William Nylander put the Maple Leafs on the board at 3:24 of the first period and later collected the secondary assist on Travis Dermott’s second period goal before scoring the sixth Toronto goal of the night at 8:45 of the third period. Nylander has goals (6) in five consecutive games, assists (5) in four consecutive games and points (6-5-11) in five consecutive games. Nylander is the first Maple Leaf to have a goal streak of at least five games since Auston Matthews (6 Games, 10 G; Oct. 3 – 13, 2018). Tonight’s game is Nylander’s fourth multi-goal and ninth multi-point performance of the season. The Maple Leafs are 7-1-2 when Nylander records multiple points.
Kasperi Kapanen scored the second Toronto goal of the night at 9:00 of the first period and later recorded the primary assist on Pierre Engvall’s second period goal. Tonight’s game is Kapanen’s fifth multi-point game of the season. He has four points (2-2-4) over his last four games. He has recorded 18 (8 goals, 10 assists) of his 23 points on the road this season.
Travis Dermott scored the third Maple Leafs goal of the game at 9:02 of the second period. Dermott has points (1-1-2) in two consecutive games. He has registered seven (3-4-7) of his eight points on the road this season.
Pierre Engvall scored the fourth Toronto goal of the night at 9:37 of the second period. Engvall has three goals over his last five games played. He has recorded six points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 10 games against Western Conference opposition this season. He has three points (1-2-3) in five games against Central Division teams in 2019-20.
Mitch Marner scored the fifth Maple Leafs goal of the game on the power play at 16:52 of the second period. Marner has points (1-2-3) in three consecutive games. He has registered 20 points (7 goals, 13 assists) over his last 13 games. He has seven career points (2-5-7) in six career games against Winnipeg and has recorded five points (2-3-5) in four career games on the road at Winnipeg.
Adam Brooks registered the lone assist on Nylander’s first period goal. Brooks’ assist is his first career NHL point. He registered 16 points (8 goals, 8 assists) in 20 games with the Toronto Marlies (AHL) prior to his recall on December 27.
Alex Kerfoot recorded the primary assist on Dermott’s second period goal and later recorded the primary assist on Nylander’s third period goal. Kerfoot has points (1-2-3) in two consecutive games. Tonight’s game is Kerfoot’s second multi-assist and fourth multi-point game of 2019-20. He has registered four points (1-3-4) over his last five games. The Maple Leafs are 9-2-1 when Kerfoot records at least one point.
Jason Spezza collected the secondary assist on Engvall’s second period goal. Spezza has four points (1-3-4) over his last five games played. He has registered 12 (4-8-12) of his 16 points in 19 games played on the road.
Tyson Barrie registered the primary assist on Marner’s second period goal. Barrie has assists (6) and points (1-6-7) in five consecutive games. Barrie has recorded 10 points (1 goal, 9 assists) in 14 games played since December 1. Toronto is 10-3-3 when Barrie registers a point.
Auston Matthews had the secondary assist on Marner’s second period goal. Matthews has assists (3) and points (3-3-6) in three consecutive games. He has recorded 15 points (8 goals, 7 assists) over his last 10 games. He leads the Maple Leafs with 15 power play points (7-8-15).
John Tavares picked up the secondary assist on Nylander’s third period goal. Tavares has assists (8) and points (3-8-11) in six consecutive games. In 15 games against Western Conference opponents in 2019-20, he has 13 points (7 goals, 6 assists). He has recorded 14 points (4 goals, 10 assists) in 14 career games on the road at Winnipeg.
Frederik Andersen stopped 45 shots to earn his League-leading 21st win of 2019-20. His 45 saves and 48 shots faced establish new season-highs.
The Maple Leafs went 1-for-2 on the penalty kill and 1-for-4 on the power play tonight.
Toronto allowed 48 shots on goal, which is the most shots against the club has faced in 2019-20.
The Maple Leafs’ line of Adam Brooks, Frederik Gauthier and Mason Marchment started 20 percent of their 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which was the lowest mark among Toronto skaters.
Cody Ceci was on the ice for a team-high 25 Toronto shot attempts-for at 5-on-5 tonight. Ceci finished the game with a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 67.6 percent (25 for, 12 against).
Mason Marchment played in his first career NHL game.
Jason Spezza went 5-for-5 (100%) in the faceoff circle when matched up with Winnipeg’s Blake Wheeler.
John Tavares won 80 percent (4 won, 1 lost) of his offensive zone faceoffs.
