David Ortiz endured several tough battles over the course of his 14-year career in Boston, they all pale in comparison to the one he took on this past summer. The Red Sox legend on June 9 was shot in the back in his native Dominican Republic. Ortiz promptly underwent a multi-hour surgery and was transferred…
Red Sox Legend David Ortiz Peels Back Curtain On Recovery From Shooting — NESN.com
BOSTON — They may be on rival teams, but there clearly is no love lost between Al Horford and Marcus Smart. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers squared off at TD Garden on Saturday night, with the C’s coming away with a convincing 116-95 win. Jayson Tatum posterized Horford in the first quarter and revealed…
Celtics’ Marcus Smart Reveals What He Told Al Horford In Fourth Quarter — NESN.com
SACRAMENTO — From the concourse, a purple-and-gold wearing crowd of a supposed road arena began to chant: “KO-BE! KO-BE!” for at least the dozenth time. At that very moment, LeBron James caught an inbounds pass at the top of the arc, and knocked down a 3-pointer, transforming the chants into raucous cheers in some of…
Lakers get back to winning, routing the Sacramento Kings — Press Telegram
GAME #50 – TORONTO RAPTORS (35-14) vs. CHICAGO BULLS (19-32) SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020 – 3 P.M. (ET) – SCOTIABANK ARENA TV: TSN – RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN
RAPTORS NOTES
• The Toronto Raptors host the Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Arena. This is the third and final meeting between the two teams, with Toronto winning the first two games on the road. The Raptors have won 11 straight against the Bulls. With a victory Sunday, Toronto would sweep the season-series for the third straight year and sixth time in franchise history. Pascal Siakam is averaging a team-high 20.5 points in two games vs. Chicago this season.
• The Raptors have won a season-high 10 straight games (Jan. 15-31), one shy of the franchise record. Toronto won 11 consecutive games twice; Feb. 26 – Mar. 16, 2018 and Jan. 6-30, 2016. Over the past 10 games, the Raptors are averaging 119.9 points and shooting .498 (444-891) from the field, including .390
(143-367) from three point range. Toronto also has a +56 (137-to-193) turnover differential during this stretch and leads the NBA in points per game off turnovers (24.6). Pascal Siakam is averaging a teamhigh 21.4 points during the current winning streak.
• Serge Ibaka finished with 21 points and six rebounds Jan. 31 at Detroit. Ibaka has now scored 20+ points in a career high-tying three straight games (Jan. 28-31). He is averaging 23.7 points and shooting .667 (28-for-42) from the field, including .471 (8-for-17) from three-point distance, during this stretch. Toronto is 10-2 this season when Ibaka scores 20 or more points.
• Kyle Lowry needs 54 points to tie Vince Carter (9,420) for third place on the Raptors’ all-time scoring list. DeMar DeRozan (13,296) is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, followed by Chris Bosh (10,275).
• Pascal Siakam has scored 20+ points in four of the last five games (Jan. 24-31). Siakam is averaging 26.2 points and 7.2 rebounds, while shooting .523 (46-for-88) from the floor, over the last five contests.
• The Raptors finished the month of January with a record of 12-3, tying the franchise record for most wins in a calendar month. Toronto also won 12 games in Nov. 2014, Jan. 2016, March 2018 and Nov. 2018. Toronto has finished with a winning record each of the past 21 calendar months (February 2017 – January
2020). The streak is the longest in franchise history and the longest current streak in the NBA.
• Nick Nurse and his staff will coach Team Giannis at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago. With Friday’s 105-92 victory over Detroit, the Raptors (35-14, .714) clinched the best possible record in the Eastern Conference through games played Sunday, Feb. 2 among the 14 conference teams with a head coach
eligible to participate in the All-Star Game.
• Kyle Lowry has been named a reserve for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. Lowry will participate in his sixth All-Star Game (2015-20), the most in franchise history. He is the first player in NBA history to be selected to at least six All-Star teams after not being picked in any of his first eight seasons. Lowry will join forward Pascal Siakam in Chicago, who was voted a starter. Siakam’s selection extends a streak of six consecutive years that a Raptor has been voted into the starting five – Lowry (2015, 2016), DeMar DeRozan (2017,
2018) and Kawhi Leonard (2019). Chicago also marks the fifth straight year (2016-20) two players will represent Toronto in the All-Star Game.
