Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ilya Mikheyev was taken to University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey for surgery to repair an artery and tendons in his wrist that were severed during the team’s game against the New Jersey Devils last night. Following successful surgery, Mikheyev will remain in hospital in New Jersey for further monitoring before returning to Toronto. The 25-year-old is expected to make a full recovery but a more accurate timeline for his return will be provided in three months. The Toronto Maple Leafs and our medical team would like to thank the New Jersey Devils and their medical staff and the University Hospital’s staff and hand and vascular surgery team for their urgent care.
Toronto: P. Aberg (12) PP (J. Bracco, T. Liljegren), K. Kossila (1) (M. Marchment, M. Read), J. Duszak (1) (D. Archibald) Goaltender: K. Kaskisuo (32/34)
Laval: E. McEneny (1) PP (A. Alain, O. Leskinen), Y. Veilleux (2) (G. Olofsson, M. McCarron) Goaltender: K. Kinkaid (16/19), C. Primeau (2/2)
ON THE SCORESHEET
Pontus Aberg opened the scoring on the power play at 7:35 of the second period. This is Aberg’s fourth power play goal of the season. Aberg leads the Marlies in points (12-15-27).
Kalle Kossila scored at 7:58 of the second period. This is Kossila’s first goal of the season. He has two points (1 goal, 1 assist) in three games
Joseph Duszak scored at 8:34 of the second period. This was Duszak’s first regular season career AHL goal. Duszak has 27 points (8 goals, 19 assists) in 26 games with Newfoundland (ECHL) this season.
Jeremy Bracco registered the primary assist on Aberg’s second period power play goal. Bracco is tied for fourth in assists (22) overall. Bracco has four assists in his last three games.
Timothy Liljegren recorded the secondary assist on Aberg’s second period power play goal. Liljegren has four points (1 goal, 3 assists) in his last three games. Liljegren has 17 points (3 goals, 14 assists) in 27 games, matching a career high in points in a single season.
Mason Marchment collected the primary assist on Kossila’s second period goal. Marchment has four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in nine games.
Matt Read had the secondary assist on Marchment’s second period goal. Read has eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) in 23 games this season.
Darren Archibald picked up the lone assist on Duszak’s second period goal. Archibald has points (1-1-2) in consecutive games.
Kasimir Kaskisuo stopped 32 of the 34 shots he faced. He is 5-0-0 when making 30 or more saves. Kaskisuo is now 10-3-1-0 on the season with a .916 Save Percentage and a 2.43 Goals Against Average. This was Kaskisuo’s first start against Laval this season.
OF NOTE…
The Marlies scored their three second period goals in 59 seconds.
Toronto scored their fastest consecutive goals of the season (23 seconds – P. Aberg, K. Kossila) in the second period.
Toronto was 3-for-4 on the penalty kill and was 1-for-1 on the power play. Toronto has scored eight power play goals in their last six games.
Laval had a 34-21 edge in shots in all situations. Kenny Agostino, Joseph Duszak and Nic Petan led the Marlies with three shots on goal.
The Marlies are 9-4-2-1 against North Division opponents and are 2-0-0-1 against the Laval Rocket. The previous two games this season have gone to extra time, with a 6-5 shootout loss in Laval and a 2-1 overtime win in Toronto.
REGULAR SEASON LEADERS
Goals: K. Agostino (16)
Assists: J. Bracco (22)
Points: P. Aberg (27)
PPG: P. Aberg,K. Agostino,E. Korshkov (4)
Shots: P. Aberg (77)
+/-: B. Harpur (+13)
PIMS: G. Wilson (58)
RECORD WHEN…
Toronto is 14-3-1-1 when scoring first.
The Marlies are 5-3-0-0 when tied after the first period and 12-0-0-0 when leading after the second period.
Toronto is 12-4-1-1 when outshot by their opponent.
The Marlies are 4-1-0-0 in Friday games and are 5-5-0-0 in December.
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
Darren Archibald has points (1-1-2) in consecutive games.
Jeremy Bracco has assists (4) in three consecutive games.
MARLIES UPDATES.
Kevin Gravel (illness) did not dress for tonight’s game against Laval.
Egor Korshkov (lower leg laceration) did not dress for tonight’s game against Laval. Heleft Toronto’s game against San Antonio on December 8 in the first period and did not return.