UPCOMING GAMES:
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)
Wednesday, January 8, 7:30 p.m. vs. Winnipeg Jets (Sportsnet, FAN 590)
Sunday, January 12, 7:00 p.m. at Florida Panthers (Sportsnet, TSN 1050)
Tuesday, January 14, 7:00 p.m. vs. New Jersey Devils (Sportsnet Ontario, TSN 1050)
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (22-14-5 – 49 Points) vs. WINNIPEG JETS (22-15-3 – 47 Points) JANUARY 2, 2020 ▪ 8:00 PM EST BELL MTS PLACE (WINNIPEG, MB) ▪ TV: TSN4 ▪ RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY versus WINNIPEG ALL-TIMETIME RECORD: 33-19-1-8 (61 Games)
ALL-TIME ON THE ROAD:
16-10-0-5 (31 Games)
2018-19:
2-0-0
LAST FIVE:
4-1-0
LAST 10:
5-4-1
MAPLE LEAFS CAREER LEADERS versus WINNIPEG
GAMES PLAYED:
Jason Spezza (48), Tyson Barrie (27), John Tavares (26)
GOALS:
Jason Spezza (15), John Tavares (9), William Nylander (3)
ASSISTS:
Jason Spezza (35), John Tavares (20), Tyson Barrie (11)
POINTS:
Jason Spezza (50), John Tavares (29), Tyson Barrie (13)
PENALTY MINUTES:
John Tavares (23), Jason Spezza (18), Jake Muzzin (12)
MAPLE LEAFS – JETS TEAM STATS
TORONTO
WINNIPEG
GOALS FOR (Rank):
145 (1st)
123 (t-16th)
GOALS AGAINST (Rank):
130 (t-20th)
119 (12th)
POWER PLAY [%] (Rank):
27/112 [24.1%] (5th)
23/120 [19.2%] (15th)
PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank):
91/120 [75.8%] (26th)
70/98 [71.4%] (31st)
SHOTS (Rank):
1385 (4th)
1246 (t-21st)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank):
2102 (2nd)
1739 (19th)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank):
53.0% (4th)
48.1% (24th)
FACEOFF % (Rank):
52.5% (3rd)
50.4% (t-12th)
MAPLE LEAFS – JETS NOTES
FIRST MATCHUP BETWEEN CLUBS:
October 27, 1999 (Toronto 4, Atlanta 0)
ALL-TIME RECORD:
33-19-1-8 (61 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD AT HOME:
17-9-1-3 (30 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD ON THE ROAD:
16-10-0-5 (31 Games)
LAST WIN VS. OPPONENT AT HOME:
October 24, 2018 (Toronto 4, Winnipeg 2)
MAPLE LEAFS MILESTONES vs. JETS
Cody Ceci
200th NHL game (March 30, 2016 (OTT) at WPG)
Michael Hutchinson
First NHL game (April 7, 2014 (WPG) vs. MIN) Appeared in 102 Games for WPG from 2014-18 with a record of 43-39-11.
Martin Marincin
100th NHL game (Dec. 2, 2015 at WPG)
Jake Muzzin
100th NHL assist (Jan. 14, 2017 (LAK) vs. WPG)
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
CATEGORY
LEADER
GOALS
27 (Matthews)
ASSISTS
27 (Marner)
POINTS
48 (Matthews)
POWER PLAY POINTS
14 (Matthews)
SHORTHANDED POINTS
2 (Engvall, Kapanen)
PIMs
34 (Muzzin)
SHOTS
148 (Matthews)
FACEOFF WIN%
58.3% (Gauthier)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %
55.9% (Nylander)
BLOCKED SHOTS
69 (Muzzin)
TAKEAWAYS
46 (Marner)
HITS
87 (Muzzin)
TOI PER GAME
24:22 (Rielly)
PP TOI PER GAME
3:06 (Marner)
SH TOI PER GAME
3:04 (Ceci)
MAPLE LEAFS PLAYER NOTES
Frederik Andersen
– Is 11-4-0 on the road this season with a 2.28 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. – Has made 10 career appearances against the Jets and is 8-0-1 with a 2.83 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.- Leads the NHL lead in wins (20).- Second in the NHL in saves (916) and second in even-strength saves (771).- Fifth in the NHL in shootout saves (11).
Tyson Barrie
– Had nine points (1 goal, 8 assists) in 13 games during the month of December, which was tied for the 13th-highest point total among NHL defencemen in December.- Averaging 14.5 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time, which is the seventh-highest average among NHL defencemen who have appeared in 30 games.- Averaging 7.6 shots on goal per 60 minutes of ice time, which is tied for the fifth-highest average among NHL defencemen who have appeared in 30 games. – Has an on-ice shot attempt differential of plus-135, which is 13th among NHL defencemen.
Cody Ceci
– 11th among NHL skaters in shorthanded time on ice (125:26).- Has played 62.3 percent of Toronto’s shorthanded ice time, which is the 11th-highest shorthanded time on ice percentage among NHLers who have appeared in at least 30 games.
Justin Holl
– Has started 45.4 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 54.1 percent at 5-on-5, which is the highest percentage among Toronto defencemen who have appeared in at least 10 games.- Has a 5-on-5 on-ice goals-for percentage of 54.7 percent, which is the highest percentage among Maple Leafs defencemen.
Michael Hutchinson
– Appeared in 102 games for the Jets from 2014-18, posting a 43-39-11 record with a 2.65 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.- Second among NHL goaltenders who have appeared in 10 or fewer games in saves (250).
Zach Hyman
– Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 54.3 percent, which is tied for sixth among Toronto skaters who have played 20 games. – Averaging 15:44 per game in even-strength ice time, which ranks seventh among Maple Leafs. – Has played 50.4 percent of Toronto’s shorthanded ice time since returning to the lineup on November 13, which is tied for 17th among NHL forwards who have played 20 games and first among Maple Leafs forwards in that span.