PROBABLE STARTERS
G – OG ANUNOBY #3
MIN: 29.2 REB: 5.4 AST: 1.6 STL: 1.1 TO: 1.2 BLK: 0.7 PTS: 10.4
• Contributed six points, two rebounds and one assist in 24 minutes Jan. 31 at Detroit.
• Toronto is 19-4 this season when Anunoby scores 10 or more points.
• Averaging a career-high 10.4 points and shooting a career-best .489 from the field this season.
F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43
MIN: 35.0 REB: 7.6 AST: 3.4 STL: 1.0 TO: 2.5 BLK: 1.0 PTS: 23.8
• Recorded 30 points, seven rebounds, four assists and one block in 36 minutes Jan. 31 at Detroit.
• Ranks 15th in the NBA in scoring (23.8); averaging 26.2 points over the last five games (Jan. 24-31).
• Has scored 30+ points 12 times; had five 30-point performances in 80 games played last season.
C – SERGE IBAKA #9
MIN: 26.5 REB: 8.1 AST: 1.3 STL: 0.6 TO: 1.9 BLK: 0.8 PTS: 15.4
• Totaled 21 points, six rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes of action Jan. 31 at Detroit.
• Averaging 18.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and 31.6 minutes in 16 games as a starter this season.
• Is the only player in NBA history with 500+ three-point field goals and 1,500+ career blocks.
G – KYLE LOWRY #7
MIN: 36.8 REB: 4.6 AST: 7.3 STL: 1.3 TO: 2.8 BLK: 0.4 PTS: 19.6
• Finished with seven points, six assists, two rebounds and one steal in 31 minutes Jan. 31 at Detroit.
• Ranks 10th in the NBA in assists per game (7.3); has dished out 10+ assists seven times.
• Became the franchise’s all-time leader in assists Jan. 28 vs. Atlanta, passing Jose Calderon (3,770).
G – FRED VANVLEET #23
MIN: 36.0 REB: 3.9 AST: 6.9 STL: 2.0 TO: 2.2 BLK: 0.3 PTS: 17.9
• Scored 16 points and had team highs of nine assists and eight rebounds in 35 minutes Jan. 31 at Detroit.
• Ranks fifth in the NBA in steals per game (1.95); has registered multiple steals in 19 games.
• Has led the team outright in both rebounds and assists in consecutive games (Jan. 30-31).
INJURY REPORT
Marc Gasol (Left hamstring; tightness) – Out
Dewan Hernandez (Right ankle; sprain) – Out
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Right ankle sprain) – Out
Norman Powell (Left hand; fractured fourth metacarpal) – Out
TODAY’S GAME DETAILS
Opponent: Chicago Bulls
Date: Sunday, February 2
Tip-Off: 3 p.m. (ET)
Venue: Scotiabank Arena
Television: TSN
Radio: Sportsnet 590 The FAN
SERIES RECAP VS. CHICAGO
OVERALL HOME ROAD
2019-20 2-0 0-0 2-0
ALL-TIME 43-48 22-23 21-25
STREAKS Won 11 Won 5 Won 6
LAST WIN:
December 9, 2019 (93-92)
LAST HOME WIN:
March 26, 2019 (112-103)
LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY:
+39, November 17, 2018
LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT:
-37, February 19, 1998
LAST TIME VS. CHICAGO
GAME 23 – DECEMBER 9, 2019
TORONTO 93, CHICAGO 92
CHICAGO — Pascal Siakam scored 22 points and Norman Powell added
17 points as the Raptors ended their first three-game skid since last November … Toronto beat Chicago for the 11th straight time … Zach LaVine
scored 20 – all in the first half … Wendell Carter Jr. and Daniel Gafford
each had 14 points for the Bulls, who made just 12 of 46 three-pointers on
the way to their sixth loss in eight games … Raptors guard Fred VanVleet
missed the game because of a bruised right knee … Kyle Lowry scored
11 points in his third game after missing 11 in a row with a broken left
thumb … Chicago opened the fourth quarter with a 14-6 run that turned a
71-all tie into an 85-77 lead … Toronto was leading 89-87 when Chicago’s
Lauri Markkanen nailed a 3 with 1:45 left … Powell scored for Toronto and
Gafford hit a layup to give Chicago a 92-91 lead … Lowry scored on a
drive with 51 seconds remaining … The Bulls had a chance to win in the
closing seconds after an out-of-bounds call got overturned by replay review … Tomas Satoransky inbounded to LaVine, who missed a runner in
traffic along the left side … Gafford was unable to control the rebound,
and the ball bounced around as time expired.
