Month: December 2019

RAPTORS 122, WIZARDS 118 QUOTES: “We won the game. That helps. It’s going to be a work in progress and I think guys will continue to get more comfortable every game. We are going to continue to have to have guys step up.” –KYLE LOWRY

(8-19) WASHINGTON WIZARDS, 118 VS. (20-8) TORONTO RAPTORS, 122 SCOTIABANK ARENA FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2019

TORONTO RAPTORS QUOTES

NICK NURSE (HEAD COACH)

On the return of Fred VanVleet … Yeah, I think he was a smidge, just, off a little bit. He got to the rim some, which you know, some quickness, which was good. Yeah, it’s definitely good to have him out there though for sure.

On tonight’s game … It was okay. Obviously I thought we came out with great energy, the ball was going in, (and) we were flying around really good. We had 25 deflections in the first half, which is a huge number, but that’s about where it stayed. I think the second half we were moving. We never really got into a rhythm on either end, defensively or offensively. We gave up 66 in the second half. Give them some credit – they made a bunch of shots and we probably waited a little long on the blitzing, but when we did blitz they made some shots and plays out of that too, so (we) hung on for the win. Any win is tough in this league, that’s for sure, especially when you’re missing half of your team.

On the bench … Those guys have had some great times … They played it about even when you look at the plus minus. It felt like to me we were trading buckets. That’s kind of what we were doing. I didn’t think they played as well defensively as they have in the past, and a lot of that was, I thought, that they committed a bunch of fouls. It was Chris (Boucher), Terence (Davis), Chris, Terence. It was just foul, foul, foul there for a while, so those are mistakes, but I’ve got to look at it. I think I said to the staff after the game, “We had those guys really flying around and playing awesome.” But I think it might have been in some of our other defences, you know, when we were out in L.A. and Portland we were playing a lot of the box-and-one, triangle-and-two, and maybe that frees them up just to kind of fly around. They will and they will play hard and they’ll make plays, and I just think they just got caught up. Washington was executing well and we didn’t quite get there, (but) again, I have to look at the tape before I say too much.

KYLE LOWRY (26 points, nine assists, four rebounds)

On working in a new starting five… We won the game. That helps. It’s going to be a work in progress and I think guys will continue to get more comfortable every game. We are going to continue to have to have guys step up.

Is there an urgency to get your game back on track? I’ll be all right. I’ll be ready to go. I’m going to do what I gotta do and help our team win games. Tonight was a good effort by everybody to kind of get themselves going and having Freddie back definitely helped a lot. So it’s one of those things where Serge (Ibaka), is getting in the lineup and then Malcom (Miller) getting a little more comfortable, TD’s (Terence Davis) got to get a little more comfortable, and Rondae (Hollis-Jefferson), Pat (McCaw). You know, we’ve gotta get guys more comfortable in their own skin and just going out there and hooping.

FRED VANVLEET (18 points, nine rebounds, eight assists)

How important was it to get back on the floor with recent injuries? It was very important. I was turning that corner anyway. For three of our top five, six guys to go out all in one game, it’s not very fortunate for our ball club, but (I) tried to get back out there with the guys and give us a better chance to win. I’d like to think that I increased our chances of winning tonight, regardless of how ugly it was. I just want to be out there with the guys.

What changed in the second half? It’s the ups and downs of the game. We kind of had a dry spell on offence and Bradley (Beal) got hot. They started smacking in some threes and they got a little bit of momentum and they got hot, so we have to do a better job. (We’ll) look at the tape and see how we can keep continuing to get better on defence, but just finding ways to win is the most important part.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS QUOTES

SCOTT BROOKS (HEAD COACH)

On the team’s fight tonight… That’s what we do. We fight, we claw, we don’t make any excuses but we can’t get down 40-23 in that first quarter. It always seems to be one quarter. Two nights ago it was the fourth quarter. Lots of times it’s the second quarter, tonight it was the first. We fought back and we clawed our way back in. We had a great look, not a good look – a great look by one of the best shooters on the planet to put us up three with three minutes to go and then it would have been really interesting. They come down with a guy (Patrick McCaw) that we’re somewhat comfortable taking a three and he makes it. That’s what it is, it comes down to a lot of the times making a shot. I’m proud of our guys. We competed and gave ourselves a chance to win the game. That’s what we have to do and that’s what we’re going to continue to do.

On the play of Admiral Schofield… He’s hungry and you win and you get better by being hungry, and he’s hungry. He wants to get out there. He loves his opportunities; he gets down on the court anywhere, whether it’s with the Go-Go or with us he wants to get better and he’s challenged himself to compete every minute and I love that about him. He’s undersized, he’s playing the five and I think he’s maybe 6’5 but he’s competing. He’s giving himself a chance. It doesn’t matter how big you are, it’s how much are you willing to lay out on the line every night. That’s what it’s about. You can be a smaller player at your position and have a long career if you do that, and that’s why he’s going to have a long career.

BRADLEY BEAL (37 points, six assists, seven rebounds)

What ultimately decided the game tonight? I felt like we should have won. We had enough flow and juice to win. I think down the stretch we kind of got away from ourselves, we weren’t defending. They made some tough shots down the stretch too, that Pat McCaw three hurt, a couple of big plays Kyle (Lowry) made down the stretch too and we were fouling a lot. So, I think the fouls took us out of the game.

When you were down 18, did you feel you had enough to come back? Yeah, because I knew I wasn’t being aggressive as I should have been. I just came out in the third and just wanted to do that, set the tone and get us going, and see what we could get. Sure enough we were back in the game.

On the play of Schofield… I love him. He competes the hardest on this team. He doesn’t care about getting the ball, he doesn’t care about stats or nothing like that. He goes out and hits people. That’s what he does, he goes out and hit people, he’s physical and he makes an impact in the game. He made some big threes tonight too. I just tell him all the time to stay ready, he’s taking advantage of his opportunity and coach is going to continue to play him because he plays his ass off. I love him. We all love him. Just let him continue to get better, stay humble and continue to work.

