Maple Leafs at Flyers
The Toronto Maple Leafs are showing no signs of cooling off as the All-Star break approaches, recording at least one point in 13 of their last 15 games (11-2-2). Toronto looks to remain ahead of schedule and knock off one of its competitors for a postseason spot when it plays the second contest of its six-game road trip against the rejuvenated Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.
The Maple Leafs - excluding All-Star rookie Auston Matthews - will have four days off during the break before heading back on the road to take on Dallas, St. Louis, Boston and the New York Islanders in a seven-day span. Toronto defeated Detroit 4-0 on Wednesday, with Frederik Andersen posting his second straight shutout, and has registered at least four goals in eight of its last 11 contests. The Flyers hope to take a three-game winning streak into the break after Steve Mason made 34 saves in a 2-0 triumph over the New York Rangers on Wednesday. Philadelphia also knocked off the Islanders in overtime on Sunday after losing 12 of its previous 15 contests – a slump that followed a 10-game winning streak that straddled November and December.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Ontario (Toronto), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (23-14-9): Matthews snapped a three-game point drought with his team-leading 23rd goal on Wednesday and James van Riemsdyk also scored for his 15th point in 12 games. Matthews and van Riemsdyk are tied with rookie Mitch Marner for the team lead with 39 points, while Nazem Kadri has contributed five in the last three games to push his total to 34. Andersen turned aside all 48 shots he has faced over the last two games, but backup Curtis McElhinney – a winner in his only start for Toronto - is expected to be in net Thursday.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (24-19-6): Philadelphia’s top four scorers totaled five points in Wednesday’s victory as Jakub Voracek led the way with a goal and an assist, pushing his team-leading total to 44 points. Wayne Simmonds scored for the second straight game Wednesday to reach 20 goals for the fourth straight season and is third on the club with 37 points - three behind captain Claude Giroux for second place. Mason has won back-to-back starts for the first time in more than a month and may get another shot Thursday, although he gave up six goals on 23 shots in a loss to Toronto in November.
OVERTIME
1. The Maple Leafs have earned points in five straight games against the Flyers (4-0-1) after the 6-3 home triumph on Nov. 11.
2. Philadelphia C Brayden Schenn has notched three assists in the last two games and is one goal shy of 100 for his career.
3. Toronto D Morgan Rielly (lower body) likely will miss his fifth straight game but is expected to return to the lineup after the break.