Kristians Rubins (concussion) did not dress for tonight’s game against Laval. He left Toronto’s game against Belleville on December 21 in the first period and did not return.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
December 27: Recalled forward Adam Brooks from loan by Toronto (NHL).
December 27: Recalled defenceman Martin Marincin from loan by Toronto (NHL).
December 27: Reassigned defenceman Mac Hollowell by Toronto (NHL) from Newfoundland (ECHL).
December 23: Returned forward Jeremy Bracco from loan by Toronto (NHL).
December 23: Recalled forward Jeremy Bracco on loan from Toronto (NHL).
POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH GREG MOORE
On today’s game: Not the start that we wanted. I thought it was very similar to yesterday’s game’s (against Belleville) first period. We gained traction in the second and got things moving pretty quickly there but there were some things about the first, I thought we were playing too slow, I think we need to transition the game a bit faster and the guys came and did that in the second.
On the three quick goals by Toronto in the second period (59 seconds): I would assume momentum building for us. It gets the other team on their heels a bit, plants the seed of doubt a little bit. Towards the end of the second, they got their momentum back, wanted to make sure we came out in the third and squash that and gain back the control that we had in the second. I thought our penalty kill did a great job. Overall, our D-corps had a much better game today. They really steered the ship for us and they kind of got things going in the right direction. When we transition the way we can at times and they’re leading that for us, we’re a hard team to beat.
On what the work by Nick Baptiste and Garrett Wilson on the penalty kill tells us about the team: The depth of character in our room – that’s the guys that care, that’s the guys that’ll work hard, they’ll do anything for the team. Those penalty kills were huge for us and they were competing and doing everything needed.
On Kasimir Kaskisuo’s performance: It’s big. It gives our team confidence to make plays. Every time you have a stable goaltender back there, it allows the guys to breath a bit, knowing you can rely on him. He came up huge for us today. He made some really big saves and gave us a chance to win.
NEXT GAME:
December 28 at Laval – 3:00 p.m. ET December 31 vs Charlotte – 3:00 p.m. ET January 3 at Syracuse – 7:00 p.m. ET January 4 vs Rochester – 4:00 p.m. ET January 5 vs Lehigh Valley – 4:00 p.m. ET
The only update would just be that he’s at the hospital here. He’s getting evaluated. He’s got a deep cut and we’re just going to have to get it sorted out. He’s going to stay here in New Jersey tonight and get evaluated. We’ll have to figure out what needs to be done.
On his reaction to the injury when it happened:
All I saw was him coming off without a glove and at first you just think he’s missing the glove. Then once you kind of get a sense of something more serious happening there and having your players recognize it even before I did. That’s one of the terrible things that you hate to see.
On the risk of these types of injury as inherent to hockey:
Yeah, it is for sure. It seems to be more frequent these days than it was even when I played. I’m not sure if that’s actually the case, but it seems to be. It’s unfortunate. There’s been lots done to try to prevent these types of things, but some of it isn’t preventable, of course. It’s the nature of the game, but we’ve got to continue to find ways to prevent it as best we can.
On the impact of the injury on the team during the game:
The bench was a little shaken at the time and it seemed like every stoppage in play the guys are kind of looking for an update. They’re concerned about their teammate. In terms of what impact it had on the game itself, I don’t think it had any. When the puck dropped the guys were just focused on playing.
On the resilience of the team to rally in the third and overtime for the win:
Yeah, resilience is a good word to describe it. We’ve shown some of that really throughout the last little bit, being a resilient team. Not a lot to like about our game today, obviously, but you know, it’s December 27 here and we got two points on the road. So, we’ll take it and get on the plane and recognize we’ve got to get a lot better tomorrow.
MICHAEL HUTCHINSON (24 SAVES)
On if he expects a more wide-open game coming off the Christmas break:
A little bit. You know when players have a few days off and us having to travel the same day, sometimes it takes a little bit for the players to get into the game and get back into good habits and stuff. You expect that you might see some good quality scoring chances. But you know at the same time the other team is in the same boat. They have the same amount of days off. So, knowing our skill, you knew that we were going to get some good looks as well and we got some good scoring chances and bury quite a few tonight.