ISH SMITH (26 points)

Can you describe the type offensive rhythm you were in tonight? To be honest with you, I missed some of the easy ones yesterday (Wednesday), that I kind of get a little frustrated when I miss some easy ones that I usually make, and so tonight I’m thankful, thank God, we put in the work, me and Corey (Gaines) and the coaching staff put in the work and make shots. Winning and losing, there’s no moral victories. This is something you think about when you’re 40 years old and in your rocking chair with your wife and your kids, right now it’s turn the page and try to figure what we can do and how we can get better moving forward with Philly. That’s a really good team, we’re playing the defending champions and I thought we fought, played hard. Again, it’s no moral victories but we did a great job. I thought we competed, we played hard and just came up short.

LEAFS 6, RANGERS 3 QUOTES: “I think we controlled the puck. We didn’t throw it away. Kept the pedal down. It’s something we’ve just got to make sure we keep doing in the thirds. It’s something that we haven’t been consistent at. We’ve just got to make sure we keep the pedal down in the thirds. Make sure we’re trying to give teams no space.”–MITCH MARNER.

HEAD COACH SHELDON KEEFE

On tonight’s third period performance:

Well, you know what, I thought like we’ve talked about in some of the previous games when the third periods haven’t gone well that the second period is maybe when some of the issues started to come up. I thought some of the positives of the second period today – which I thought there were lots – carried through to the third period. Obviously, we got a good start and the puck went in the net for us. That helped, but there were a lot of really good signs for our team in terms of how we retained the puck, which I thought was a real key to this game, in particular. When their team has the puck, they’re a tough team to deal with and I thought we handled that well.

On the team not getting discouraged after the Rangers came from behind twice:

Yeah, the message was just to keep going and stay with it. That was the challenge for us. And the guys did, and it worked out for us.

On what he had seen from Nylander coming into tonight:

You know, I talked with him, we actually met this morning. He didn’t feel like he had a great trip out west, in particular. He said he just didn’t feel good, didn’t feel right, but liked his practice and the work that he had done back in Toronto and was excited to get back and playing. So, you know, we met and talked about some things but really, I thought that Will had a much better here game you today and he got rewarded for it.

On if there’s anything he sees in Nylander’s game when he’s at his best:

Yeah, there were times today where he was doing that, which was just that he has the puck a lot in the offensive zone and guys come to try to get it away from him and he’s evading the check, he’s hanging on to the puck, he’s really difficult to knock off the puck. That’s when I really see his game kind of rounding out and a lot of it’s just because of how he protects the puck. When it’s not going well for him those pucks good off his stick too quickly.

MITCH MARNER (2 GOALS)

On tonight’s win:

I think we controlled the puck. We didn’t throw it away. Kept the pedal down. It’s something we’ve just got to make sure we keep doing in the thirds. It’s something that we haven’t been consistent at. We’ve just got to make sure we keep the pedal down in the thirds. Make sure we’re trying to give teams no space.

On if the team did a good job eliminated what the Rangers wanted to do offensively:

Yeah, I think we had some shifts where we did do that and some shifts where we didn’t. That’s going to happen in the game, it’s going to go the opposite way sometimes. I think we did a good job of bouncing back every time. Like I said, that was a big third period for us. We’ve got to make sure we come out and do that every time.

WILLIAM NYLANDER (2 GOALS, 1 ASSIST)

On the performance of his line tonight:

I think we were moving the puck, we were skating a lot, trying to play tight in the D-zone to get transitions, which we got a few of.

On the contributions of the third and fourth lines:

It’s huge when they come up with goals like that. We need guys that can score when we’re getting deep into the playoffs. The third and fourth line are going to be crucial for us, too.

On the third period:

I think we just had a different mentality tonight. We knew it was tied 3-3 and we had to go out and get the game.

JOHN TAVARES (5 SHOTS ON GOAL)

On the importance of the fifth goal to the team:

It was a great play by [Marner]. Anytime you’re able to extend your lead, especially once you get into the third period, it goes a long way. So, big goal by him. Really stepped up there for the group and gave us the lead and kind of the confidence to then just continue to stay on it and not give them a whole lot knowing they needed two.

On what scoring two quick goals in the third period did for the team’s mindset:

Well, we want to score on all of our opportunities. So whether we’re up a goal or down a goal or up two goals, we want to continue to put the pressure on and play our type of game. Keep the puck, create the chances when we can get them and capitalize when we get our opportunities and obviously, we want to create as many as we can.

RAPTORS 122, WIZARDS 118 POSTGAME NOTES: Fred VanVleet returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous five games with a right knee contusion and had 18 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists.

FINAL SCORE: TORONTO RAPTORS 122, WASHINGTON WIZARDS 118

DATE: DECEMBER 20, 2019 ATTENDANCE: 19,800 (Sellout)

FINAL SCORE RECORD HIGH POINTS HIGH REBOUNDS HIGH ASSISTS Washington 118 8-19 Beal – 37 Bertans – 8 Beal – 6

Toronto 122 20-8 Lowry – 26 Ibaka – 10 Lowry – 9

KEY RUN With the game tied 109-109, the Raptors went on a 7-1 run to lead by six with two minutes remaining … Washington pulled with two with 1.1 seconds left, but Fred VanVleet clinched the win at the free throw line. KEY STAT The Raptors set season highs in both free throws made and attempted (34-for-44) … Washington shot 75 per cent (24-for-32) at the foul line … Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka attempted 11 and 10 free throws, respectively.

