Leafs coach backs Bunting: ‘No history,’ no issues

TORONTO — The Maple Leafs expected Michael Bunting would be suspended. Their focus now is moving on without him.

Toronto’s top-six winger was handed a three-game suspension Wednesday for an illegal check to the head and interference against Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak in Game 1 of the teams’ first-round NHL playoff series Tuesday.

Bunting’s actions leave the Leafs short-handed for a significant portion of the remaining matchup. But coach Sheldon Keefe stood behind his player ahead of Thursday’s Game 2, when Toronto will try to even its series with the Lightning after a disastrous 7-3 loss in Game 1.

“I know Michael Bunting as well as anyone, so I don’t have an issue in terms of trusting him when he [comes back],” Keefe said. “He’s had no history of such things. I knew he was going to get something and that’s what the league decided. We’ll press on.”

Keefe later said that Bunting wasn’t malicious in targeting Cernak when his elbow collided with Cernak’s head late in the second period. Bunting earned a match penalty for the incident, and Cernak left the game and did not return.

Cernak has been ruled out for Game 2.

“The Bunting play is well-intentioned in the sense that he’s trying to engage to win the line,” Keefe said. “He’s expecting a physical confrontation with a defender that’s as physical as anybody in the league. And he’s probably a little bit early on the engagement and you know what the result is. It’s such a fine line.”

As a result, both Tampa and Toronto have lost key pieces from their lineup.

“You can’t add to it or take it back,” said Lightning coach Jon Cooper. “It was unfortunate. It’s unfortunate for [Bunting] too, just for everyone all the way around.”

Tampa defender Mikhail Sergachev projects to take on more responsibilities with Cernak out. He was one of only four healthy blueliners the Lightning had left late in Game 1 once Victor Hedman left after the first period and Cernak went down in the second.

“Obviously, I didn’t like [the hit on Cernak],” Sergachev said. “It was away from the puck and he got him right in the chin. It was pretty tough to watch and I’ve never seen Erik go down like that so it was tough, definitely.”

Bunting had skated on the Leafs’ top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner in Game 1. Keefe will slide Calle Jarnkrok into that spot to start Game 2.

Still, there are qualities unique to Bunting that can’t be so easily replaced.

“He brings an element to our team that not many guys bring,” forward Alex Kerfoot said. “He’s been a staple in our lineup for the last two years. He fits in really well with those top guys and we’re going to miss him and other guys are going to have to step up.”

Asked whether he thought the suspension to Bunting would be so long — especially during playoffs — Kerfoot said, “That’s not really for me to say.”

Leafs center Ryan O’Reilly echoed Kerfoot’s comments on the length of Bunting’s absence — “it’s just what’s been decided and we have to keep moving forward” — while lamenting how the Leafs will need to adjust.

“It’s a big loss for us,” O’Reilly said. “The things he provides, his energy, the way he is out there, he can make plays and goes to the net hard and can be a pest out there. He just always brings that energy for us. So, it’s a tough loss, but we do have great depth, and that’s a really strong suit for us and guys have to step up.”

Bunting had 23 goals and 49 points through 82 regular-season games for the Leafs. He also paced the team in penalty minutes (103).