On Mikheyev leaving the game due to a laceration:
It’s terrifying. You know, I haven’t seen him or really heard. Hopefully he’s alright. I didn’t really see what happened, but I remember kind of pushing the puck in the corner and he was there. Then all of a sudden, I could see a ton of blood coming from somewhere and a lot more than a usual high stick or anything like that. Hopefully he’s alright. I’m sure we’ll get an update on him in the locker room soon.
JOHN TAVARES (1 GOAL, 2 ASSISTS)
On tonight’s win:
I think first and foremost, we’re thinking about [Mikheyev] and hopefully he’s okay. It was obviously scary there, seeing that much blood. Obviously, a guy that we care deeply about and was having a great night and playing tremendous for us, so thoughts are with him. I think even after that, emotionally, that can hit you a little bit when you see something that can be as dangerous as something like that. It wasn’t pretty overall but we just kept staying with it. I think we know over the last couple of games that we’ve got to tighten up at times but at the same time, I think we’ve controlled play a lot and generated offence. We just have to be smarter with the puck at times and understanding teams are trying to really sit on those counter-attacks when we sustain a lot of possession and we’re able to cause a lot of movement and create chances, we’ve got to be aware of teams going the other way.
On what went through his mind when Mikheyev was injured:
I was on and saw him kind of scrambling to get to the bench so at first, I was looking to the ref to maybe blow it down, but he got off really quick and you’ve got to get right back into the play. You know, it’s on your mind for sure. You want him to be okay and you’re thinking about him. It’s not an easy thing to see and obviously we hope he’s doing okay. I know we don’t have much of an update, but we’re just thinking about him.
Zach Hyman put the Maple Leafs on the board with a power play goal at 16:56 of the first period. Hyman has points (3-4-7) in three consecutive games. He has scored six of his nine goals on the road this season. Hyman has a goal and four assists in 10 career games against the Devils.
Ilya Mikheyev scored Toronto’s second goal of the game at 17:15 of the first period. Mikheyev has points (1-1-2) in two consecutive games. He has 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists) in 21 games on the road in 2019-20. He has six points (3-3-6) in 12 games against Metropolitan Division opponents.
Kasperi Kapanen scored the third Maple Leafs goal of the night at 5:16 of the second period. Kapanen has two points (1-1-2) over his last four games played. He has recorded 16 (7 goals, 9 assists) of his 20 points on the road this season.
John Tavares registered the primary assist on Mikheyev’s first period goal and later had the secondary assist on Kapanen’s second period goal before scoring the fourth Toronto goal of the game on the power play at 8:15 of the third period. Tavares has goals (2) in two consecutive games and assists (5) and points (1-5-6) in three consecutive games. Tonight’s game is his third multi-assist and 11th multi-point performance of the season. He is tied for fifth among all NHLers in points against the Devils since entering the League in 2009-10 (18-16-34).
William Nylander picked up the secondary assist on Mikheyev’s first period goal and later recorded the primary assist on Tavares’ third period goal before scoring the game-winning goal at 2:38 of overtime. Nylander has goals (2) and points (2-2-4) in two consecutive games. Tonight’s game is his first multi-assist and sixth multi-point game of the season. He has eight points (4-4-8) over his last five games played. He has 13 points (7 goals, 6 assists) in 12 games against Metropolitan Division teams in 2019-20. His overtime goal is the third overtime goal of his NHL career and his second overtime goal against the Devils.
Morgan Rielly registered the primary assist on Hyman’s first period goal. Rielly has three assists over his last five games played. Rielly has recorded 12 assists in 21 road games in 2019-20. He has seven assists in 12 games against Metropolitan Division opposition.
Jason Spezza collected the secondary assist on Hyman’s first period goal. Spezza has assists (2) and points (1-2-3) in two consecutive games. He has recorded 11 (4-7-11) of his 15 points in 17 road games this season. He has seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) in nine games against Metropolitan Division teams.
Alex Kerfoot recorded the primary assist on Kapanen’s second period goal. Kerfoot has assists (2) in two consecutive games. He has three assists in five career games against the Devils. Kerfoot was originally selected by New Jersey in the fifth round (150th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft.
Tyson Barrie collected the secondary assist on Tavares’ third period goal. Barrie has assists (2) and points (1-2-3) in two consecutive games. He has six points (1-5-6) in 11 games during the month of December.