RAPTORS NOTES: • With the win, Toronto improves to 20-8 this season and 12-3 at home … The Raptors have won four in a row (Dec. 14-20), including three straight games at Scotiabank Arena … Toronto is now 6-4 in the month of December. • Since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Raptors are 16-3 vs. Washington during the regular season and have won the last four meetings at home. • All five Toronto starters scored in double digits, combining for 96 points. • The Raptors scored a season-high 40 points in the first quarter. • Kyle Lowry led the Raptors in scoring for the fifth time this season with 26 points (7-14 FG, 3-7 3PT, 9-11 FT) … Lowry added a game-high nine assists and four rebounds in 41 minutes. • Serge Ibaka recorded his third double-double in the last four games (Dec 14-20) with 23 points and a game-high 10 rebounds in 36 minutes in his first start of the season. • The Raptors had six players score double figures – Lowry (26), Ibaka (23), OG Anunoby (18), Fred VanVleet (18), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (14) and Patrick McCaw (11) … VanVleet returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous five games with a right knee contusion … McCaw’s 11 points were a season high in his first start of the season. • Rookie Terence Davis ll is the only Raptor not to miss a game this season.

WIZARDS NOTES: • With the loss, Washington falls to 8-19 on the season and 4-12 on the road … The Wizards have dropped their last two games (Dec. 18-20) and are now 2-8 in the month of December. • The Wizards outscored Toronto 25-16 on the fast-break. • Bradley Beal led all scorers with 37 points (12-24 FG, 3-10 3PT, 10-12 FT) – his 12th 30-point game of the season … Beal added seven rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes. • Ish Smith scored a season-high 26 points (9-9 FG, 4-4 3PT, 4-4 FT) in 30 minutes off the bench. • The Wizards had five players score in double digits – Beal (37), Smith (26), Isaiah Thomas (13), Troy Brown Jr. (11) and Davis Bertans (10). = 2019-20

MAPLE LEAFS 6, RANGERS 3 POST GAME NOTES: Pierre Engvall opened the scoring for the Maple Leafs at 9:38 of the first period. Engvall has three points (1 goal, 2 assists) over his past three games.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS 6 (18-14-4 – 40 Points) vs.
NEW YORK RANGERS 3 (16-14-4 – 36 Points)
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2019

ON THE SCORESHEET
Pierre Engvall opened the scoring for the Maple Leafs at 9:38 of the first period. Engvall has three points (1 goal, 2 assists) over his past three games. Tonight’s goal is his first point against an Eastern Conference opponent in six games. He has registered all six of his points (2-4-6) on the road in 2019-20.
William Nylander scored Toronto’s second goal of the night at 11:52 of the first period and later had the secondary assist on Mitch Marner’s second period goal before scoring the fourth Toronto goal of the night at 2:10 of the third period. Nylander has assists (2) and points (2-2-4) in two consecutive games. Tonight’s game is his third multi-goal and fifth multi-point performance of 2019-20. In five career games at Madison Square Garden, Nylander has registered four goals and three assists.
Mitch Marner scored the third Maple Leafs goal of the night on the power play at 2:50 of the second period before adding the fifth Maple Leafs goal of the night at 2:57 of the third period. Marner has points (4-6-10) in six consecutive games. Tonight’s game is his second multi-goal and eighth multi-point performance of 2019-20. He has 14 points (7-7-14) in 11 games on the road this season.
Ilya Mikheyev collected the secondary assist on Engvall’s first period goal and later scored the sixth Toronto goal of the game at 16:23 of the third period. Mikheyev has goals (3) and points (3-1-4) in three consecutive games. Tonight’s game is his sixth multi-point performance of the season. He has 14 points (4 goals, 10 assists) in 20 road games.
Justin Holl registered the primary assist on Engvall’s first period goal. Holl has three assists over his last five games. He has recorded eight (1-7-8) of his 11 points on the road this season. He has two points (1 goal, 1 assist) in two career games at Madison Square Garden.
Kasperi Kapanen recorded the lone assist on Nylander’s first period goal. Kapanen has eight points (4 goals, 4 assists) in 10 games against Metropolitan Division opponents this season. He has 15 points (6-9-15) in 20 games on the road.
Auston Matthews registered the primary assist on Marner’s second period goal and later had the primary assist on Nylander’s third period goal. Matthews has points (2-2-4) in two consecutive games. Tonight’s game is his third multi-assist game of the season and his 12th multi-point game of 2019-20. Eleven of Matthews’ 17 assists have been primary assists, which is the second highest primary assist total among Toronto skaters.
Travis Dermott picked up the secondary assist on Nylander’s third period goal. Dermott has four points (2-2-4) in seven games against Metropolitan Division teams this season. Five (2-3-5) of his six points have come on the road this season.
Alex Kerfoot had the lone assist on Mikheyev’s third period goal. Kerfoot has three points (1 goal, 2 assists) over his last three games. He has three points (1 goal, 2 assists) in five career games against the Rangers. Toronto is 5-2-1 when Kerfoot records a point this season.
Frederik Andersen stopped 19 shots to earn his League-leading 18th win of the season.

