Jets at Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs can match the franchise record for points in a season when they vie for their ninth victory in 11 games Saturday against the visiting Winnipeg Jets. The Maple Leafs reached 100 points for the fourth time with Friday’s 5-4 road win over the New York Islanders and can tie the team record of 103 set in 2003-04 with a triumph over playoff-bound Winnipeg.
Auston Matthews scored his 31st goal of the season with 3:58 left in the third period on Friday to snap a 4-4 tie and Mitch Marner extended his point streak to 11 games for Toronto, which is averaging almost four tallies per game this month. The Maple Leafs have won 14 of their last 15 home contests and are 27-9-2 at Air Canada Centre as they prepare to host the Jets, who saw their six-game winning streak come to an end Thursday with a 6-2 loss at Chicago. Winnipeg appears to be locked into the second spot in the Central Division but is intent on finishing strong after allowing 42 shots against a Blackhawks team that won’t be heading to the postseason. “We weren’t very good tonight,” Jets coach Paul Maurice told reporters on Thursday. “We know we’ve been good. Nobody’s getting on the plane in a good mood, but it won’t be part of our prep for (Toronto).”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, CBC
ABOUT THE JETS (47-20-10): Bryan Little has followed an 11-game drought by recording three goals in his last seven games, including one on Thursday, to reach 200 for his career. Captain Blake Wheeler leads the team with 86 points, including 10 in his last eight games, while Mark Scheifele has notched two goals and five assists in his past six contests. Patrik Laine, who leads the team with 43 goals, has gone five games without scoring while Kyle Connor is one tally away from 30 in his first full NHL season after recording seven in his last eight contests.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (47-24-7): Marner has collected five goals and 11 assists during his streak to lead the team with 69 points while Matthews has landed on the scoresheet in six straight contests. James van Riemsdyk increased his career-high and team-best totals to 36 goals on Friday, scoring for the 10th time in nine contests after enduring a four-game drought. Nazem Kadri also scored against the Islanders to pull within one goal of the career high (32) he set last season while defenseman Morgan Rielly notched an assist to reach 50 points for the first time in his five NHL campaigns.
OVERTIME
1. Winnipeg G Connor Hellebuyck has won five consecutive starts despite posting a .902 save percentage in that span, reaching 40 victories on the season - third in the league.
2. Toronto C Patrick Marleau has 533 career goals and needs one to break a tie with Frank Mahovlich for 33rd place on the all-time list.
3. The Maple Leafs won the first meeting on Opening Night behind three-point performances from Matthews and van Riemsdyk.