Michael Hutchinson stopped 24 shots to earn the victory
The Maple Leafs went 2-for-3 on the penalty kill and went 2-for-3 on the power play tonight.
Ilya Mikheyev suffered a significant laceration to his wrist and was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation and assessment.
Jake Muzzin was on the ice for a team-high 24 Toronto shot attempts-for at 5-on-5 tonight. Muzzin finished the game with a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 58.5 percent (24 for, 17 against).
William Nylander had a team-high five takeaways tonight, which ties the single-game season-high by a Maple Leaf in 2019-20 and is the highest total by a Maple Leaf on the road.
Dmytro Timashov started 40 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which was the lowest mark among Toronto skaters.
John Tavares won 58 percent (7 won, 5 lost) of his offensive zone faceoffs.
UPCOMING GAMES:
Saturday, December 28, 7:00 p.m. vs. New York Rangers (Sportsnet, Sportsnet 590 The FAN)
Tuesday, December 31, 6:00 p.m. at Minnesota Wild (Sportsnet Ontario, TSN 1050)
Thursday, January 2, 8:00 p.m. at Winnipeg Jets (TSN4, FAN 590)
Saturday, January 4, 7:00 p.m. vs. New York Islanders (Sportsnet, TSN 1050)
Monday, January 6, 7:00 p.m. vs. Edmonton Oilers (TSN4, TSN 1050)
The Christmas present for the Toronto Raptors was getting a reprieve from a gruelling schedule. Wednesday’s 118-102 loss against Boston was the team’s third game in four nights, including an overtime battle in Indiana and a record-setting comeback against Dallas. Read More
Jason Spezza (40), John Tavares (40), Morgan Rielly (18)
GOALS:
John Tavares (17), Jason Spezza (8), Auston Matthews (5)
ASSISTS:
Jason Spezza (26), John Tavares (14), Auston Matthews (5), Morgan Rielly (5)
POINTS:
Jason Spezza (34), John Tavares (31), Auston Matthews (10)
PENALTY MINUTES:
Jason Spezza (18), John Tavares (16), William Nylander (8), Morgan Rielly (8)
MAPLE LEAFS – DEVILS TEAM STATS
TORONTO
NEW JERSEY
GOALS FOR (Rank):
132 (3rd)
90 (30th)
GOALS AGAINST (Rank):
120 (23rd)
124 (28th)
POWER PLAY [%] (Rank):
23/103 [22.3%] (9th)
17/130 [13.0%] (t-29th)
PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank):
86/113 [76.1%] (26th)
100/124 [80.6%] (16th)
SHOTS (Rank):
1271 (4th)
1108 (25th)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank):
1935 (2nd)
1443 (30th)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank):
52.7% (5th)
46.9% (28th)
FACEOFF % (Rank):
52.2% (4th)
46.3% (30th)
MAPLE LEAFS – DEVILS NOTES
FIRST MATCHUP BETWEEN CLUBS:
October 9, 1974 vs. Kansas City (Toronto 6, Kansas City 2)
ALL-TIME RECORD:
73-41-20-9 (143 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD AT HOME:
47-17-5-3 (73 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD ON THE ROAD:
26-24-15-5 (70 Games)
LAST WIN VS. OPPONENT AT HOME:
January 10, 2019 (Toronto 4, New Jersey 2)
MAPLE LEAFS MILESTONES vs. DEVILS
Alex Kerfoot
Selected by New Jersey in the fifth round (150th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft.
William Nylander
200th NHL game (Jan. 10, 2019 at NJD)
John Tavares
300th NHL goal (Jan. 10, 2019 at NJD)
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
CATEGORY
LEADER
GOALS
24 (Matthews)
ASSISTS
25 (Marner)
POINTS
43 (Matthews)
POWER PLAY POINTS
12 (Marner, Matthews)
SHORTHANDED POINTS
2 (Engvall, Kapanen)
PIMs
32 (Muzzin)
SHOTS
136 (Matthews)
FACEOFF WIN%
58.8% (Gauthier)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %
55.7% (Matthews)
BLOCKED SHOTS
66 (Muzzin)
TAKEAWAYS
41 (Marner)
HITS
86 (Muzzin)
TOI PER GAME
24:22 (Rielly)
PP TOI PER GAME
2:57 (Marner)
SH TOI PER GAME
3:08 (Ceci)
MAPLE LEAFS PLAYER NOTES
Frederik Andersen
– Is 10-4-0 on the road this season with a 2.37 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage. – Has made eight career appearances against the Devils and is 6-2-0 with a 1.87 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage.- Leads the NHL in wins (19).- Leads the NHL in saves (857) and ranks second in even-strength saves (719).- Fourth in the NHL in shootout saves (11).
