Maple Leafs at Jets
The Nos. 1 and 2 overall picks of the 2016 NHL draft will renew acquaintances on Wednesday as Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs open a three-game road trip against Patrik Laine and the Winnipeg Jets. Matthews' scintillating four-goal performance in the season opener paved the way to his being named the NHL's Second Star of the Week while Laine collected a goal and assist in his first contest, although both talented players have been held off the scoresheet in subsequent games.
"We're on our own teams now," Matthews told the Toronto Sun following Tuesday's practice. "It's not any comparison, not one against the other. Just another game. We have 80 more of them. It's the Toronto Maple Leafs against Winnipeg Jets." The teams are also linked by a common opponent, as Toronto posted a 4-1 victory over Boston on Saturday while the Jets fell to the Bruins by the same score two nights later. Captain Blake Wheeler, who has scored a goal in three straight games this season and recorded a point in 14 consecutive contests (11 goals, 10 assists) dating to 2015-16, has collected points (five goals, seven assists) in seven of his last eight encounters with the Maple Leafs.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, NHL.TV
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (1-0-1): Lost in the pomp and circumstance of Matthews' arrival in Toronto is the team's sluggish power play, which has failed to convert on four opportunities in each of its first two games. "That's one area we've got to improve on," center Tyler Bozak said. "We're scoring a lot of even-strength goals, which is very nice. But if we mix in some power-play goals, it'll help us a ton in the long run. Special teams usually seem to play a huge role in the standings at the end of the season, so it's something we've got to get better at." Frederik Andersen, who will get the nod on Wednesday, is 4-0-0 with a .912 save percentage in his career versus Winnipeg.
ABOUT THE JETS (1-2-0): Paul Maurice's club is enjoying the comforts of home to begin the season, playing seven of its first 10 contests in Manitoba - including the 2016 Tim Hortons Heritage Classic at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg on Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers. Mark Scheifele recorded two goals and an assist in the first two contests before being held in check by the Bruins, but the Ontario-born star has eight points (five goals, three assists) in five career encounters with Toronto. Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien also has torched the Leafs with 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in as many career meetings and is one shy of 400 for his NHL career.
OVERTIME
1. The Jets have won four straight against the Maple Leafs at MTS Centre and are 9-2-2 versus Toronto since the franchise moved to Winnipeg for the 2011-12 season.
2. Maple Leafs C Leo Komarov has been a teammate of both Matthews and Laine (Team Finland).
3. The Jets will induct the "Hot Line" - Anders Hedberg, Bobby Hull and Ulf Nilsson - as the first three members of the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame prior to Wednesday's contest.