Record on the Road
10-10-0 (20 Games)
All-Time Record vs. New York
288-222-95-10 (615 Games)
All-Time Record vs. New York on the Road:
169-94-39-5 (307 Games)
Record vs. Eastern Conference
9-9-4 (21 Games)
Record vs. Metropolitan Division
3-4-3 (10 Games)

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
Shots
6 (Marner)
Shot Attempts
8 (Rielly)
Faceoff Wins
9 (Tavares)
Faceoff Win Percentage
83% (Gauthier – 5 won, 1 lost)
Hits
4 (Ceci)
Blocked Shots
5 (Muzzin)
Takeaways
2 (Marner, Mikheyev)
TOI
21:59 (Rielly)
Power Play TOI
2:44 (Marner, Matthews, Tavares)
Shorthanded TOI
3:49 (Muzzin)
Shifts
29 (Holl)
5-on-5 Shot Attempt Percentage
80% (Barrie – 28 for, 7 against)

RECORD WHEN…
Scoring first
11-3-1
Tied after 1
7-5-2
Tied after 2
5-5-1
Score one power play goal
7-3-2
Do not allow a power play goal
11-5-0
Outshooting opponent
9-4-1
Friday
3-2-0

OF NOTE…
The Maple Leafs went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and went 1-for-3 on the power play tonight.
Toronto won 60 percent (9 won, 6 lost) of their offensive zone faceoffs at 5-on-5.
Tyson Barrie and Morgan Rielly were on the ice for a team-high 28 Toronto shot attempts-for at 5-on-5 tonight. Barrie finished the game with a team-high 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 80 percent (28 for, 7 against), while Rielly had a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 77.8 percent (28 for, 8 against).
Zach Hyman and John Tavares started 16.7 percent of their 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which was the lowest mark among Toronto skaters.
Auston Matthews won 59 percent (5 won, 4 lost) of his offensive zone faceoffs.
UPCOMING GAMES:
Saturday, December 21, 7:00 p.m. vs. Detroit Red Wings (Sportsnet, FAN 590)
Monday, December 23, 2:00 p.m. vs. Carolina Hurricanes (Sportsnet Ontario, FAN 590)
Friday, December 27, 7:00 p.m. at New Jersey Devils (Sportsnet Ontario, TSN 1050)
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)

MAPLE LEAFS AT RANGERS NOTES: Auston Matthews is tied for third in goals (21). He is second in the NHL in even-strength goals (16) and is tied for 12th in the league in even-strength points (16-10-26). He is tied for ninth with 128 shots on goal. He has an on-ice goals-for percentage of 57.6 percent at 5-on-5, which is tied for third among Toronto skaters.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (17-14-4 – 38 Points) vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS (16-13-4 – 36 Points)

DECEMBER 20, 2019 ▪ 7:00 PM EST

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN (NEW YORK, NY) ▪
TV: SPORTSNET ONTARIO ▪ RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN

MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY versus NEW YORK RANGERS

ALL-TIME RECORD:287-222-95-10 (614 Games)
ALL-TIME AT HOME:168-94-39-5 (306 Games)
2018-19:1-1-1
LAST FIVE:3-1-1
LAST 10:5-3-2

MAPLE LEAFS CAREER LEADERS versus NEW YORK RANGERS

GAMES PLAYED:John Tavares (46), Jason Spezza (42), Cody Ceci (18)
GOALS:John Tavares (14), Jason Spezza (13), Zach Hyman (5)
ASSISTS:John Tavares (27), Jason Spezza (22), Tyson Barrie (10)
POINTS:John Tavares (41), Jason Spezza (35), Tyson Barrie (12)
PENALTY MINUTES:John Tavares (44), Jason Spezza (24), Zach Hyman (7)

MAPLE LEAFS – RANGERS TEAM STATS

 TORONTONEW YORK
GOALS FOR (Rank):114 (t-6th)105 (18th)
GOALS AGAINST (Rank):       110 (t-18th)104 (14th)
POWER PLAY [%] (Rank):19/93 [20.4%] (12th)23/116 [19.8%] (t-14th)
PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank):80/105 [76.1%] (26th)93/120 [77.5%] (23rd)
SHOTS (Rank):1169 (5th)967 (30th)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank):1784 (4th)1285 (31st)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank):52.6% (t-5th)44.0% (32nd)
FACEOFF % (Rank):52.4% (t-2nd)46.0% (30th)

MAPLE LEAFS – RANGERS NOTES

FIRST MATCHUP BETWEEN CLUBS:Nov. 20, 1926 vs. New York (New York 5, Toronto 1)
ALL-TIME RECORD:287-222-95-10 (614 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD AT HOME:168-94-39-5 (306 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD ON THE ROAD:119-128-56-5 (308 Games)
LAST WIN VS. OPPONENT ON THE ROAD:Feb. 1, 2018 (Toronto 4, New York 0)

MAPLE LEAFS MILESTONES vs. RANGERS

Tyson Barrie300th NHL game (Dec. 31, 2016 vs. NYR)
Frederik Gauthier100th NHL game (March 23, 2019 vs. NYR)
Zach Hyman100th NHL game (Oct. 7, 2017 vs. NYR)
Alex KerfootFirst NHL game (Oct. 5, 2017 (COL) at NYR)
First NHL point (Assist) (Oct. 5, 2017 (COL) at NYR)
Martin Marincin100th game as a Maple Leaf (Dec. 22, 2018 vs. NYR)
Jason Spezza500th NHL assist (Jan. 5, 2016 (DAL) at NYR)
  

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS

CATEGORYLEADER
GOALS21 (Matthews)
ASSISTS20 (Marner, Rielly)
POINTS36 (Matthews)
POWER PLAY POINTS10 (Matthews)
SHORTHANDED POINTS2 (Engvall, Kapanen)
PIMs24 (Muzzin)
SHOTS128 (Matthews)
FACEOFF WIN%58.2% (Gauthier)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %55.5% (Matthews)
BLOCKED SHOTS60 (Ceci)
TAKEAWAYS36 (Marner)
HITS79 (Muzzin)
TOI PER GAME24:30 (Rielly)
PP TOI PER GAME2:56 (Marner)
SH TOI PER GAME3:07 (Ceci)