Tyson Barrie
– Averaging 14.3 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time, which is the fifth-highest average among NHL defencemen who have appeared in 30 games. – Has been on the ice for the eighth-most shot attempts for (731) among NHL skaters. – Has an on-ice shot attempt differential of plus-124, which is 10th among NHL defencemen.
Cody Ceci
– Has an on-ice goal differential of plus-seven at even-strength, which is tied for the third highest even-strength goal differential among Toronto skaters.- 11th among NHL skaters in shorthanded time on ice (119:00).- Has played 62.1 percent of Toronto’s shorthanded ice time, which is tied for the 10th-highest shorthanded time on ice percentage among NHLers who have appeared in at least 30 games.
Justin Holl
– Has started 44.3 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which is the lowest mark among Toronto defencemen who have appeared in at least 10 games.- Has an unblocked shot attempt percentage of 53.3 percent at 5-on-5, which is tied for the highest percentage among Toronto defencemen who have appeared in at least 10 games.
Michael Hutchinson
– Second among NHL goaltenders who have appeared in 10 or fewer games in saves (226).
Zach Hyman
– Established a new single-game career-high for assists (3) on December 23 vs. Carolina, which also tied his career-high for points in a game. – Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 54.2 percent, which ranks seventh among Toronto skaters who have played 10 games. – Averaging 15:33 per game in even-strength ice time, which ranks seventh among Maple Leafs.
Kasperi Kapanen
– Tied for seventh among Toronto skaters in even-strength points (6-8-14).- Has played 35.3 percent of the Maple Leafs’ shorthanded ice time, which ranks fourth among Toronto forwards.
Alex Kerfoot
– Eighth among Toronto skaters in even-strength goals (5).- Lone Toronto forward to have recorded at least 20 hits (28) and 20 blocked shots (24) this season.
Mitch Marner
– Averaging 0.56 primary assists per game, which is ninth among NHLers who have appeared in at least 20 games.- Tied for 14th in the NHL in primary assists (15). – Second in the NHL in takeaways (41). Averages 4.45 takeaways per 60 minutes of ice time, which ranks second among NHLers who have skated in at least 20 games.- Ninth among NHL forwards in shifts per game (25.5).
Auston Matthews
– Tied for second among NHL skaters in goals (24).- Tied for the lead among NHL skaters in even-strength goals (18).- Tied for 10th among NHL skaters in even-strength points (18-13-31).- 10th in the NHL with 136 shots on goal.- Has an on-ice goals-for percentage of 63.9 percent at 5-on-5, which leads Toronto skaters.
Ilya Mikheyev
– Averaging 8.9 shots on goal per 60 minutes of shorthanded ice time, which is the fourth-highest average among NHLers who have played at least 60 shorthanded minutes.- Leads all NHL rookies in shorthanded ice time (74:07).- Leads NHL rookies and is tied for third among Maple Leafs in even-strength points (6-15-21).
Jake Muzzin
– Has drawn 12 penalties this season, which leads Toronto defencemen and is tied for fourth among NHL defencemen.- Averages 0:47 in ice time per shift, which is tied for the fourth-lowest average shift length among defencemen who average at least 21:00 per game in ice time.
William Nylander
– Has recorded nine primary assists, which is tied for fourth among Toronto skaters. – Averages 1.09 goals per 60 minutes of ice time, which ranks second among Toronto skaters.- Has recorded six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in nine career games against New Jersey.
Morgan Rielly
– Tied for 17th among NHL defencemen in points (3-21-24).- Tied for eighth among NHL defencemen in even-strength points (3-15-18).- Fourth among NHL defencemen in assists recorded at 5-on-5 (14).- 14th among NHL skaters in TOI per game (24:22).- Tied for 11th among NHL skaters in shifts per game (28.4).
