Flames at Maple Leafs
Auston Matthews has played a pronounced role in the Toronto Maple Leafs' sizzling start to the season, but coach Mike Babcock's charges will be without the star forward on Monday when they host the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Arena. The 21-year-old Matthews, who leads the Maple Leafs in goals (10) and points (16), has been ruled out for the tilt after sustaining a left shoulder injury in Saturday's 3-2 victory over Winnipeg.
"It's tough. (Matthews is) a big part of this team, everyone knows that. Hopefully we get him back soon," forward Mitch Marner told reporters Saturday after helping Toronto snap a two-game home losing skid by setting up a pair of goals to reach 100 assists in his career. Fellow forwards Kasperi Kapanen and Nazem Kadri have scored in back-to-back games for Toronto, which has won seven of the last nine overall to boast an NHL high-tying 16 points. Calgary put forth a better performance following Thursday's 9-1 shellacking by Pittsburgh but sustained its third straight loss two nights later with a 4-3 shootout decision against Washington. "It couldn't get much worse than last game, but the way we bounced back - a tough start to the game, down 2-0, but great resiliency to score two and tie it up," alternate captain Matthew Tkachuk told reporters. "... It (stinks) anytime you lose. This one will sting for the night, but the way our games are scheduled, you have to have a (short) memory."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, Sportsnet, TVA
ABOUT THE FLAMES (5-5-1): Johnny Gaudreau recorded his second multi-point performance in four outings and fourth this season with a pair of assists against the Capitals. The 25-year-old, however, was held off the scoresheet in both encounters versus the Maple Leafs last season, with Calgary mustering just two goals total en route to losing both contests. Captain Mark Giordano, who netted one of those tallies in a 2-1 shootout loss on Dec. 6, also had two assists in the setback versus Washington.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (8-3-0): Kadri centered the top line of Patrick Marleau and Marner at practice on Sunday while Kapanen was shuffled to join John Tavares and Zach Hyman on the second line while also replacing Matthews on the top power-play unit. "You're not going to replace a player like (Matthews) and his caliber. The way he's started this year and the impact he's made, he's one of the best in the league," Tavares said, per TSN. "But we've got a (heck) of a group in here talent-wise and skill-wise with work ethic and determination, so it's a chance for guys to step up and fill that opportunity as a group." Tavares, who set up a goal on Saturday, had a pair of assists while playing with the New York Islanders in a 5-2 win at Calgary on March 11.
OVERTIME
1. Toronto G Frederik Andersen owns a sparkling 7-0-1 mark with one shutout in 10 career encounters against Calgary.
2. Flames F Elias Lindholm, who leads the team with seven goals, tallied twice in three meetings with the Maple Leafs last season.
3. Toronto carries the NHL's second-ranked power play (32.1 percent) into Monday's tilt against Calgary, which has the league's fifth-worst penalty kill (71.8).