Kasperi Kapanen
– Has scored nine goals this season, which is tied for 11th most among NHLers with no power play goals.- Eighth among Toronto skaters in even-strength points (7-9-16).- Has recorded 16 (7 goals, 9 assists) of his 21 points in 22 road games this season.
Alex Kerfoot
– Recorded his 100th NHL point with a goal on December 31 at Minnesota.- Tied for sixth among Maple Leafs in even-strength goals (6). – One of two Toronto forwards to have recorded at least 20 hits (29) and 20 blocked shots (25) this season.
Mitch Marner
– Averaging 1.26 primary assists per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which is tied for ninth among NHLers who have appeared in at least 20 games.- Tied for 14th in the NHL in primary assists (16). His 16 primary assists are the most among NHLers who have appeared in 30 or fewer games.- Recorded 19 points (6 goals, 13 assists) in 12 games during the month of December, which was the fourth-highest point total in the NHL. – Tied for 12th among NHL forwards in shifts per game (25.2).
Auston Matthews
– Second among NHL skaters in goals (27).- Leads NHL skaters in even-strength goals (20).- Leads the NHL in goals scored at 5-on-5 (18).- 11th among NHL skaters in even-strength points (20-14-34).- Tied for ninth in the NHL with 148 shots on goal.- Scored 11 goals during the month of December, which was tied for the NHL lead in goals in December.
William Nylander
– Established a new career-long goal streak (4 G; 4 GP) with his goal on December 31 at Minnesota (Previous: Mar. 20 to 23, 2017 (3G; 3GP)).- Averages 1.11 goals per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which ranks second among Toronto skaters.- One of 22 NHLers to average at least 14:00 minutes per game at 5-on-5 (14:28) while maintaining a goal per 60-minute rate of at least one (1.11).- Has recorded seven points (4-3-7) in seven games against Central Division opposition.
Morgan Rielly
– Tied for 11th among NHL defencemen in even-strength points (3-15-18).- Tied for fourth among NHL defencemen in assists recorded at 5-on-5 (14).- 13th among NHL skaters in TOI per game (24:22).- Tied for seventh among NHL skaters in shifts per game (28.6).- Averaging 14.3 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time, which ranks eighth among NHL defencemen who have appeared in at least 30 games.
Jason Spezza
– Averaging 2.26 points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 this season, which is the fourth-highest average among Toronto skaters.- Averaging 1.13 primary assists per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time in 2019-20, which ranks second on the Maple Leafs and is the 18th-highest average among NHLers who have appeared in at least 25 games.
John Tavares
– Named the NHL’s Third Star of the Week for the week ending Dec. 29 after recording seven points (2 goals, 5 assists) in three games, including a pair of three-point performances.- Averaging 17.6 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which is the third-highest average among NHL centres who have appeared in 20 games.- Averaging 9.3 shots on goal at 5-on-5 per 60 minutes of ice time, which is tied for seventh among NHL centres who have appeared in 20 games.- Has recorded 13 points (4 goals, 9 assists) in 13 career games on the road at Winnipeg.
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
Tyson Barrie
Has assists (5) and points (1-5-6) in four consecutive games.
Mitch Marner
Has assists (2) in two consecutive games.
Auston Matthews
Has goals (3), assists (2) and points (3-2-5) in two consecutive games.
William Nylander
Has assists (4) in three consecutive games and goals (4) and points (4-4-8) in three consecutive games.
John Tavares
Has assists (7) and points (3-7-10) in five consecutive games.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
William Nylander
Three points from 200 NHL points
RECENT MILESTONES
Frederik Andersen
20,000 career minutes (December 28 vs NYR)
Adam Brooks
First NHL game (December 28 vs. NYR)
Alex Kerfoot
100th career NHL point (December 31 at MIN)
INJURY REPORT
Andreas Johnsson (Leg)
On injured reserve.
Ilya Mikheyev (Wrist Laceration)
On injured reserve.
Trevor Moore (Concussion)
On injured reserve.
Jake Muzzin (Foot)
Is week-to-week with a broken foot sustained on December 27 at New Jersey.
Man Games Lost: 87
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
January 1
Recalled forward Mason Marchment from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
December 30
Loaned defenceman Timothy Liljegren to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
December 30
Recalled defencemen Teemu Kivihalme and Timothy Liljegren from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
December 29
Loaned forward Kenny Agostino and defenceman Timothy Liljegren to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
December 28
Recalled forward Kenny Agostino and defenceman Timothy Liljegren from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). Placed forwards Ilya Mikheyev and Trevor Moore on injured reserve.
December 27
Recalled forward Adam Brooks and defenceman Martin Marincin from the Toronto Marlies (AHL)
JETS NOTES
The Winnipeg Jets begin 2020 by hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs at Bell MTS Place tonight…The Jets beat the Colorado Avalanche 7-4 on New Year’s Eve to pick up their first win since the Christmas break…After tonight’s game, the Jets head out on a four-game road trip, which begins Saturday afternoon against the Minnesota Wild.
Last Game Dec. 31 at COL – 7-4 W Jets Scorers: Wheeler (12, 13), Scheifele (18), Connor (18, 19, 20), Ehlers (16) Avalanche Scorers: Mackinnon (23, 24), Landeskog (10), Kadri (13)
Recap: Kyle Connor tallied a hat trick, while Mark Scheifele had a goal and three assists to lead the Jets to a 7-4 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night…Blake Wheeler also scored twice for the Jets, while Nikolaj Ehlers sealed the win with an empty net goal in the final seconds…Connor led the Jets with eight shots, which accounted for 30.8% of Winnipeg’s shots in the game…Connor Hellebuyck made 39 saves for the win.