Jason Spezza
– Averaging 2.55 points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 this season, which is the second-highest average among Toronto skaters.- Averaging 1.27 primary assists per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time in 2019-20, which leads the Maple Leafs and is the ninth-highest average among NHLers who have appeared in at least 25 games.
John Tavares
– Has 31 points (17 goals, 14 assists) in 40 career games against New Jersey, which is the sixth-highest point total against the Devils since 2009-10.- Averaging 17.03 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which is the fourth-highest average among NHL centres who have appeared in 20 games.- Averaging 8.95 shots on goal at 5-on-5 per 60 minutes of ice time, which ranks 14th among NHL centres who have appeared in 20 games.- Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 54.8 percent, which ranks third among Toronto skaters who have appeared in at least 20 games.
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
Zach Hyman
Has assists (4) and points (2-4-6) in two consecutive games.
Mitch Marner
Has assists (5) in two consecutive games and points (6-11-17) in eight consecutive games.
Auston Matthews
Has goals (3) in two consecutive games, assists (4) in three consecutive games and points (5-4-9) in four consecutive games.
John Tavares
Has assists (3) and points (1-3-4) in two consecutive games.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
Frederik Andersen
23 minutes from 20,000 career minutes
Alex Kerfoot
Two points from 100 NHL points
RECENT MILESTONES
None
INJURY REPORT
Andreas Johnsson (Leg)
On injured reserve.
Trevor Moore
Did not play on December 23 vs. Carolina
Man Games Lost: 77
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
December 23
Loaned forward Jeremy Bracco to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
December 23
Recalled forward Jeremy Bracco from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
December 21
Loaned forward Adam Brooks and defenceman Martin Marincin to the Toronto Marlies (AHL). Activated forward Trevor Moore from the injured reserve.
DEVILS NOTES
LAST GAME @ CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS The Devils defeated the Blackhawks, 7-1, in the second and final contest of the 2019-20 regular season series. New Jersey finishes 1- 0-1 (3PT) against Chicago this season. New Jersey improves to 2-4-2 (2-3-0 road) against Central Division rivals this season. The Devils are 3-1-1 at United Center and 6-1-3 overall against the Blackhawks since the 2015-16 season. New Jersey was 7-7 on the penalty kill tonight, and 0-3 on the power play. The Devils were 27-56 (48%) in face-offs in the contest. The club notched five goals in the second period tonight, the most the club has tallied in one period this season. 14 different Devils tallied at least one point in the contest, marking a season high. The club tallied 29 PIM in the tilt, marking a season high (prev. 23 vs VAN; 10/19). The Devils six goals tonight is the 11th time in franchise history they have tallied six or more goals vs Chicago. New Jersey has scored at least six goals in a game vs Chicago in now three consecutive seasons(7-5 NJ; 8-5 NJ; 7-1 NJ) (credit: Craig Seiden, NJD Radio). Jack Hughes opened the scoring for the Devils 14:46 into the first period assisted by Wayne Simmonds and Sami Vatanen. The tuck marks Hughes’ first since Nov. 7 @ CGY (18 GP). Simmonds helper marks his first point in seven games (1A; 12/13 @ COL). Vatanen extends his assist streak to two games (2A). P.K. Subban notched his third goal of the season and the game-winner for the Devils, 0:51 into the second frame assisted by Jesper Bratt and Kyle Palmier. The goal gives Subban his first goal since Nov. 2 @ CAR (23 GP). Damon Severson tallied the Devils third goal of the contest in the second period assisted by Travis Zajac and Nikita Gusev. John Hayden tallied his first goal of his 2019-20 campaign, 10:40 into the second frame. The goal was assisted by Will Butcher and Pavel Zacha. Travis Zajac tallied the Devils second short handed goal of the season assisted by Blake Coleman and Andy Greene. With his shorthanded goal, Zajac has scored at least one short handed goal in six consecutive seasons for the Devils, joining Patrik Elias as the only other Devils to accomplish the feat (credit: Leo Scaglione Jr, NY Hockey Journal). Zajac is now one point from tying Kirk Muller for third place on the Devils all-time points list, and three goals to tie Zach Parise four fourth place on the Devils all-time goals list. Greene’s helper ends a 23 game pointless streak (11/2 @ CAR; 1A). Blake Coleman tallied his 11th goal of the season, 18 seconds into the third frame. The goal marks a new season high for fastest to start a period (prev. T. Hall @ PIT; 0:31). Severson and Gusev, giving each their second multi-point game of the season, assisted Coleman’s goal. Zacha notched the Devils seventh and final goal of the contest assisted by Gusev and Severson. The helper gives Gusev his first NHL career three-point game. Mackenzie Blackwood got the start for his 24th this season. Blackwood stopped 32 of 33 shots faced, and improves to 11-10-4 this season.