1 2 3 4 TOT
TORONTO 30 19 22 22 93
CHICAGO 30 21 20 21 92
TORONTO MARLIES (22-18-3-2 – 49 Points) vs. CHARLOTTE CHECKERS (25-17-3-0 – 53 Points)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2020
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | FINAL | |
| CHARLOTTE | 2 | 2 | 0 | – | 4 |
| TORONTO | 0 | 1 | 2 | – | 3 |
GAME SUMMARY | GAME SHEET | PHOTOS | SCRUMS
SCORING SUMMARY
Charlotte: O. Kaski (8) PP (J. Bean, M. Geekie), C. Bishop (4) (T. Broadhurst, G. Forsling), M. Geekie (15) (J. Kuokkanen, J. Bean), J. Gauthier (22) SH (Unassisted)
Goaltender: A. Nedeljkovic (31/34)
Toronto: T. Liljegren (5) PP (A. Brooks, J. Bracco), H. Elynuik (3) (B. Harpur, T. Liljegren), G. Wilson (8) (J. Schmaltz, T. MacMaster)
Goaltender: J. Woll (6/8), K. Kaskisuo (17/19)
ON THE SCORESHEET
OF NOTE…
REGULAR SEASON LEADERS
HOME SWEET HOME
RECORD WHEN…
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
MARLIES UPDATES.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH GREG MOORE
On Toronto’s third period:
Yeah, we saw the ceiling of what our team was. We controlled the period. There wasn’t a lot of opportunity or time or space for them to make plays. A lot of good signs. Not the start we want, got better as the game went on. We started to find that the third period was what we want to see consistently. This team is still fighting to find that consistent play and we had to have known and we talked about the response they were going to have after yesterday and the first period was a little lethargic. But some games in the past after getting down the team had a hard time coming back and generating. Today is a good sign of them moving in the right direction and they competed, they found their way back into the game and they gave themselves a chance to win.
On Kasimir Kaskisuo replacing Joseph Woll:
Just didn’t really like how the couple goals went in. Kaskisuo gave us a great game yesterday. We’re trying to build some momentum for the team and wanted to put him in there to stabilize things for our group.
On Timothy Liljegren (1 goal, 1 assist):
He might have been our best player on the ice tonight. He generates a lot. His skating and his ability to get pucks back transitions the game. He’s an elite player who’s starting to find his way and he has been for some time but tonight he definitely showcased that.
NEXT GAME
February 4 vs Belleville – 7:00 p.m. ET
February 7 at Belleville – 7:00 p.m. ET
February 8 vs Rochester – 4:00 p.m. ET
February 9 vs Laval – 4:00 p.m. ET
February 14 at Belleville – 7:00 p.m. ET
HEAD COACH SHELDON KEEFE
On tonight’s win:
I thought we stayed with it. We knew it was going to be a really hard game and it was. They played hard, credit to them. Credit to the plan to the plan they put in place, credit to how they stuck with it and how hard they competed here on a back-to-back game for them. It was clear that this game was important to that group in how they played. It was important to us as well. I thought we stayed with it. It wasn’t an easy day for us. Ultimately found a way to make sure we got the one point and then in overtime, being what it is, a bit of an adventure, but I thought that our special teams — both in regulation and in overtime, obviously — were very good. So hats off to them. Hats off to [assistant coaches] Dave Hakstol and Paul McFarland for what they did in our timeouts to get our team set. Really good in that sense that we were able to get two points we really needed.
On why Kapanen was scratched tonight:
Internal accountability is really what it is. You guys will get a chance to talk to him when we get together again on Monday.
On if the scratch was a one-time event:
One-time thing.
On how they came to a decision to scratch him:
We had chatted about it yesterday a little bit and then made our decision. I wanted to sleep on it, we talked with Kappy this morning and made a decision and went from there.