Three Stars: 1. Connor 2. MacKinnon 3. Hellebuyck
Halfway Point: Tonight marks the halfway point of Winnipeg’s 2019-20 campaign…At 22-15-3, the Jets have reached 22 wins by the midway point of the season for the third consecutive season…Since relocation in 2011 and excluding the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, the Jets have posted a .500 or better points percentage in first half of each season and have a combined record of 167-125-35…Last season, Winnipeg set a franchise record with 26 wins in the first half of the season.
Recapping December The Jets went 6-5-1 in December to finish with 14 points, which was tied for the 17th in the NHL…Winnipeg scored 48 goals in the month, which was fifth in the league, and its power play was sixth at 25.6%…The Jets penalty kill was tied for last in the NHL in December at 63.8%… It’s the worst month for the Jets penalty kill since going 63.6% in January 2013, but that was during only seven games during the lockout-shortened season…Mark Scheifele finished third in NHL scoring in December with 20 points (9G, 11A) in 13 games…He had a point in 11 of the 13 games and posted six multi-point games…Kyle Connor was tied for eighth in league scoring last month with 17 points (10G, 7A)…Connor’s 10 goals were tied for third.
Fresh Start at Home The Jets enter 2020 having lost four consecutive home games (0-3-1)…Winnipeg is 10-8-2 at home this season, which includes a fivegame winning streak from Nov. 23-Dec. 15…After playing seven of their first 10 games on the road to start the second half of the season, the Jets have a stretch of nine of 10 games at home from Jan. 31-Feb. 16.
Can Con The Jets are 3-1-0 against their Canadian counterparts in the NHL this season…The Jets play three of their next four games against Canadian opponents.
KC Hatty Kyle Connor scored Winnipeg’s first hat trick of the season on Tuesday against Colorado…It was his second career hat trick (Mar. 23/19 vs. NSH 5-0 W)…Connor’s third goal was his 20 th of the season, which leads the Jets…After scoring 31 and 34 goals in his past two seasons, Connor is on pace to reach 40 goals for the first time in his career.
900 GP Captain Blake Wheeler played in his 900th career game on Tuesday…He’s played 679 games with the Jets franchise after starting his career by playing 221 games with the Boston Bruins…Wheeler is just the fourth player from the 2005 NHL Draft to reach 900 games played, joining Alexander Ovechkin (1,125), Travis Zajac (961), and former teammate Andrew Ladd (947).
Jets vs. Maple Leafs Overall: 27-27-7 Home: 15-14-2 Away: 12-13-5 At Bell MTS Place: 7-3-0
Jets vs. Maples Leafs Notes The Jets have earned points in 11 of their past 14 games against the Maple Leafs (9-3-2), but were swept in the season series last season. The Jets are 11-5-3 against the Maple Leafs since the franchise relocated to Winnipeg for the 2011-12 season. Winnipeg has scored a power play goal in three consecutive games against Toronto (3-for-8, 37.5%). The Jets went a perfect four-for-four on the penalty kill against the Maple Leafs last season. The Jets have been held to three goals or less in each of their past four games against the Maple Leafs. Blake Wheeler leads the Jets in career scoring against Toronto with 29 points (12G, 17A) in 36 games. Ontario-born MarkScheifele has 16 points (9G, 7A) in 12 career games against the Maple Leafs. PatrikLaine has five goals and six points in six career games against Toronto.
Career Scoring vs. Maple Leafs Player GP G A Pts PPG Blake Wheeler 36 12 17 29 0.81 Bryan Little 30 10 17 27 0.90 Mark Scheifele 12 9 7 16 1.33
WINNIPEG — Working on the same line with William Nylander has given Maple Leafs captain John Tavares a greater appreciation of what Nylander potentially brings to each shift. Read More
Yeah, I thought it was good — efficient is a good term to describe it. I didn’t think we gave up a lot defensively, for sure. We didn’t give up many shots or chances, especially in that third period when we expected them to push. I thought we took care of it pretty well there.
On if the way Nylander and Tavares play together is different from when Nylander and Matthews play together:
Yeah, there’s different dynamics at play there. I’ve liked it so far; the chemistry has been good. The nice thing I think that’s come out with the fact that we’ve moved things around here, since I’ve been here, is it’s giving me a pretty good taste of what different things look like. You never know what the season is going to bring and what each game is going to bring. It gives me a feel for different things. Obviously, we’ve used a number of different combinations so far and we like this one and we like a lot of others that have worked too.
FREDERIK ANDERSEN (26 SAVES)
On the team’s performance tonight:
I thought we made some good adjustments and definitely played a really solid game. I think we got off to a lead and they had to force some stuff to get back into it. So I think we did a better job of not playing into their hand and forcing too much and made them come to us. I thought we did a good job.
On the forwards and defence working in unison and creating quicker breakouts:
Of course I think any time you can help each other out and make it easier for each other, it’s important. That can make the game less hard. I think guys will take less hits if we play it quicker and help each other out like that.