TONIGHT’S GAME vs. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS Tonight marks the first of three contest between New Jersey and Toronto. The Maple Leafs swept the Devils in the 2018-19 regular season series (3-0-0; 6PTS). New Jersey was 8-8 on the penalty kill tonight, and 0-8 on the power play in the three games played. Toronto outscored New Jersey 17-5. Blake Coleman (1G-1A) led New Jersey in scoring tallying two points in three games played. Kyle Palmieri and Miles Wood led their squad in shots tallying 11. Andy Greene will suit up for the 40th time against the Maple Leafs. The blueliner has tallied 12 assists against Toronto through 39 games played. New Jersey Devils: Media Notes Mackenzie Blackwood saw 20 minutes of action in the regular season series, allowing two goals posting a 6.00 GAA. Ron Hainsey (4A) and Morgan Rielly (2G-2A) notched four points against New Jersey in three games played last season. Rielly and Mitch Marner led their club in goals in the regular season series with two each. Frederik Anderson saw 120 minutes of action against the Devils, allowing three goals posting a 1.50 GAA. Anderson went 2-0-0 in the regular season series. Michael Hutchinson played in one game against New Jersey allowing two goals and picking up the victory. The Devils are 4-3-0 at Prudential Center and 5-5-2 overall against the Maple Leafs since the 2015-16 season. INJURIES Matt Tennyson (I.R.) – 8 games missed; Upper-body injury sustained Dec. 3 Louis Domingue (I.R.) – 5 games missed; Lower-body injury sustained Dec. 13 Total Man-Games Lost to Injury: 64
HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER The New Jersey Devils will support the National Hockey League’s annual Hockey Fights Cancer initiative on Saturday, Nov. 23, when the team faces off against the Detroit Red Wings at 7 p.m. EST. Local 11-Year Old Brain tumor Survivor Serves as Guest of honor The team will honor eleven-year old Grace Eline, a Morris County brain tumor survivor. Through the Devils partnership with RWJBarnabas Health, Grace joined the team for practice on Monday, worked on some drills and met the guys. On Saturday, she will be the guest of honor, read the starting lineup, and drop the puck on the ceremonial puck drop. Grace was treated at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, an RWJBarnabs Health facility, and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. Grace has achieved N.E.D. status meaning there is no evidence of disease. RWJBarnabas Health is the Official Healthcare Provider of the New Jersey Devils. Celebrating the Survivors As part of the “I Fight For” placard unveiling, the Devils have brought back three of their recent honorees from previous HFC games – Quinn Knapp and Santino Anastasia. Supporting a Regional Medical Center Fundraising efforts throughout the game will help to renovate the Clara Maass Medical Center Infusion Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility. In partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the state’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Clara Maass Medical Center and RWJBarnabas Health provide patients access to the most advanced treatment options close to home. The Cancer Center at Clara Maas Medical Center continues to receive the prestigious accreditation by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer as a community hospital comprehensive cancer program. Lavender Warm-Up Jerseys and Players Sticks Auctioned for Charity: Lavender players jerseys worn during warm-ups, and sticks adorned with lavender tape, will be auctioned off through December 7 online at newjerseydevils.com/auction. All proceeds from the auction, as well as the game’s 50/50 raffle, will go towards the Clara Maass Medical Center Infusion Center renovation.
Belleville: J. Norris (14) (D. Batherson, V. Abramov), J. Szwarz (11) PP (D. Batherson, M. Lajoie), J. Dougherty (2) SH (J. Szwarz) Goaltender: J. Daccord (28/30)
Toronto: K. Agostino (16) (J. Bracco), A. Brooks (8) PP (J. Bracco, N. Petan) Goaltender: J. Woll (24/27)
ON THE SCORESHEET
Kenny Agostino scored at 7:23 of the first period. Agostino is tied for third overall in the AHL in goals (16). He has scored a goal in each of his last three games and recorded six points (5 goals, 1 assist) in his last six games.