On if Kapanen was late for a meeting:
You guys will get a chance to talk with Kappy on Monday.
On how Kapanen took the news:
I think you guys will get a chance to talk about it. We’ll work our way through it. We’ll try to keep the focus on the game tonight.
On Spezza’s play tonight:
I thought he was excellent. He probably had a little extra jump here today; it was a big time goal that he scored. He got an opportunity there; it was clear he wasn’t going to miss on that one. So that was really good to see, and he had some other chances, he had a lot of jump, I was really happy with how he responded to that opportunity.
On tonight’s win as a step in Hutchinson’s progression:
Yeah, I would say that, absolutely. Sharp, confident, we had breakdowns today and he was there even sometimes when they had a couple looks — whether it was getting behind us on a breakaway or 2-on-1 and they didn’t quite get a shot off — but he was out, he was at the top of his crease, he was confident, he was aggressive. He just looked like he was out there to win the game for us and that’s what you want to see.
On the importance of tonight’s win coupled with a Florida loss:
There is a lot of hockey to be played so I think it’s a little early for us to be focusing much of what’s happening outside of our building, but they’re going to be coming in here on Monday and we certainly know we didn’t like the way that we played and the result we got when we were out there. We know we have to be a whole lot better here Monday and we’re excited for a chance to play for us a really important game.
On Marner’s awareness to take the shot in overtime:
Yeah it says a lot. It was also part of the plan that [McFarland] put in place to be honest. We knew they were going to make things pretty hard on our shooters, on Willy and Matty on the sides so we thought there might be a lane there for Mitch to shoot or to look for John at the bottom. He had the lane and made good on it so probably caught them off guard a little bit.
MICHAEL HUTCHINSON (24 SAVES)
On playing in the Battle of Ontario:
It was cool, it was a little extra added atmosphere. It’s also cool having Spezza on our side of Ontario now. I grew up watching him on the other side of it, so he always has some pretty funny stories about the Battle of Ontario back then. To be a part of it was pretty cool.
On having his confidence back:
It’s one of those things where I feel like I’ve been positive all year even at the start of the year when things weren’t going well. Just kept working hard and now that bounces are going our way a little bit and the team is playing great, we have a lot of confidence and our whole team has that swagger back. Especially after the break or the last three games we’ve played really solid games and really good games so hopefully we can keep it going.
MITCH MARNER (OVERTIME WINNER)
On Hutchinson’s play tonight:
Hutch has been huge for us the last couple times he’s been in that net. A couple of those saves were huge for us and kept us in that game. It’s a big win.
On his overtime winner:
I don’t think anyone really thinks I’m going to shoot that. So first two I got I looked at the net and saw a little bit of a lane and the third one came back and decided to try and get it to the net with [Tavares] crossing in front and luckily it went in.
JASON SPEZZA (1 GOAL)
On his game tonight:
I felt good and it was a tight game, so it was good to make some plays and I thought our line had some good chances. We could have given ourselves the lead there a few times but good to contribute.
On his end-to-end rush in the first period:
Yeah it opened up and got a good look at the net but then I muffed the rebound. I was kind of upset because if I get it up it’s in the net. The seas parted for me a little bit and would have liked to put that it.
On trying to use his shot more and his goal tonight:
I shot it more than I’ve shot it in weeks so maybe we should talk about it more. My whole life I’ve been told I’ve got to shoot the puck more. You know you take what’s there and they shaded off me there and got a good look and Sandin did a good job getting it over to me quick.
JOHN TAVARES (17:52 TOI)
On winning a tightly contested game against Ottawa:
Yeah, I think we had a good idea of what they were going to throw at us. They do a pretty good job in the neutral zone. I think we knew that prescouting coming in. They force a lot of dumps and challenge teams at their own line. They get good transition either way, obviously some guys that can hurt you in those opportunities, so we just tried to stay patient. Obviously we’d love to have gotten a few more but you’ve just got to stay with it. We earned our opportunities and a couple big power play goals.