MAPLE LEAFS PLAYER NOTES

Frederik Andersen– Is 9-4-0 on the road this season with a 2.32 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage.
– Has made nine career appearances against the Rangers and is 5-2-2 with a 2.78 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage.- Leads the NHL in wins (17).- Third in the NHL in saves (804) and second in even-strength saves (677).- Tied for third in the NHL in shootout saves (11).
Tyson Barrie– Averaging 14.2 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time, which is the seventh-highest average among NHL defencemen who have appeared in 30 games.
– Has been on the ice for the 10th-most shot attempts for (668) among NHL skaters.
– Has an on-ice shot attempt differential of plus-109, which is tied for 11th among NHL defencemen.
Cody Ceci– Has an on-ice goal differential of plus-six at even-strength, which is tied for the third highest even-strength goal differential among Toronto skaters.- 13th among NHL skaters in shorthanded time on ice (109:04).
Justin Holl– Has started his 44.4 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 53.5 percent at 5-on-5, which is tied for the lead among Toronto defencemen who have appeared in at least 10 games.
Michael Hutchinson– Sixth among NHL goaltenders who have appeared in fewer than 10 games in saves (197).
Zach Hyman– Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 53.7 percent, which ranks ninth among Toronto skaters who have played 10 games.
– Has an on-ice goals-for percentage of 57.8 percent, which ranks second among Toronto skaters. 
Kasperi Kapanen– Has seven points (4 goals, 3 assists) in nine games against Metropolitan Division teams.- Seventh among Toronto skaters in even-strength points (6-7-13).- Has played 37.3 percent of the Maple Leafs’ shorthanded ice time, which ranks third among Toronto forwards.
Alex Kerfoot– Tied for fifth among Toronto skaters in even-strength goals (5).- Lone Toronto forward to have recorded at least 20 hits (27) and 20 blocked shots (23) this season.
Mitch Marner– Averaging 0.54 primary assists per game, which ranks eighth among NHLers who have appeared in at least 20 games.- Tied for first among NHLers who have appeared in 25 or fewer games in assists (20).- Tied for third in the NHL in takeaways (36). Averages 4.43 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 (25.6).
Auston Matthews– Tied for third among NHL skaters in goals (21).- Second among NHL skaters in even-strength goals (16).- Tied for 12th among NHL skaters in even-strength points (16-10-26).- Tied for ninth in the NHL with 128 shots on goal.- Has an on-ice goals-for percentage of 57.6 percent at 5-on-5, which is tied for third among Toronto skaters.
Ilya Mikheyev– Averaging 9.4 shots on goal per 60 minutes of shorthanded ice time, which is the second-highest average among NHLers who have played at least 60 shorthanded minutes.- Leads all NHL rookies in shorthanded ice time (70:26).- Ranks second among NHL rookies and is fourth among Maple Leafs in even-strength points (5-13-18).
Jake Muzzin– Has drawn nine penalties this season, which leads Toronto defencemen and is tied for second among Maple Leafs skaters.- 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 second among Toronto skaters.  – Averages 2.12 points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which ranks fifth among Maple Leafs skaters.- Has recorded six points (2 goals, 4 assists) in nine career games against the New York Rangers.
Morgan Rielly– Tied for 15th among NHL defencemen in points (3-20-23).- Tied for 10th among NHL defencemen in even-strength points
(3-14-17).- Fourth among NHL defencemen in assists recorded at 5-on-5 (13).- Ranks 12th among NHL skaters in TOI per game (24:30).- Tied for eighth among NHL skaters in shifts per game (28.5).
Jason Spezza– Averaging 2.45 points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 this season, which ranks second Toronto skaters.- Averaging 1.36 primary assists per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time in 2019-20, which is the sixth-highest average among NHLers who have appeared in at least 20 games.
John Tavares– Has 41 points (14 goals, 27 assists) in 46 career games against the Rangers, which ranks ninth among active NHLers in points recorded against New York.- Averaging 16.8 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which is the fifth-highest average among NHL centres who have appeared in 20 games.- Ranks second among Maple Leafs in points (10-8-18; 20 GP) since returning to the lineup from injury on November 5. – Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 55.0 percent, which ranks third among Toronto skaters who have appeared in at least 20 games. 

CURRENT POINT STREAKS

Frederik GauthierHas goals (2) and points (2-1-3) in two consecutive games.
Mitch MarnerHas points (2-6-8) in five consecutive games.
Ilya MikheyevHas goals (2) in two consecutive games.
Morgan RiellyHas assists (2) in two consecutive games.
Dmytro TimashovHas points (1-1-2) in two consecutive games.
  

UPCOMING MILESTONES

Alex KerfootFour points from 100 NHL points

RECENT MILESTONES

Frederik Andersen200th NHL win (December 14 at Edmonton)
  

INJURY REPORT

Andreas Johnsson (Leg)On injured reserve.
Trevor Moore (Shoulder)On injured reserve.
 Man Games Lost: 72

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

December 19Recalled forward Adam Brooks and defenceman Martin Marincin from the Toronto Marlies (AHL) on an emergency basis.
December 18Loaned forward Adam Brooks and defencemen Timothy Liljegren and Martin Marincin to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
December 17Recalled forward Adam Brooks from the Toronto Marlies (AHL) on an emergency basis.
December 16Recalled defencemen Timothy Liljegren and Martin Marincin from the Toronto Marlies (AHL) on an emergency basis.

RANGERS NOTES

INJURIES (67 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
Libor Hajek (knee sprain) – has missed six games

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
None

TONIGHT’S GAME The Rangers play their 34th game of the 2019-20 season and continue a three-game homestand tonight, Dec. 20, against the Toronto Maple Leafs in an Original Six matchup at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET – TV: MSG 2, Radio: ESPN 1050 AM). New York has earned at least one point in nine of the last 13 games (7-4-2 record) and has won eight of the last 15 games (8-5-2 record). The Rangers have also earned at least one point in 14 of the last 21 games (11-7-3 record) and in 18 of the last 27 games (14-9-4 record).