Adam Brooks scored on the power play at 3:50 of the second period. Brooks has points (2-2-4) in four consecutive games. Brooks has 16 points (8 goals, 8 assists) in 20 games this season.
Jeremy Bracco registered the lone assist on Agostino’s first period goal and the primary assist on Brooks’ second period power play goal. Bracco is tied for sixth in assists (21) overall.
Nic Petan recorded the secondary assist on Brooks’ second period power play goal. He has registered nine points (3 goals, 6 assists) in three games against Belleville.
Joseph Woll stopped 24 of 27 shots he faced. Woll is now 6-5-1-1 on the season with a 0.899 Save Percentage and a 3.07 Goals Against Average. This was Woll’s third straight start against Belleville.
OF NOTE…
The Marlies are 14-14-1-0 at Scotiabank Arena and 6-6-1-0 on Boxing Day.
Toronto was 4-for-5 on the penalty kill and was 1-for-3 on the power play.
Toronto had a 30-27 edge in shots in all situations. Pontus Aberg and Kenny Agostino led the Marlies with four shots on goal.
The Marlies are 8-4-2-1 against North Division opponents and are 3-2-0-0 against the Belleville Senators. Toronto has outscored Belleville 21-15.
REGULAR SEASON LEADERS
Goals: K. Agostino (16)
Assists: J. Bracco (21)
Points: P. Aberg, K. Agostino (26)
PPG: K. Agostino,E. Korshkov (4)
Shots: P. Aberg (75)
+/-: B. Harpur (+13)
PIMS: G. Wilson (58)
RECORD WHEN…
The Marlies are 4-3-0-0 when tied after the first period and 3-6-2-0 when trailing after the second period.
Toronto is 7-3-1-0 when outshooting their opponent.
The Marlies are 0-1-0-0 in Thursday games and are 4-5-0-0 in December.
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
Kenny Agostino has points (2-1-3) in three consecutive games.
Jeremy Bracco has assists (3) in consecutive games.
Adam Brooks has points (2-2-4) in four consecutive games.
Nic Petan has points (3-2-5) in consecutive games.
MARLIES UPDATES.
Kevin Gravel (illness) did not dress for today’s game against Belleville.
Egor Korshkov (lower leg laceration) did not dress for today’s game against Belleville. Heleft Toronto’s game against San Antonio on December 8 in the first period and did not return.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
December 23: Returned forward Jeremy Bracco from loan by Toronto Toronto (NHL).
December 23: Recalled forward Jeremy Bracco on loan from Toronto (NHL).
December 21: Returned defenceman Sergei Sapego on loan to Newfoundland (ECHL).
December 21: Returned goaltender Maksim Zhukov on loan to Newfoundland (ECHL).
December 20: Returned forward Adam Brooks on loan from Toronto (NHL).
December 20: Returned defenceman Martin Marincin on loan from Toronto (NHL).
December 19: Recalled forward Adam Brooks on loan from Toronto (NHL).
December 19: Reassigned defenceman Joseph Duszak by Toronto (NHL) from Newfoundland (ECHL).
December 19: Signed forward Giovanni Fiore to PTO.
POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH GREG MOORE
On today’s game: The first period, I thought we had a tough start. We let some things in behind us. But once the second period got going, I thought we controlled the game, we had things going our way. Their goaltender had a great game, just couldn’t find the back of the net. But in terms of process and not looking at results, I thought the second and third periods were a step in the right direction for the team.
On Joseph Woll’s performance (24/27): Yeah, he came up huge. He gave us a chance to stay in the game and a change to win. He’s a young goaltender with a bright future and we look forward to giving him more reps and seeing how he grows.
On what the team will work on practice: Well, not a lot of practice this week. We’ve got two games coming up in the next two days so we’ll teach via video. We’ll get back to some things tomorrow and go from there.
NEXT GAME:
December 27 at Laval – 7:00 p.m. ET December 28 at Laval – 3:00 p.m. ET December 31 vs Charlotte – 3:00 p.m. ET January 3 at Syracuse – 7:00 p.m. ET January 4 vs Rochester – 4:00 p.m. ET
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