On the importance of winning one-goal games:
Yeah, I think we obviously just want to continue to build on the way we responded after the break. Just the attention to detail consistently over 60 minutes without the puck and especially being smart at the right times in the right areas. Still wanting to obviously be dynamic, control possession and create opportunity. There’s going to be nights where it’s tighter and there’s not as much going on or pucks just aren’t sliding or they’re bouncing at times and playing a team that’s really trying to frustrate you and slow you down. Just good to stay composed and stay with it and whatever’s thrown our way, I think we want to find a way to handle it, especially with 30 games left.
OTTAWA SENATORS (18-24-10 – 46 Points) vs.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (28-17-7 – 63 Points)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2020
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | FINAL | |
| OTTAWA | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| TORONTO | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
GAME SUMMARY | EVENT SUMMARY | FACEOFF SUMMARY
ON THE SCORESHEET
SHOTS ON GOAL (5-on-5 in brackets)
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | OT | TOTAL | |
| OTTAWA | 6 (5) | 11 (10) | 6 (5) | 2 (0) | 25 (20) |
| TORONTO | 10 (9) | 9 (7) | 15 (13) | 2 (0) | 36 (29) |
SHOT ATTEMPTS (5-on-5 in brackets)
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | OT | TOTAL | |
| OTTAWA | 12 (10) | 17 (15) | 12 (11) | 7 (0) | 48 (36) |
| TORONTO | 22 (21) | 19 (16) | 25 (23) | 3 (0) | 69 (60) |
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
| Record on the Road | 13-6-7 (26 Games) |
| All-Time Record vs. Ottawa | 55-53-3-11 (122 Games) |
| All-Time Record vs. Ottawa at Home | 31-22-2-7 (62 Games) |
| Record vs. Eastern Conference | 15-10-5 (30 Games) |
| Record vs. Atlantic Division | 8-6-1 (15 Games) |
| Attendance | 19,406 |
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
| Shots | 6 (Spezza) |
| Shot Attempts | 8 (Barrie) |
| Faceoff Wins | 10 (Matthews) |
| Faceoff Win Percentage | 100% (Kerfoot – 2 won, 0 lost; Nylander – 1 won, 0 lost) |
| Hits | 3 (Holl, Hyman) |
| Blocked Shots | 2 (Barrie) |
| Takeaways | 3 (Nylander) |
| TOI | 27:11 (Barrie) |
| Power Play TOI | 3:07 (Marner, Matthews, Nylander) |
| Shorthanded TOI | 4:12 (Muzzin) |
| Shifts | 32 (Barrie) |
| 5-on-5 Shot Attempt Percentage | 79.0% (Spezza – 15 for, 4 against) |
RECORD WHEN…
| Opponent scores first | 9-14-6 |
| Tied after 1 | 11-5-3 |
| Tied after 2 | 6-5-1 |
| Score multiple power play goals | 7-1-0 |
| Do not allow a power play goal | 15-6-3 |
| Outshoot opponent | 13-6-3 |
| Overtime | 6-7 |
| Saturday | 10-3-3 |
OF NOTE…
UPCOMING GAMES:
NORMAN POWELL INJURY UPDATE
During the fourth quarter of Toronto’s win at Detroit on Friday, Norman Powell sustained a fracture to the fourth metacarpal of his left hand. He will be listed as out indefinitely, and he will be reassessed as appropriate.
Powell is averaging career highs of 15.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 28.2 minutes in 38 games (17 starts) this season. He has scored 20 or more points 12 times, including a career-best 33 points Nov. 29 at Orlando, and has led the bench in scoring in 12 games.
