Maple Leafs at Rangers
The Toronto Maple Leafs look to avoid becoming New York's latest victim when they visit the Rangers on Sunday. New York enters the showdown between the Original Six members with a winning streak that reached eight games with Saturday's 2-1 shootout triumph in Ottawa.
The Rangers have not lost since falling in a shootout at Philadelphia on Oct. 24 and are 10-0-2 since being blanked in Montreal on Oct. 15. Toronto is riding a winning streak of its own, as it defeated visiting Vancouver on Saturday for its third consecutive victory. The Maple Leafs have earned at least one point in five straight contests (3-0-2) after suffering regulation losses in six of their previous eight games. New York won the first of its three meetings with Toronto this season, posting a 3-1 triumph at home on Oct. 30 on the strength of Mats Zuccarello's first career hat trick.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHLN, RSN, TVA (Toronto), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (5-8-4): Twelve of Toronto's 18 skaters notched a point in Saturday's win, with Joffrey Lupul and James van Riemsdyk scoring their team-leading sixth goals. Lupul ended a five-game drought while van Riemsdyk tallied for just the second time in nine contests. Defenseman Morgan Rielly was one of the six Maple Leafs kept off the scoresheet but remained the club leader with 11 points.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (13-2-2): Derick Brassard and Rick Nash recorded assists on all three of Zuccarello's tallies against Toronto in the first meeting. Chris Kreider scored the lone regulation goal Saturday, giving him four points in his last four games. Two of J.T. Miller's three tallies this season were game-winners, tying him with Kevin Hayes for the team lead.
OVERTIME
1. Rangers Cs Brassard and Dominic Moore reached milestones in the win over Ottawa, appearing in their 500th and 700th career games, respectively.
2. Toronto G James Reimer posted his third straight victory Saturday, making 24 of his 43 saves in the third period.
3. New York has won seven in a row and earned points in eight straight at home since a 4-1 setback against Winnipeg on Oct. 13 — its lone regulation loss at Madison Square Garden.