Maple Leafs at Devils
The New Jersey Devils look to halt their five-game winless streak when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. New Jersey went 0-0-3 on a three-game road trip before returning home to suffer a 3-1 loss to the New York Islanders on Monday. The Devils' skid continued Thursday, when they dropped a 1-0 decision to the Bruins in Boston.
Toronto is coming off its first regulation loss since March 14, a 5-3 home setback against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. The Maple Leafs had gone 5-0-3 since dropping a 3-1 decision to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Toronto ranks fifth in the Eastern Conference as it is even in points with the Ottawa Senators but owns the tiebreaker.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC (Toronto), MSG Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (20-13-4): Toronto will be without left wing Joffrey Lupul, who suffered an upper-body injury in Thursday's loss. Many believe Lupul has a concussion, as he took a hit to the head that left him dazed. Lupul missed significant time earlier this season with a broken arm. Left wing Clarke MacArthur (upper body) and C Leo Komarov (shoulder) both could return to the lineup Saturday.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (15-13-9): New Jersey's winless streak coincides with the loss of Ilya Kovalchuk, who is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury. The Devils have scored a total of nine goals during the slide. Veteran Steve Sullivan could make his debut with New Jersey after being acquired from the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday. The 38-year-old Sullivan, who was a ninth-round pick of the Devils in 1994, recorded five goals and seven assists in 33 games with Phoenix this season.
OVERTIME
1. New Jersey begins Saturday in ninth place in the East, one point out of the final playoff spot.
2. The Maple Leafs are 3-0-2 in their last five meetings with the Devils.
3. Devils RW Tom Kostopoulos may miss his second straight contest with a head injury after being knocked out in a fight with Matt Martin of the New York Islanders on Monday.
PREDICTION: Devils 3, Maple Leafs 2