-RAPTORS-
OTTAWA SENATORS (18-24-9 – 45 Points) vs.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (27-17-7 – 61 Points)
FEBRUARY 1, 2020 ▪ 7:00 PM EST
SCOTIABANK ARENA (TORONTO, ON) ▪
TV: SPORTSNET/HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA ▪
RADIO: TSN 1050
MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY versus OTTAWA
| ALL-TIME RECORD: | 54-53-3-11 (121 Games) |
| ALL-TIME AT HOME: | 30-22-2-7 (61 Games) |
| 2019-20: | 1-0-0 |
| LAST FIVE: | 2-3-0 |
| LAST 10: | 4-6-0 |
MAPLE LEAFS CAREER LEADERS versus OTTAWA
| GAMES PLAYED: | John Tavares (32), Morgan Rielly (23), Jake Muzzin (15) |
| GOALS: | Auston Matthews (12), John Tavares (7), Morgan Rielly (5) |
| ASSISTS: | Tyson Barrie (12), John Tavares (12), Mitch Marner (10) |
| POINTS: | Auston Matthews (19), John Tavares (19), Mitch Marner (14), Morgan Rielly (14) |
| PENALTY MINUTES: | John Tavares (18), Tyson Barrie (6), Jake Muzzin (6) |
MAPLE LEAFS – SENATORS TEAM STATS
| TORONTO | OTTAWA | |
| GOALS FOR (Rank): | 185 (2nd) | 141 (22nd) |
| GOALS AGAINST (Rank): | 166 (27th) | 170 (28th) |
| POWER PLAY [%] (Rank): | 33/139 [23.7%] (6th) | 23/156 [14.7%] (t-30th) |
| PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank): | 110/143 [76.9%] (25th) | 140/173 [80.9%] (15th) |
| SHOTS (Rank): | 1715 (4th) | 1533 (22nd) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank): | 2585 (2nd) | 2211 (20th) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank): | 52.4% (5th) | 47.2% (28th) |
| FACEOFF % (Rank): | 52.9% (3rd) | 50.5% (t-11th) |
MAPLE LEAFS – SENATORS NOTES
| FIRST MATCHUP BETWEEN CLUBS: | October 20, 1992 (Toronto 5, Ottawa 3) |
| ALL-TIME RECORD: | 54-53-3-11 (121 Games) |
| ALL-TIME RECORD AT HOME: | 30-22-2-7 (61 Games) |
| ALL-TIME RECORD ON THE ROAD: | 24-31-1-4 (60 Games) |
| LAST WIN VS. OPPONENT ON THE ROAD: | October 2, 2019 (Toronto 5, Ottawa 3) |
MAPLE LEAFS MILESTONES vs. SENATORS
| Frederik Andersen | First game as a Maple Leaf (October 12, 2016 at OTT) |
| Tyson Barrie | First game as a Maple Leaf (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT) |
| Cody Ceci | Skated in 440 games with Ottawa from 2013-19. |
| Alex Kerfoot | First game as a Maple Leaf (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT) |
| Mitch Marner | First NHL game (October 12, 2016 at OTT) |
| Auston Matthews | First NHL game (October 12, 2016 at OTT) Set NHL record for goals in an NHL debut (4 – October 12, 2016 at OTT) |
| Ilya Mikheyev | First NHL game (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT) First NHL point (Assist) (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT) First NHL goal (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT) |
| Jake Muzzin | 500th NHL game (February 6, 2019 vs. OTT) |
| William Nylander | First NHL goal (March 5, 2016 vs. OTT) |
| Rasmus Sandin | First NHL game (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT) First NHL point (Assist) (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT) |
| Jason Spezza | Skated in 686 games with Ottawa from 2002-14, recording 687 points (251 goals, 436 assists). |
| John Tavares | 700th NHL point (March 16, 2019 at OTT) |
| Dmytro Timashov | First NHL game (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT) First NHL point (Assist) (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT) |
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
| CATEGORY | LEADER |
| GOALS | 36 (Matthews) |
| ASSISTS | 37 (Marner) |
| POINTS | 60 (Matthews) |
| POWER PLAY POINTS | 17 (Marner, Matthews) |
| SHORTHANDED POINTS | 2 (Engvall, Kapanen) |
| PIMs | 34 (Muzzin) |
| SHOTS | 202 (Matthews) |
| FACEOFF WIN% | 58.2% (Gauthier) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % | 55.1% (Nylander) |
| BLOCKED SHOTS | 75 (Muzzin) |
| TAKEAWAYS | 53 (Marner, Matthews) |
| HITS | 91 (Muzzin) |
| TOI PER GAME | 24:15 (Rielly) |
| PP TOI PER GAME | 3:06 (Marner) |
| SH TOI PER GAME | 2:50 (Ceci) |
MAPLE LEAFS PLAYER NOTES
| Frederik Andersen | – Is 10-5-6 at home this season with a 3.16 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. – Second in the NHL in wins (24).- Has recorded a save percentage over .900 in 24 of his starts, which is tied for fourth-most starts with a save percentage of .900 or higher.- Has a .921 save percentage when playing on one day rest, which ranks third among goaltenders who have played at least 10 games on one day rest. |
