Columbus Blue Jackets (47-18-6) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (33-23-15)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2017, 7 p.m. (NATIONWIDE ARENA)
To many, Toronto is the center of the hockey universe, and the city is the home base of the NHL.
Which is one reason it has been so surprising the Maple Leafs have been one of the least successful franchises of the past decade. Since the return from the missed lockout season of 2004-05, Toronto has just a single playoff appearance, a first-round exit vs. Boston in 2013.
But given how the team has been mismanaged, perhaps the lack of success is no surprise. That doesn't appear to be a worry anymore with Brendan Shanahan now serving as team president, longtime Devils architect Lou Lamoriello at GM, and former Red Wings and Team Canada head coach Mike Babcock behind the bench.
The future seems just as bright on the ice, thanks to the talented rookie troika of Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner and William Nylander. Matthews in second among NHL rookies with 57 points, Marner is just one behind in third, while William Nylander has 52 in fourth. Fellow rookies Connor Brown (30), Nikita Zaitsev (30) and Zach Hyman (26) are also in the top 20.
But is the future now? Toronto holds the last playoff spot coming into Columbus, three points ahead of the New York Islanders and four ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“This is where you learn how to win,” defenseman Morgan Rielly said after the Maple Leafs scored three goals in the last three minutes to down Boston on Monday. “I think we did a good job tonight of hanging on, and getting a big two points for us. I think when you look at the chances we were able to generate in November and December, we were getting lots of goals and winning games, high-scoring. And now we’re able to win closer games. We’ve come a long way.”
You Oughta Know: Auston Matthews
OK, almost everyone knows Matthews, the first overall pick in the 2016 draft and already the face of the Toronto franchise. He hasn't disappointed with 32 goals, including a sensational four in the team's opening game vs. Ottawa. Matthews was chosen the NHL's Rookie of the Month for December after registering 12 points (8 goals, 4 assists) in 12 games, and Toronto is 13-4-8 when he scores a goal. The Arizona native turned pro last year, playing in Switzerland, and looks to be a Team USA stalwart going forward.
[Fire Emoji] Right Now
- Center Tyler Bozak has nine points (three goals, six assists) in nine games during the month.
- Goaltender Frederik Andersen has a 1.99 goals-against average and .940 save percentage over his last eight starts.
- Defenseman Roman Polak has a team-best plus-6 rating during March in 19:18 of ice time per game.
Five Fast Facts
- Toronto has played 22 overtime games this year in 71 contests.
- Eric Fehr is one assist from 100 career NHL assists.
- On the road, Toronto's power play is clicking at a 26.7-percent clip (27 of 101).
- Injuries: Connor Carrick (upper body) missed the Maple Leafs' previous 11 games before returning Monday vs. Boston.
- Former Jackets: Curtis McElhinney spent three-plus years with Columbus, appearing in 85 games. He started 66, going 26-33-8 along with a 2.86 goals-against average before being placed on waivers in January.
Previous Matchups
THIS YEAR: Feb. 15, Columbus wins 5-2
ALL TIME SERIES: Columbus leads 10-9-1-0
Keys to the Game
Stay Out of the Box: Toronto's power play is among the best in the NHL and has been clicking of late. The fewer penalties, the better.
Get Ahead: A young team, Toronto has won just two games this year when trailing after a period (2-15-3) and three when down after two (3-18-2). Conversely, the Leafs are 20-1-9 when leading after one and 25-1-9 when ahead after two.
No Hangover: Sunday, Columbus clinched a playoff spot. Tomorrow, the Jackets face Metro leader Washington. The focus must be there at home against Toronto.
Team Projected Lineup
| # | Player | Stats | # | Player | Stats | # | Player | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Zach Hyman | 71 GP, 9-17-26 | 34 | Auston Matthews | 71 GP, 32-25-57 | 29 | William Nylander | 70 GP, 19-33-52 |
| 47 | Leo Komarov | 71 GP, 11-14-25 | 43 | Nazem Kadri | 71 GP, 29-23-52 | 12 | Connor Brown | 71 GP, 16-14-30 |
| 25 | James van Riemsdyk | 71 GP, 22-32-54 | 42 | Tyler Bozak | 67 GP, 17-31-48 | 16 | Mitchell Marner | 66 GP, 17-39-56 |
| 15 | Matt Martin | 71 GP, 5-4-9 | 24 | Brian Boyle | 10 GP, 0-2-2 | 26 | Nikita Soshnikov | 56 GP, 5-4-9 |
| # | Player | Stats | # | Player | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Nikita Zaitsev | 71 GP, 3-27-30, -22 | 51 | Jake Gardiner | 71 GP, 9-25-34, +23 |
| 8 | Connor Carrick | 56 GP, 2-5-7, +7 | 44 | Morgan Rielly | 65 GP, 6-21-27, -21 |
| 2 | Matt Hunwick | 61 GP, 1-14-15, +6 | 46 | Roman Polak | 66 GP, 4-4-8, +9 |
| # | Player | GP | W-L-OL | GAA | SV% | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Frederik Andersen | 59 | 29-15-14 | 2.65 | .918 | 4 |
| 35 | Curtis McElhinney | 8 | 3-4-0 | 2.70 | .921 | 1 |
10 Stats to Know
Impress your friends and enemies alike with these 10 key Toronto Maple Leafs stats.
| Last 10 | Standings | PP% | PK% | CF60 (5x5) | CA60 (5x5 | PDO | OT (SHO) | FO% | 5x5 GF-GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-3-2 | 4th, Atlantic | 23.7 (2) | 83.3 (9) | 60.56 | 60.41 | 100.65 (10) | 7-15 (1-8) | 49.0 (19) | 148-138 |