RANGERS VS. MAPLE LEAFS
All-Time*: 232-280-95-7 (133-115-56-4 at home; 99-165-39-3 on the road) *Note: The first three games between the two franchises
were when the Maple Leafs franchise was called the Toronto St. Patricks. The franchise changed its name during the 1926-27
season.
2019-20: Tonight’s game is the first of three meetings between the Rangers and Maple Leafs, and the first of two meetings between
the two teams at MSG. Following tonight’s game, the Rangers and Maple Leafs will face each other on the following dates: Dec. 28
(at Toronto), Feb. 5 (at MSG).
2018-19: The Rangers posted a 2-1-0 record (1-0-0 at home; 1-1-0 on the road). Two of the three contests were decided by two or
fewer goals. Alexandar Georgiev posted a 2-1-0 record, along with a 2.01 GAA and a .956 SV% (130 saves on 136 shots) in three
appearances in the season series. Georgiev made a single-game career-high 55 saves in the Rangers’ win against Toronto on Feb.
10, 2019, and the 55 saves were also the most any Rangers goaltender has made in a game the team won in franchise history.
Georgiev also made 44 saves in the Blueshirts’ 2-1 win on Mar. 23, 2019 at Toronto, and he became the first Rangers goaltender
since expansion (1967-68) to post two 40-save wins against one opponent in the same season.
The Rangers have won eight of their last 13 games against Toronto, dating back to Feb. 10, 2015 (8-5-0 record).

RANGERS-MAPLE LEAFS CONNECTIONS
Greg McKegg was selected by Toronto in the third round (62nd overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, played in the Maple Leafs
organization for parts of four seasons (2010-11; 2012-13 – 2014-15), and skated in four NHL games with Toronto over parts of two
seasons (2013-14 and 2014-15).
The Rangers have five Ontario-born players on their roster: Greg McKegg (St. Thomas, ON), Micheal Haley (Guelph, ON), Brendan
Smith (Mimico, ON), Marc Staal (Thunder Bay, ON), and Ryan Strome (Mississauga, ON).
Brendan Shanahan played two seasons with the Rangers (2006-07 and 2007-08).
William Nylander is the son of Michael Nylander, who played two seasons with the Rangers (2005-06 and 2006-07).

Adam Brooks represented the Rangers at the 2015 Traverse City Tournament.
Ryan Strome and John Tavares were teammates with the Islanders for parts of four seasons (2013-14 – 2016-17).
Brendan Smith and John Tavares were teammates with the Toronto Marlboros Bantam AAA Team in 2003-04 and the Toronto
Marlboros Minor Midget AAA Team in the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) in 2004-05.

INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. MAPLE LEAFS
Alexandar Georgiev – 3 GP, 2-1-0, 2.01 GAA, .956 SV% – Georgiev has earned a win in each of his last two appearances against
the Maple Leafs, posting a 0.99 GAA and a .980 SV% (99 saves on 101 shots) in those two contests. He made a single-game
career-high 55 saves and earned a win on Feb. 10, 2019 against Toronto at MSG, and he made 44 saves to earn a win on Mar. 23,
2019 at Toronto. Georgiev has stopped 130 of 136 shots he has faced in three career appearances against the Maple Leafs.
Artemi Panarin – 10 GP, 4-8-12 – Panarin has recorded a point in eight of 10 career games against the Maple Leafs.
Chris Kreider – 16 GP, 4-10-14 – Kreider has tallied a point in each of his last four games against Toronto (one goal, five assists).
Ryan Strome – 16 GP, 3-6-9 – Strome has tallied seven points (three goals, four assists) in his last 11 games against Toronto, and
he registered the game-winning goal in overtime in the Rangers’ last game against the Maple Leafs on Mar. 23, 2019.
POINT TAKEN The Rangers have posted a 7-4-2 record in their last 13 games, dating back to Nov. 23 at Montreal. New York’s 16 points over the span are tied for the 11th-most in the NHL. In addition, the Blueshirts have posted a 13-8-3 record in their last 24 games, dating back to Oct. 29 vs. Tampa Bay. The Rangers’ 29 points over the span are tied for the 12th-most in the NHL.

YOUTH SERVED The Rangers are the only NHL team that has had eight players 21 years old or younger appear in at least one game in 2019-20. At least one Ranger who is 21 years old or younger has notched a point on 38 of the team’s last 61 goals.

WINNING WAYS The Rangers have earned 14 wins in regulation this season, which is tied for the ninth-most in the NHL, tied for the fourth-most in the Eastern Conference, and tied for the third-most in the Metropolitan Division.

BREAD AND BUTTER Either Artemi Panarin or Mika Zibanejad has registered nine of the Rangers’ last 10 goals, dating to the second period on Dec. 12 at San Jose, and at least one of the two players has tallied a point on each of the team’s 10 goals over the span. Either Panarin or Zibanejad has recorded 11 of the Blueshirts’ last 13 goals, as well as 12 of the team’s 17 goals over the last five games.

GOALS GALORE The Blueshirts have tallied three or more goals in 15 of the last 21 games and in 20 of 33 games this season. The Rangers rank 10th in the NHL in goals per game this season (3.18).

ON POINT Rangers defensemen have tallied 91 points (26 goals, 65 assists) in 2019-20. The 26 goals and 91 points by Rangers defensemen are both tied for the most in the NHL this season. Blueshirts defensemen have recorded 24.8% of the team’s goals and 31.9% of the team’s points in 2019-20, which are both the highest percentages in the NHL.

SHOTS, SHOTS, SHOTS The Rangers have outshot their opponent in three of the last four games and have registered 133 shots on goal (33.3 per game) while only allowing 110 shots on goal (27.5 per game) over the span. New York has recorded 30 or more shots on goal in each of the last four games and has held its opponent to fewer than 30 shots on goal in three of the last four contests.

