Islanders at Maple Leafs
Fueled by a blistering 9-2-2 stretch in their last 13 games, the New York Islanders' rapid ascent has them trailing the Toronto Maple Leafs by just one point for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Islanders look to move into a playoff spot and complete a three-game season sweep of the Maple Leafs on Tuesday when the clubs meet at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
"It's been a fun month-and-a-half ever since we started this run," said forward Anders Lee (team-leading 21 goals), who tallied twice in Sunday's 5-1 rout of Colorado to increase his point total to 32 (20 goals, 12 assists) in his last 35 games. The 26-year-old set up a pair of goals in New York's wild 6-5 victory over Toronto on Feb. 6 and has nine points (five goals, four assists) in eight career encounters with the Maple Leafs. Toronto rookie Mitch Marner scored in the recent meeting with New York and also tallied in Saturday's 3-1 setback to Buffalo, marking the Maple Leafs' sixth loss in eight outings (2-4-2). The 19-year-old, who leads the team in assists (32) and points (47), has scored four goals and set up as many assists in his last seven games.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NHL.TV, MSG-Plus (New York), TSN4 (Toronto)
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (25-19-10): Captain John Tavares (team-high 46 points) had two assists against the Avalanche to increase his point total to 19 (nine goals, 10 assists) in his past 16 games, but was held off the scoresheet in his last encounter with his hometown Maple Leafs. The 26-year-old Tavares, who was born in nearby Mississauga (Ontario) and played his minor hockey in Oakville, has 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) in 25 career meetings with Toronto. Defensemen Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk have chipped in offensively with the former recording 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) and a plus-9 rating in his last 16 games while the latter has four assists in his last four contests.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (25-18-11): Top overall pick Auston Matthews leads the team with 25 goals, but has been limited to just six points in his last 12 games. Fellow rookie William Nylander joined Matthews in scoring a goal in the last encounter versus the Islanders and has four goals and an assist in his last five contests. Veteran James van Riemsdyk, who had an assist in Toronto's 5-1 loss to New York on Oct. 30, has been held off the scoresheet in each of the last four games for the Maple Leafs.
OVERTIME
1. Toronto G Frederik Andersen is just 1-2-2 with a 4.65 goals-against average and .864 save percentage since the All-Star break.
2. New York veteran LW Jason Chimera has eight goals in his last 15 games.
3. Maple Leafs enforcer Matt Martin has been held off the scoresheet in each of the last six contests overall and both games versus his former team this season.