ALEX KERFOOT (1 GOAL, 100TH NHL POINT)
On William Nylander’s play of late:
He’s been playing really well for a long period of time right now. It’s fun to play with him. He makes plays, he’s hard on pucks and protects the puck down low. So, he makes a lot of stuff happen out there. It’s obviously a pleasure to play with him.
On what has led to the chemistry between himself, Nylander and Tavares:
Well, those two guys are just good hockey players. I think you put anyone on their wing and they’re going to have success. They spend a lot of time in the offensive zone. So, it’s just trying to read off them and make plays and they find space, they make good things happen. So I’m just trying to do my job.
WILLIAM NYLANDER (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On his line getting the first goal of the game from Kerfoot early in the first:
Yeah, it was a great play by Johnny [Tavares] being hard on his stick. There’s kind of a lucky play there in the corner where he lost the puck, but we were able to get possession of it. It’s a great play and a nice goal by Kerf.
On what has allowed he and Tavares to develop chemistry quickly:
I think it’s just that with some players, you just click automatically from the beginning.
On his pass to set up Matthews’ goal on the power play:
I just saw him backdoor and I kind of knew he would be open, so I just tried to get it over there.
JOHN TAVARES (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On tonight’s win:
Yeah, it probably wasn’t the prettiest. I don’t think we made as many plays as we’re capable of. But it was just one of those games where it felt like ping pong, especially early, and we were just able to capitalize on some good opportunities and then played with the lead pretty well. We were able to do a pretty good job on special teams. So, just stuck with it and just made it difficult for them. Just tried to play five inside and really have to make them earn their opportunities and the ice there and then, obviously, try to generate offense ourselves, try to keep the puck and wear them out and make them have to defend.
On the team finding a way to win despite not making as many plays as it can:
You have to have that to win in this league. There are so many good teams, so many good players. Things aren’t going to always go your way. You’re not always going to make the perfect play and mistakes happen and it’s just the nature of our league, our game. So, just staying with it and doing a good job. We regrouped, I thought, pretty well off the timeouts and got back to our game, did some good things and were able to get the win.
Alex Kerfoot put the Maple Leafs on the board at 5:55 of the first period. Kerfoot’s goal is his 100th career NHL point. He has three points (1-2-3) over his last four games played. He recorded seven points (1 goal, 6 assists) in 13 games during the month of December.
William Nylander scored the second Toronto goal of the game at 19:29 of the first period and registered the primary assist on Auston Matthews’ second period goal. Nylander has goals (4) and points (4-4-8) in four consecutive games and assists (4) in three consecutive games. With goals in four consecutive games, Nylander has established a career-long goal streak (Previous: Mar. 20 to 23, 2017 (3G; 3GP)). Tonight’s game is Nylander’s eighth multi-point performance of 2019-20.
Auston Matthews registered the primary assist on Nylander’s first period goal and later scored the third Maple Leafs goal of the night on the power play at 8:34 of the second period. Tonight’s game is Matthews’ 16th multi-point performance of the season, which is tied for the fifth-most multi-point games in the NHL. He has 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists) in seven games against Central Division teams in 2019-20.
John Tavares registered the primary assist on Kerfoot’s first period goal and later scored the fourth Toronto goal of the game into an empty net at 19:35 of the third period. Tavares has assists (7) and points (3-7-10) in five consecutive games. Tonight’s game is his 12th multi-point performance of 2019-20. He has 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 19 road games this season. He has 17 points (8 goals, 9 assists) in 17 career games against the Wild.
Travis Dermott had the secondary assist on Kerfoot’s first period goal. He has recorded six (2-4-6) of his seven points on the road this season. He has three assists in three career games against Minnesota.
Tyson Barrie collected the secondary assist on Nylander’s first period goal. Barrie has assists (5) and points (1-5-6) in four consecutive games. He has eight points (1-7-8) in 15 career games at Xcel Energy Center. In 13 games during the month of December, Barrie recorded nine points (1 goal, 8 assists).
Mitch Marner had the secondary assist on Matthews’ second period goal. Marner has assists (2) in two consecutive games. He recorded 19 points (6 goals, 13 assists) in 12 games during the month of December. His 56 career points (17 goals, 39 assists) in 50 career games during the month of December marks his highest career point total in a single month.
Frederik Andersen stopped 26 shots to earn the victory. He is the first goaltender in the NHL to reach the 20-win mark in 2019-20.
The Maple Leafs went 2-for-3 on the penalty kill and went 1-for-3 on the power play tonight.
Justin Holl started 28.6 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which was the lowest mark among Toronto skaters.
Morgan Rielly was on the ice for a team-high 20 Toronto shot attempts-for at 5-on-5 tonight. Rielly finished the game with a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 50 percent (20 for, 20 against).
Jason Spezza went 5-for-6 (83%) in the faceoff circle when matched up with Minnesota centre Eric Staal.
John Tavares won 63 percent (5 won, 3 lost) of his offensive zone faceoffs.
