Jets at Maple Leafs
If the Winnipeg Jets hope to make any headway in the race for a Western Conference playoff spot, they'll need to improve what has been a dismal penalty killing unit over the past week and a half. The Jets look to halt their short-handed struggles Saturday as they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second of two meetings between the clubs. Winnipeg has allowed at least two power-play goals in four straight games, including Thursday's 5-1 loss to Washington.
While the Jets' penalty-killing woes are a cause for concern, they're no comparison to the team-wide struggles that have set in with the lowly Maple Leafs. Toronto dropped to 2-17-2 in its last 21 games with Friday night's 2-1 setback in Carolina, and remains on the fast track to a bottom-5 finish in the overall standings. Winnipeg will be hoping for a repeat of the team's first encounter of the season back on Jan. 3, when the Jets cruised to a 5-1 victory
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC
ABOUT THE JETS (30-20-10): Saturday marks a homecoming of sorts for Winnipeg netminder Michael Hutchinson, who grew up in Barrie, Ontario - 60 miles north of Toronto - and is expected to have 50 family members and friends in attendance for his first career start at Air Canada Centre. "It's exciting," said Hutchinson, who served as the backup in his previous two trips to Toronto. "I have a bunch of friends and family coming to the game, so it makes it that much more entertaining, and you look forward to it a bit more."
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (23-31-5): It has been difficult for coaches, players or fans to find much for which to be happy amid the worst run in franchise history - but forward Brandon Kozun had a moment in Friday's narrow loss to the Hurricanes. Kozun scored his first career NHL goal, pouncing on a loose puck and taking two swipes before golfing it into a partially open net. "It felt good," Kozun told reporters after the game. "It's something you work for your entire life and to get a chance to do that was pretty special."
OVERTIME
1. The Jets have won five straight meetings dating to March 2013.
2. Despite the woeful record, Toronto ranks in the top 10 in both power play success rate (19.4 percent, 10th) and penalty killing (83.1 percent, ninth)
3. Winnipeg has won five straight games against Atlantic Division foes.