Gulp! Raptors lose Siakam, Gasol and Powell indefinitely to injuries — Toronto Sun

DETROIT — We can now say for sure that Wednesday’s trip to Detroit was an abject disaster for the Raptors, despite the victory. “It’s too bad. A win with a heavy price, to be honest,” Raptors head coach Nick Nurse had said afterward, and now we know just how heavy. The fact that Marc Gasol […]

Gulp! Raptors lose Siakam, Gasol and Powell indefinitely to injuries — Toronto Sun

WIZARDS AT RAPTORS NOTES: SIAKAM, GASOL, POWELL OUT INDEFINITELY FOR TORONT0

INJURY REPORTS AT 1:30 P.M. FRIDAY

Toronto Raptors Gasol, Marc Out Injury/Illness – Left Hamstring; Strain Johnson, Stanley Out Injury/Illness – Left Groin; Stress reaction Ponds, Shamorie Out G League – Two-Way Powell, Norman Out Injury/Illness – Left Shoulder; Subluxation Siakam, Pascal Out Injury/Illness – Groin; Stretch Thomas, Matt Out Injury/Illness – Left Finger; Middle; fracture – distal phalanx VanVleet, Fred Questionable Injury/Illness – Right Knee; Contusion

Washington Wizards Bryant, Thomas Out Injury/Illness – Right Foot; Right foot stress reaction Hachimura, Rui Out Injury/Illness – Groin; Groin injury McRae, Jordan Out Injury/Illness – Right Ring Finger; Right ring finger surgery Miles, CJ Out Injury/Illness – Left Wrist; Left Wrist Surgery Robinson, Justin Out G League – On Assignment Wagner, Moritz Out Injury/Illness – Left Ankle; Sprained left ankle Wall, John Out Injury/Illness – Left Achilles; Left Achilles rehab

RAPTORS NOTES

• The Toronto Raptors host the Washington Wizards on Friday night at Scotiabank Arena. The Raptors swept the season-series (4-0) with Washington in 2018-19 for the third time in the last five seasons. Since 2014-15, Toronto is 15-3 vs. the Wizards during the regular-season. The Raptors have won three in a row over Washington at home. Kyle Lowry averaged 17.3 points, 11.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds in four games against the Wizards last season.

• The Raptors currently ranks second in the NBA averaging 10.0 steals in December (nine games), behind only Chicago (10.4). Norman Powell leads the team with 17 steals this month. Toronto has now finished with more steals than its opponent in each of the last 10 games (Nov. 29 – Dec. 18). It’s the longest streak in the NBA team this season and is the second-longest such stretch in Raptors history. Toronto had more steals than its opponent in 11 consecutive games in 2007–08.

• Kyle Lowry recorded his first triple-double of the season, and 13th in a Raptors uniform, with 20 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds in 39 minutes Dec. 18 at Detroit. Lowry’s 13 triple-doubles are now one more than all other Raptors combined. The last player to record a triple-double for Toronto other than Lowry was Jose Calderon on Dec. 16, 2012 vs. Houston. The Raptors have won the last 10 regular-season games in which Lowry has tallied at least 20 points and 10 assists in the same game.

• Toronto outscored Detroit 15-10 on the fast-break Wednesday night and currently sit second in the NBA in fast-break points per game (19.3), trailing only Milwaukee (19.5). Pascal Siakam and Norman Powell are both among the NBA leaders in fast-break points this season. TOP-FIVE: Giannis Antetokounmpo (177), Lebron James (142), Siakam (123), Ben Simmons (107) and Powell (106).

• Pascal Siakam recorded a team-high 26 points, five rebounds and tied a career high with four blocks Dec. 18 at Detroit. Siakam has now scored 20+ points in a career-long five straight games (Dec. 9-18). He is averaging 27.0 points, while shooting .500 (17-for-34) from three-point range during this stretch.

• Serge Ibaka scored a season-high 25 points and led the Raptors with 13 rebounds in 31 minutes off the bench Wednesday night at Detroit. The last time Ibaka had 25+ points and 13+ rebounds in the same game was Nov. 14, 2013 at Golden State when he was a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

• Patrick McCaw has played at least 20 minutes in three straight games for the first time since March 2018, when he had a streak of five consecutive games with 20 or more minutes with the Golden State Warriors.

• December is Toronto’s busiest month of the season with 16 games and includes three back-to-back sets. The Raptors’ 11 games at Scotiabank Arena tie the franchise record for most home games in a calendar month . Toronto also played 11 games at home in March 2016. For the first time the Raptors will play at home Christmas Day when they host the Boston Celtics.

• Pascal Siakam is one of five players in the NBA averaging 24.0+ points, 8.0+ rebounds and 3.0+ assists this season, along with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic and Karl-Anthony Towns. No Raptor has ever averaged 24.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists throughout an entire season.

POSSIBLE STARTERS

F – OG ANUNOBY #3

MIN: 29.9 REB: 5.7 AST: 1.7 STL: 1.2 TO: 1.2 BLK: 0.9 PTS: 11.3

• Finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists in 35 minutes Dec. 18 at Detroit. • Toronto is 13-2 this season when Anunoby scores 10 or more points (Last: 19 – Dec. 18 at Detroit). • Shooting .619 (13-for-21) from the field over the last two games (Dec. 16-18).

F – CHRIS BOUCHER #25

MIN: 11.4 REB: 3.9 AST: 0.5 STL: 0.3 TO: 0.3 BLK: 0.7 PTS: 5.1

• Tallied two points and one rebound in six minutes Dec. 18 at Detroit. • Has scored in double figures off the bench six times this season and posted three double-doubles. • Named NBA G League Most Valuable Player and NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year in 2018-19.

