Jets at Maple Leafs
Auston Matthews entered Friday tied for the league lead in both goals (10) and points (16) despite being kept off the scoresheet in each of his last three games. The 21-year-old former Calder Trophy winner hopes to end his drought when the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.
Matthews began the season with seven consecutive multi-point performances - including four two-goal efforts - but has been held in check of late. The Maple Leafs, who had lost back-to-back contests, received tallies from other sources on Wednesday as John Tavares netted his seventh of the campaign and Kasperi Kapanen added his fifth in a 4-2 victory at Winnipeg. The Jets concluded a 4-1-1 homestand with that loss but bounced back by posting a 2-1 triumph at Detroit on Friday. Kyle Connor scored a power-play goal and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien snapped a tie with 6:45 remaining in the third period for Winnipeg, which will head to Finland for a pair of games against Florida after Saturday's contest.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC, Sportsnet360
ABOUT THE JETS (7-3-1): The game-winning tally by Byfuglien on Friday was the 500th point of his career, making him the 14th player in NHL history drafted in the eighth round or later to reach the plateau. The 33-year-old, who was selected by Chicago in the eighth round of the 2003 draft, entered 2018-19 having recorded at least 45 points in five straight campaigns and seven of his previous eight. Connor Hellebuyck will make the start Saturday after Laurent Brossoit made 27 saves against Detroit to improve to 3-0-0 on the season.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (7-3-0): Tavares ended his five-game drought on Wednesday after recording six goals over his first four contests with Toronto. The 28-year-old, who was a five-time All-Star during his nine-season tenure with the New York Islanders, is coming off the third 80-point campaign of his career as he notched 84 in 82 games. Kapanen's goal on Wednesday was his ninth point of 2018-19, which matches the career high he registered in 38 contests last season.
OVERTIME
1. Byfuglien's goal against Detroit was the Jets' league-best 18th in third period this season.
2. Toronto has scored more than three goals just once while going 2-3-0 at home, but has recorded at least four in each of its five road games - all victories.
3. Winnipeg has scored a power-play goal in seven consecutive contests.