Canadiens at Maple Leafs
How the tables have turned in the rivalry between the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, who will wrap up the regular season Saturday night at Toronto's Air Canada Centre. Headed toward the playoffs as the third-place team in the Atlantic Division, the Maple Leafs will aim to complete a season sweep of Montreal for the first time since 1992-93.
Toronto, which will open the playoffs at either Boston or Tampa Bay, lost for only the fourth time in 13 games in a 2-1 setback Thursday at New Jersey, which clinched a postseason berth. Conversely, the Canadiens have won only four of their last 13 after pulling out a 4-3 victory at Detroit on Thursday night. Despite the win, Montreal has posted a league-low 11 victories on the road and sits in 14th place in the Eastern Conference -- ahead of only Ottawa and Buffalo. The Maple Leafs have had their way with the Canadiens, winning all three matchups and outscoring them 10-0 in the last two meetings, including a 4-0 victory at home on March 17.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC, TVAS (Montreal, Toronto)
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (29-39-13): Brendan Gallagher scored for the fifth time in seven games Thursday to boost his season total to 31 -- 21 more than last season's total and seven more than his previous career high (2014-15). Nicolas Deslauriers had 12 goals in his first four seasons in Buffalo, including zero last season, but scored twice Thursday to reach 10 for the season. "A guy who’s been on the fourth line all year ... and for him to put up 10 goals in 57 games, that’s pretty impressive," coach Claude Julien said.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (48-26-7): William Nylander converted on the power play against New Jersey to give Toronto six 20-goal scorers in a season for the first time since 1998-99. That was not the only milestone for Nylander, who joined Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner as the only players in franchise history to reach 60 points in each of their first two seasons. Matthews set up Nylander's tally and has registered at least one point in all eight games since sitting out one month, collecting five goals and six assists in that span.
OVERTIME
1. Maple Leafs D Travis Dermott is expected back in the lineup for the first time since March 31.
2. Canadiens C Jonathan Drouin has eight points in his last eight games.
3. Toronto has scored five power-play goals and allowed five while short-handed over the past four games.