Maple Leafs at Jets
THE STORY: Toronto's push to the playoffs has been given a major
boost with the resurgence of netminder James Reimer, whose recent play
has sent Jonas Gustavsson back to the bench. Gustavsson will be given
his time to shine Tuesday as the Maple Leafs visit Winnipeg for a fourth
and final meeting with the Jets. Reimer wasn't as sharp Monday as he
had been while posting back-to-back shutouts in his previous two games,
but he had plenty of help as the Maple Leafs cruised past the Edmonton
Oilers 6-3. It has taken a while for Reimer to return to form after
suffering a concussion early in the season, but his recent play has
given coach Ron Wilson something to think about as he looks to lead
Toronto to its first postseason berth since the lockout. The Leafs will
face a Jets team that is clinging to its own playoff hopes following
back-to-back losses to the Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens.
Winnipeg enters Tuesday 10th in the Eastern Conference, seven points
behind eighth-place Ottawa and eight points behind seventh-place
Toronto.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, RS Ontario (Maple Leafs), TSN Jets
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (28-19-6):
While the recent focus has been on Toronto's vastly improved
goaltending, the season story has been the Maple Leafs' vaunted offense.
Toronto ranks fifth in the NHL in offense, averaging just over three
goals per game. That puts the club in some impressive company, as it
ranks behind only the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver
Canucks and Philadelphia Flyers. Toronto has scored 14 goals during its
three-game winning streak.
ABOUT THE JETS (24-24-6):
Winnipeg began its climb to respectability thanks to a heavy December
home schedule. With the club's road woes continuing into the second half
of the season - the Jets are only 9-16-4 outside of Manitoba - an
eight-game homestand beginning later this month can't arrive quickly
enough. As expected, generating offense has been the club's biggest weak
point to date, - the Jets rank third-last in the Eastern Conference
with 129 goals, ahead of only the Islanders and Sabres.
OVERTIME:
1. Toronto has taken five of a possible six points
in the head-to-head series, with the home team winning all three
previous meetings.
2. The Maple Leafs didn't incur a single minor
penalty Monday night, making it 15 straight games the club has gone
without allowing a power-play goal - the first time a Toronto team has
done that since 1940-41.
3. Thirteen different Winnipeg players have scored at least one game-winning goal, led by Andrew Ladd with four.