| Tyson Barrie | – Has five multi-assist games, which is tied for ninth-most among NHL defencemen.- Tied for sixth among NHL defencemen in multi-point games (9). – Has been on the ice for 53 Toronto goals at even-strength, which is tied for 12th among NHL defencemen in on-ice goals for at even-strength.- Leads the Maple Leafs in slap shots taken (41). Lone Toronto skater to have taken over 30 slap shots. |
| Cody Ceci | – One of 17 NHL defencemen to appear in at least 40 games and maintain a 5-on-5 on-ice goals-for percentage over 52 percent (52.3%) while starting fewer than 48 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone (47%).- One of two Maple Leaf defencemen (Jake Muzzin) to have appeared in 40 games and average at least four hits per 60 minutes of ice time (4.68) and four blocked shots per 60 minutes of ice time (4.18). |
| Pierre Engvall | – Has started 40 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which is the fourth lowest percentage among NHL rookies.- Is the lone Maple Leaf to average at least 1:00 per game in shorthanded ice time (1:08) and be even in on-ice goals while shorthanded (2 SHGF, 2 PPGA). |
| Justin Holl | – One of 23 right-handed defencemen in the NHL to have an on-ice goals-for percentage of at least 53 percent (53.9%) at even-strength.- Has the highest unblocked shot attempt percentage at 5-on-5 (52.6%) among right-handed defencemen to have started fewer than 45 percent (44.8%) of their shifts in the offensive zone. |
| Michael Hutchinson | – Has a 2-1-1 record with a 2.31 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage on home ice this season.- Has made the fifth most saves (309) among NHL goaltenders who have appeared in fewer than 15 games. |
| Zach Hyman | – Tied for fourth among Toronto skaters in points during the month of January (5-4-9).- Has seven points (3-4-7) in seven games against Atlantic Division opponents this season.- Ranks fifth among Maple Leafs skaters in points per game (0.75). |
| Andreas Johnsson | – Has registered 44 (21 goals, 23 assists) of his 64 career points in 61 games at Scotiabank Arena.- Averages 2.06 shots per game, which ranks seventh among Toronto forwards.- Has drawn 11 penalties this season, which is tied for third-most among Toronto skaters. |
| Kasperi Kapanen | – Fifth among Toronto skaters in even-strength points (8-15-23).- Has been on the ice for four of Toronto’s five shorthanded goals this season.- Has 10 points (3-7-10) in 14 games against Atlantic Division opponents. |
| Alex Kerfoot | – Tied for seventh among Maple Leafs in even-strength goals (7). – 10th among Maple Leafs in even-strength points (7-11-18).- Has eight points (4 goals, 7 assists) in 11 games against Atlantic Division teams. |
| Mitch Marner | – Has 10 multi-assist games, which is tied for the fifth-most among NHL skaters.- Averaging 1.25 points per game, which is the 10th-highest average in the NHL.- Averaging 1.54 primary assists per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which ranks second among NHLers who have appeared in at least 30 games.- Eighth in the NHL in primary assists (25). His 25 primary assists are the most among NHLers who have appeared in 40 or fewer games.- Ranks fifth among NHL right wingers in shorthanded ice time per game (2:12). |
| Auston Matthews | – Third among NHL skaters in goals (36).- Leads the League with 27 even-strength goals.- Leads the NHL in goals scored at 5-on-5 (22).- Leads the NHL in wrist shot goals (23).- Second in the NHL in multi-goal games (9).- Tied for 11th among NHL skaters in points (36-24-60).- Fifth in the NHL with 202 shots on goal. |
| William Nylander | – Ranks first in goals (24) and second in points (24-22-46) among Swedish skaters this season.- Tied for the Maple Leaf lead in game-winning goals (4).- Has scored the first goal of the game three times for the Maple Leafs, which is tied for the most first goals among Toronto skaters.- One of 11 NHLers to average at least 14:00 minutes per game at 5-on-5 (14:33) while maintaining a goal per 60-minute rate of at least 1.20 (1.29). |
| Jason Spezza | – Averaging 2.14 points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 this season, which is the fifth-highest average among Toronto skaters who have appeared in at least 20 games.- Averaging 1.15 assists per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 this season, which is tied for fourth among Maple Leafs who have appeared in at least 20 games. |