UPCOMING GAMES:
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)
Wednesday, January 8, 7:30 p.m. vs. Winnipeg Jets (Sportsnet, FAN 590)
Sunday, January 12, 7:00 p.m. at Florida Panthers (Sportsnet, TSN 1050)
It seemed clear when the Bruins’ mindset shifted Tuesday afternoon. Up 1-0 in the second period against the New Jersey Devils, the Bruins doubled their advantage on a Joakim Nordstrom goal that came following a scramble in front of the net. That was just 4:27 into the middle stanza, and from there the Devils had…
XCEL ENERGY CENTER (ST. PAUL, MN) ▪ TV: SPORTSNET ONTARIO ▪ RADIO: TSN 1050
MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY versus MINNESOTA
ALL-TIME RECORD:
11-11-0-1 (23 Games)
ALL-TIME ON THE ROAD:
3-6-0-1 (10 Games)
2019-20:
1-0-0
LAST FIVE:
3-2-0
LAST 10:
3-7-0
MAPLE LEAFS CAREER LEADERS versus MINNESOTA
GAMES PLAYED:
Jason Spezza (30), Tyson Barrie (29), John Tavares (16)
GOALS:
John Tavares (7), Jason Spezza (5), Tyson Barrie (4), Jake Muzzin (4)
ASSISTS:
Morgan Rielly (10), Tyson Barrie (10), Jason Spezza (10)
POINTS:
John Tavares (15), Jason Spezza (15), Tyson Barrie (14)
PENALTY MINUTES:
Tyson Barrie (12), Alex Kerfoot (10), Jason Spezza (8)
MAPLE LEAFS – WILD TEAM STATS
TORONTO
MINNESOTA
GOALS FOR (Rank):
141 (1st)
124 (t-14th)
GOALS AGAINST (Rank):
129 (26th)
132 (t-28th)
POWER PLAY [%] (Rank):
26/109 [23.9%] (7th)
22/126 [17.5%] (21st)
PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank):
89/117 [76.0%] (26th)
89/114 [78.0%] (24th)
SHOTS (Rank):
1356 (4th)
1151 (27th)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank):
2055 (2nd)
1696 (23rd)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank):
53.0% (4th)
48.6% (22nd)
FACEOFF % (Rank):
52.6% (t-3rd)
48.4% (26th)
MAPLE LEAFS – WILD NOTES
FIRST MATCHUP BETWEEN CLUBS:
Oct. 25, 2000 (Toronto 6, Minnesota 1)
ALL-TIME RECORD:
11-11-0-1 (23 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD AT HOME:
8-5-0-0 (13 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD ON THE ROAD:
3-6-0-1 (10 Games)
LAST WIN VS. OPPONENT AT HOME:
Dec. 1, 2018 (Toronto 5, Minnesota 3)
MAPLE LEAFS MILESTONES vs. WILD
Tyson Barrie
First NHL point (Assist) (Feb. 13, 2014 at MIN)
Michael Hutchinson
First NHL game (April 7, 2014 WPG vs. MIN) First Maple Leaf game (Jan. 3, 2019 vs. MIN)
Morgan Rielly
200th NHL point (Assist) (Dec. 1, 2018 at MIN) 200th career NHL assist (Oct. 15, 2019 vs. MIN)
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
CATEGORY
LEADER
GOALS
26 (Matthews)
ASSISTS
26 (Marner)
POINTS
46 (Matthews)
POWER PLAY POINTS
13 (Matthews)
SHORTHANDED POINTS
2 (Engvall, Kapanen)
PIMs
34 (Muzzin)
SHOTS
144 (Matthews)
FACEOFF WIN%
59.5% (Gauthier)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %
56.0% (Nylander)
BLOCKED SHOTS
69 (Muzzin)
TAKEAWAYS
45 (Marner)
HITS
87 (Muzzin)
TOI PER GAME
24:23 (Rielly)
PP TOI PER GAME
3:04 (Marner)
SH TOI PER GAME
3:03 (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 Wild and is 5-3-0 with a 2.53 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.- Tied for the NHL lead in wins (19).- Second in the NHL in saves (890) and second in even-strength saves (750).- Fourth in the NHL in shootout saves (11).
Tyson Barrie
– Averaging 14.6 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time, which is the sixth-highest average among NHL defencemen who have appeared in 30 games.- Averaging 7.6 shots on goal 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 seventh-most shot attempts for (777) among NHL skaters. – Has an on-ice shot attempt differential of plus-132, which is 11th among NHL defencemen.
Cody Ceci
– 10th among NHL skaters in shorthanded time on ice (122:05).- Has played 62.0 percent of Toronto’s shorthanded ice time, which is the 11th-highest shorthanded time on ice percentage among NHLers who have appeared in at least 30 games.
Justin Holl
– Has started 46.2 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 53.9 percent at 5-on-5, which is the highest percentage among Toronto defencemen who have appeared in at least 10 games.- Has a 5-on-5 on-ice goals-for percentage of 54.7 percent, which is the highest percentage among Maple Leafs defencemen.
Michael Hutchinson
– Has made 11 appearances against the Wild, his most against a single opponent, and posted a 4-5-1 record with a 2.60 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.- Second among NHL goaltenders who have appeared in 10 or fewer games in saves (250).
Zach Hyman
– Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 54.0 percent, which ranks eighth among Toronto skaters who have played 20 games. – Averaging 15:46 per game in even-strength ice time, which ranks seventh among Maple Leafs. – Has played 51.5 percent of Toronto’s shorthanded ice time since returning to the lineup on November 13, which ranks 18th among NHL forwards and first among Maple Leafs forwards in that span.