C – SERGE IBAKA #9

MIN: 22.4 REB: 7.4 AST: 1.3 STL: 0.5 TO: 1.9 BLK: 0.9 PTS: 13.1

• Contributed a season-high 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in 31 minutes off the bench Dec. 18 at Detroit. • Has led the reserves in scoring a team-high 13 times, including each of the last three games (Dec. 14-18). • Averaged 16.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 29.5 minutes in 51 starts last season for Toronto.

G – PATRICK McCAW #22

MIN: 21.2 REB: 2.0 AST: 1.7 STL: 0.7 TO: 1.2 BLK: 0.0 PTS: 3.0

• Totaled two points, three rebounds, and two assists in 27 minutes as a reserve Dec. 18 at Detroit. • Missed 17 games (Nov. 6 – Dec. 9) earlier this year following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. • Averaging 6.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 24.8 minutes in 31 career games as a starter.

G – KYLE LOWRY #7

MIN: 37.4 REB: 5.0 AST: 7.3 STL: 1.3 TO: 2.9 BLK: 0.4 PTS: 19.1

• Recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds in 39 minutes Dec. 18 at Detroit. • Passed Antonio Davis (110) for third on the Raptors’ all-time double-doubles list against the Pistons. • Averaging 16.4 points and 8.0 assists in eight games (Dec. 3-18) since returning from a left thumb injury.

INJURY REPORT Marc Gasol (Left hamstring; strain) – Out Stanley Johnson (Left groin; stress reaction) – Out Norman Powell (Left shoulder; subluxation ) – Out Pascal Siakam (Groin; stretch) – Out Matt Thomas (Left middle finger; distal phalanx fracture) – Out Fred VanVleet (right knee contusion) – Que

RAPTORS INJURY UPDATES

The Raptors provided the following injury updates on Thursday:

  • Marc Gasol sustained a strained left hamstring in the first quarter of play Wednesday, Dec. 18 at Detroit. He was reevaluated on Thursday and it was determined he will be out indefinitely.
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  • With 6:47 to play in the fourth quarter, Pascal Siakam sustained a stretched groin after an awkward landing. He was evaluated Thursday and will be listed as out indefinitely.
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  • Norman Powell left the same game with 3:17 to play in the fourth quarter after a collision with another player. After testing in Toronto on Thursday, it was determined he had sustained a subluxation of the left shoulder. He will also be out indefinitely.

All three players will be reevaluated over the coming weeks and their conditions updated as necessary.

-RAPTORS-

WIZARDS PROBABLE STARTERS

WIZARDS NOTES

ISAAC BONGA

• Tied a career high with six rebounds on 12/18 vs. CHI • Tied career highs in points, rebounds and steals on 12/16 at DET

• Has improved in every statistical category this season over his rookie campaign.

DAVIS BERTANS

• Became the fifth-fastest player in NBA history to 100 3-pointers (26 games) • Is the fastest Wizard to 100 3-pointers, breaking Gilbert Arenas’ previous record of 31 games

• Ranks second in the NBA with three games of seven or more makes from behind the arc.

IAN MAHINMI

• Has multiple blocked shots in three of his last five games • On 12/14 at MEM, made his first start since 10/30/18

BRADLEY BEAL • On 12/18 vs. CHI, recorded his 50th game of 20/5/5 in the last three seasons • Has 16 games with 20+ points and five-plus assists, the second-highest total in the Eastern Conference • One of four players this season with multiple 35-point, 10-assist games • No. 5 in the NBA with 27.6 ppg .

ISAIAH THOMAS

• Returned to the starting lineup on 12/16 at DET after missing four games with a calf injury; put up 23 points and knocked down five shots from deep • Hit the 3,000th field goal of his career on 12/16 at DET.


STARTERS AVERAGES VS. TORONTO RAPTORS

Bonga: N/A career / N/A (18-19)

Bertans: 8.4 pts, 2.2 reb, 1.0 ast (career) / 10.5 pts, 3.5 reb, 0.5 ast (18-19) Mahinmi: 4.7 pts, 4.0 reb, 0.6 ast (career) / 3.0 pts, 3.5 reb, 1.0 ast (18-19)

Beal: 23.4 pts, 4.7 reb, 4.9 ast (career) / 30.8 pts, 5.0 reb, 9.5 ast (18-19) Thomas: 20.1 pts, 2.3 reb, 5.3 ast (career) / N/A (18-19)

Bucks outclass Lakers as Giannis Antetokounmpo extends his range — Daily News

The Lakers’ Anthony Davis shoots in front of the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo during the first half of Thursday’s game in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) Milwaukee Bucks’ Khris Middleton fouls Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) SoundThe gallery will…

Bucks outclass Lakers as Giannis Antetokounmpo extends his range — Daily News

Siakam, Powell, Gasol out indefinitely

RAPTORS INJURY UPDATES

The Raptors provided the following injury updates on Thursday:

  • Marc Gasol sustained a strained left hamstring in the first quarter of play Wednesday, Dec. 18 at Detroit. He was reevaluated on Thursday and it was determined he will be out indefinitely.
  • With 6:47 to play in the fourth quarter, Pascal Siakam sustained a stretched groin after an awkward landing. He was evaluated Thursday and will be listed as out indefinitely.
  • Norman Powell left the same game with 3:17 to play in the fourth quarter after a collision with another player. After testing in Toronto on Thursday, it was determined he had sustained a subluxation of the left shoulder. He will also be out indefinitely.

All three players will be reevaluated over the coming weeks and their conditions updated as necessary.

-RAPTORS-

Hutchinson gets another shot at first win on Saturday against Wings — Toronto Sun

Michael Hutchinson is not alone. Though the Maple Leafs backup netminder sports an 0-5-1 line this season, there have been some NHL goalies with good past records who’ve had to wait a while for their first win of the season for Toronto. n Jonathan Bernier was starved for 11 games in 2015-16, the year the […]

Hutchinson gets another shot at first win on Saturday against Wings — Toronto Sun