese – Kämpf – Lafferty
McCabe – Brodie
Giordano – Holl
Rielly – Schenn