Kasperi Kapanen
– Has scored nine goals this season, which is tied for 11th most among NHLers with no power play goals.- Tied for seventh among Toronto skaters in even-strength points (7-9-16).- Has recorded 16 (7 goals, 9 assists) of his 21 points in 21 road games this season.
Alex Kerfoot
– Played 23 shifts on December 28 vs. New York, which ties his single-game high for shifts this season. – One of two Toronto forwards to have recorded at least 20 hits (29) and 20 blocked shots (25) this season.
Mitch Marner
– Averaging 1.30 primary assists per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which is eighth among NHLers who have appeared in at least 20 games.- Tied for 14th in the NHL in primary assists (16). His 16 primary assists are the most among NHLers who have appeared in less than 30 games.- Second in the NHL in takeaways (45).- Ninth among NHL forwards in shifts per game (25.5).
Auston Matthews
– Second among NHL skaters in goals (26).- Leads NHL skaters in even-strength goals (20).- Leads the NHL in goals scored at 5-on-5 (18).- Tied for 10th among NHL skaters in even-strength points (20-13-33).- Ninth in the NHL with 144 shots on goal.- Has an on-ice goals-for percentage of 62.9 percent at 5-on-5, which leads Toronto skaters and is tied for 11th among NHLers who average at least 15 minutes per game in 5-on-5 ice time.
William Nylander
– Has recorded 11 primary assists, which is fourth among Toronto skaters. – Averages 1.04 goals per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which ranks second among Toronto skaters.- One of 20 NHLers to average at least 14:00 minutes per game at 5-on-5 and a goal per 60-minute rate of at least one (1.04).- Has recorded five points (3-2-5) in six games against Central Division opposition.
Morgan Rielly
– Tied for 17th among NHL defencemen in points (3-22-25).- Tied for 10th among NHL defencemen in even-strength points (3-15-18).- Fourth among NHL defencemen in assists recorded at 5-on-5 (14).- 13th among NHL skaters in TOI per game (24:23).- Eighth among NHL skaters in shifts per game (28.6).- Averaging 14.4 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time, which ranks seventh among NHL defencemen who have appeared in at least 30 games.
Jason Spezza
– Averaging 2.37 points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 this season, which is the fourth-highest average among Toronto skaters.- Averaging 1.18 primary assists per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time in 2019-20, which ranks second on the Maple Leafs and is the 13th-highest average among NHLers who have appeared in at least 25 games.
John Tavares
– Named the NHL’s Third Star of the Week for the week ending Dec. 29 after recording seven points (2 goals, 5 assists) in three games, including a pair of three-point performances.- Averaging 17.3 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which is the third-highest average among NHL centres who have appeared in 20 games.- Averaging 9.2 shots on goal at 5-on-5 per 60 minutes of ice time, which ranks 10th among NHL centres who have appeared in 20 games.- Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 55.2 percent, which ranks third among Toronto skaters who have appeared in at least 20 games.
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
Tyson Barrie
Has assists (4) and points (1-4-5) in three consecutive games.
Kasperi Kapanen
Has points (1-1-2) in two consecutive games.
William Nylander
Has assists (2) in two consecutive games and goals (3) and points (3-3-6) in three consecutive games.
John Tavares
Has assists (6) and points (2-6-8) in four consecutive games.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
Alex Kerfoot
One point from 100 NHL points
William Nylander
Five points from 200 NHL points
RECENT MILESTONES
Frederik Andersen
20,000 career minutes (December 28 vs NYR)
Adam Brooks
First NHL game (December 28 vs. NYR)
INJURY REPORT
Andreas Johnsson (Leg)
On injured reserve.
Ilya Mikheyev (Wrist Laceration)
On injured reserve.
Trevor Moore (Concussion)
On injured reserve.
Jake Muzzin (Foot)
Is week-to-week with a broken foot sustained on December 27 at New Jersey.
Man Games Lost: 83
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
December 30
Loaned defenceman Timothy Liljegren to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
December 30
Recalled defencemen Teemu Kivihalme and Timothy Liljegren from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
December 29
Loaned forward Kenny Agostino and defenceman Timothy Liljegren to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
December 28
Recalled forward Kenny Agostino and defenceman Timothy Liljegren from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). Placed forwards Ilya Mikheyev and Trevor Moore on injured reserve.
December 27
Recalled forward Adam Brooks and defenceman Martin Marincin from the Toronto Marlies (AHL)
WILD NOTES
UPCOMING GAMES (all times Central)
1/4 vs. WPG 1 p.m. – FSN, KFAN 100.3 FM
1/5 vs. CGY 6 p.m. – FSN, KFAN 100.3 FM
1/9 at CGY 8 p.m. – FSN Plus, KFAN 100.3 FM
INJURIES Mikko Koivu (lower body) – 12 Greg Pateryn (IR – lower body) – 11 Jason Zucker (lower body) – 6 2019-20 Total Man Games Lost: 95 UPCOMING MILESTONES Mikko Koivu – 497 career assists Zach Parise – 395 career assists RECENT TRANSACTIONS 12/30 – Reassigned F Nico Sturm to Iowa (AHL); Activated F Mikko Koivu from Injured Reserve
SERIES NOTES VS. MAPLE LEAFS
All-Time Wild Record: 12-11-0 (7-3-0 at Xcel Energy Center, 5-8-0 at Toronto) 2019-20: The Wild fell in its first season meeting against the Maple Leafs, 4-2, at Scotiabank Arena (10/15)…C Luke Kunin and C Gerald Mayhew each scored for Minnesota…G Devan Dubnyk stopped 30-of-34 shots…D Morgan Rielly led Toronto with four assists…RW Mitchell Marner recorded three points (1-2=3)…LW Andreas Johnsson tallied two points (1-1=2)…G Frederik Andersen made 27 saves.