| John Tavares | – Tied for 23rd among NHL skaters in multi-point games (13).- Has 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists) in 11 games against Atlantic Division opponents this season.- Has won 58.5 percent (228 won, 162 lost) of his faceoffs on home ice this season, which ranks sixth among NHL skaters who have taken 300 draws at home.- Has an on-ice shot attempt percentage of 54.8 percent at 5-on-5 when the Maple Leafs are leading in games, which is the highest percentage when leading among NHL forwards who average 15 minutes per game in 5-on-5 ice time (15:43).- Has drawn a team-high 14 penalties this season. |
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
| Tyson Barrie | Has assists (4) in three consecutive games. |
| Zach Hyman | Has goals (2) and points (2-1-3) in two consecutive games. |
| Alex Kerfoot | Has points (1-2-3) in two consecutive games. |
| Mitch Marner | Has assists (4) in three consecutive games. |
| Auston Matthews | Has goals (2) and points (2-1-3) in two consecutive games. |
| William Nylander | Has goals (5) in five consecutive games and points (5-3-8) in six consecutive games. |
UPCOMING MILESTONES
| Jason Spezza | Five assists from 600 assists |
| John Tavares | Five games from 800 games |
RECENT MILESTONES
| Rasmus Sandin | First NHL goal (January 27 at Nashville) |
INJURY REPORT
| Ilya Mikheyev (Wrist Laceration) | On injured reserve. |
| Morgan Rielly (Foot) | On injured reserve. |
| Man Games Lost: 123 |
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
| January 31 | Loaned defenceman Kevin Gravel to the Toronto Marlies (AHL). |
| January 31 | Recalled defenceman Kevin Gravel from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). |
| January 30 | Loaned forward Tyler Gaudet to the Toronto Marlies (AHL). |
| January 27 | Activated forward Trevor Moore and defenceman Jake Muzzin from injured reserve. |
On Friday night, the Detroit Pistons hosted the Toronto Raptors at Little Caesars Arena in a game that felt and sound much more like a Raptors home game than a Pistons home game. Following the game, which the Raptors won 105-92, Christian Wood was asked about all of the pro-Raptors chants throughout the game. While […]
Reggie Jackson ‘attacks’ Detroit Pistons fan base — Detroit Sports Nation
Sheldon Keefe knows what Mitch Marner is thinking when the Maple Leafs’ star winger makes eye contact on the bench. Read More
Leafs’ Marner and coach Keefe seeing eye to eye, positives result — Toronto Sun
Sheldon Keefe knows what Mitch Marner is thinking when the Maple Leafs’ star winger makes eye contact on the bench.
“He gives you a little look over his shoulder wondering if he’s next or if he’s not, a ‘Why-aren’t-I’ kind of thing,” Keefe, the Leafs coach, said on Friday. “Those are the cues you look for from players, especially your best guys. You’re trying to gauge whether they are tired. Sometimes if they’re tired, they don’t want the next shift and they’re telling you by not giving you the eye contact, that they need a little bit more of a breather.
“When a players give you the eyes he’s telling you ‘I’m ready, so don’t slow this down anymore. Let’s get this going.’”
Brian McDermott knows the mountain his team is about to climb. Read More
Wolfpack heads to England for Super League action — Toronto Sun
Brian McDermott knows the mountain his team is about to climb.
The Toronto Wolfpack coach will lead his team to its first Super League experience on Sunday, a neutral-site contest in Leeds, England against the Castleford Tigers (9:30 a.m., Sportsnet World), the first of 10 consecutive matches in England to start the season.
And while the team’s first game in the top flight of English rugby league has fans on both sides of the Atlantic excited, McDermott warns about the possibility the team could end up closer to being relegated back to the Championship at year’s end than being in a position to compete for a title. In fact, many pundits have predicted the trans-Atlantic club will finish somewhere between ninth and 11th in the 12-team league.
“We’ve got a few challenges,” he said at a press gathering in Manchester last week. “We genuinely are capable of doing some really special things….”
The view from left field 