Maple Leafs at Red Wings
Rookie Auston Matthews has scored a goal in each of his last three contests to highlight his eight-game point streak and has also found the back of the net three times in as many meetings with the Detroit Red Wings this season. The 19-year-old looks to bolster the Toronto Maple Leafs' bid for a postseason berth on Saturday night as the Original Six rivals play their last contest at historic Joe Louis Arena.
Matthews, who has scored five goals and set up three others during his point streak, recorded his seventh game-winning tally on Thursday as Toronto improved to 6-1-1 in its last eight games with a 3-1 triumph over Nashville. The Maple Leafs' march has them within two points of provincial rival Ottawa for second-place in the Atlantic Division while holding a one-point edge over Boston for the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. The postseason and the Red Wings have long since been synonymous, but a sputtering 26th-ranked offense and punchless 28th-ranked power play were too much to overcome as their 25-season playoff streak officially came to an end earlier this week. The reeling Red Wings have mustered six goals and failed on all seven opportunities with the man advantage against the Maple Leafs this season.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, CBC (Toronto), FSN Detroit, NHL.TV
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (37-24-15): While former Red Wings coach Mike Babcock called the Motor City home for 10 seasons, his current charges have been rather impressive on the road by winning of four of their last six to improve to 17-14-8 away from the Air Canada Centre. "You're just trying to do what we do, try to be organized and play real hard," the 53-year-old Babcock said of Toronto's style of play on the road. "I think we've got to be more poised as the year has gone on." Frederik Andersen owns a 3-0-0 mark with a 1.96 goals-against average in three meetings with Detroit this season, including a 22-save performance in Toronto's 4-0 victory on Jan. 25.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (31-34-12): Promising rookie Anthony Mantha saw his season come to an abrupt end after fracturing his finger in a fight with Lightning defenseman Luke Witkowski. The 22-year-old Mantha, who was the 20th overall selection of the 2013 draft, erupted for 36 points (17 goals, 19 assists) in 59 games this season - including three (two goals, one assist) in a 5-4 overtime loss to Toronto on New Year's Day. Captain Henrik Zetterberg (team-leading 48 assists, 64 points), who has five assists against the Maple Leafs this season, set up a goal for his 900th career point on Thursday to increase his total to 39 (nine goals, 30 assists) in 41 games this calendar year.
OVERTIME
1. Toronto has enjoyed fast starts by recording a first-period goal in 14 consecutive games.
2. Detroit C Frans Nielsen scored and set up a goal on Thursday after mustering just four points (one goal, three assists) in his 15 previous games in March.
3. Maple Leafs RW Connor Brown has three goals and two assists during his career-long four-game point streak.