WILD LEADERS: C Eric Staal leads the Wild with 51 points (24-27=51) in 48 games against Toronto…RW Mats Zuccarello owns 22 points (10-12=22) in 18 contests…LW Zach Parise has 22 points (12-10=22) in 35 matches…C Mikko Koivu owns 11 points (4-7=11) in 18 contests…LW Marcus Foligno owns 11 points (3-8=11) in 27 games.
WILD GOALIES: Dubnyk is 6-4-1 with a 2.84 GAA, a .908 SV% and one shutout in 12 games (11 starts) vs. the Maple Leafs…G Alex Stalock earned a 28-save shutout in his only career action against Toronto (12/14/17).
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS: C Jason Spezza leads the Maple Leafs with 15 points (5-10=15) in 30 career games against Minnesota…C John Tavares owns 15 points (7-8=15) in 16 matches…D Tyson Barrie has 14 points (4-10=14) in 29 contests.
MAPLE LEAFS GOALIES: Andersen is 5-3-0 with a 2.53 GAA and a .915 SV% in eight career starts vs. the Wild…G Michael Hutchinson is 4-5-1 with a 2.60 GAA and a .908 SV% in 11 games (seven starts).
CONNECTIONS: Minnesota Assistant GM Tom Kurvers collected 55 points (15-40=55) and 37 PIM in 89 contests with the Maple Leafs in parts of two seasons (1989-1991)…Wild Head Coach Bruce Boudreau was drafted in the third round (42nd overall) by Toronto in the 1975 NHL Entry Draft…He skated in 134 games with the Maple Leafs, collecting 69 points (27-42=69) over six seasons (1976-82)…Wild Assistant Coach Darby Hendrickson was selected by Toronto in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft and skated in 233 games with the Maple Leafs (1994-99)…D Greg Pateryn was selected in the fifth round (128th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Maple Leafs…D Justin Holl hails from Tonka Bay and skated in four seasons with the University of Minnesota (2010-14).
FAST FACTS: Minnesota is 9-3-0 in its last 12 games against Toronto, including a seven-game win streak (11/13/13-12/7/16)…The Wild has scored one goal or less in seven of its 11 all-time losses to the Maple Leafs…In its 11 wins, Minnesota has outscored Toronto, 38-17, including a Wild shootout goal.
RISING RANKS – The Wild is 13-5-4 in its last 22 games, including its season-best 11-game point streak (8-0-3) from Nov. 14-Dec. 5. The Wild’s 30 points rank T-2nd in the NHL since Nov. 14. – Minnesota is 15-7-5 in its last 27 games – the 35 points rank T-6th in the NHL since Nov. 2, four points shy of first. – The 11-game point streak is the second-longest in franchise history – the longest point streak in team history is 13 games (12-0-1), Dec. 2-29, 2016.
GOALS, GOALS, GOALS – The Wild has totaled 40 goals in the second period in the last 27 games, ranking first in the NHL since Nov. 2. Minnesota ranks third in the NHL with 49 goals in the second period this season. – Minnesota has netted a season-high four goals in a single period, three times – twice in the third period this season. – Minnesota ranks T-1st in the NHL since Nov. 2 with 95 goals (including a Wild shootout goal) and fifth in goals per game (3.52). – Minnesota tied its franchise record of eight goals scored in a game Dec. 19 at Arizona. It was the fourth time in team history the Wild notched eight goals,
second on the road (last, 3/25/04 at CHI). HOME SWEET HOME – Minnesota plays 18 of its 25 games from Dec. 28-Feb. 29 at Xcel Energy Center – the second-most home games played in the NHL in that time frame (OTT – 19 home games). – The Wild is 10-3-3 in 16 home games this season – the 16 home games are the fewest in the NHL. The three regulation losses are tied for the third-fewest in the League. – The Wild has totaled three-plus goals in 13 of its 16 home games this season, including a shootout goal. – Minnesota recorded its second-longest home point streak in team history with a 12-game home point streak from Oct. 20-Dec. 14 (9- 0-3). The third-longest home point streak in the NHL this season (BOS, 17 games; NYI, 13 games).
NO STAALING – Eric Staal was named to the 2020 NHL All-Star Game on Monday. It will be his sixth career All-Star appearance, second with the Wild (2018). – He has 11 points (7-4=11) in the last nine games, ranking T-4th in the NHL in goals and T-12th in scoring since Dec. 12. – He owns at least one point in 21 of the last 33 games, including a season-high six-game point streak (10/26-11/7), a season-high three-game goal streak (12/12-12/15) and seven multi-point contests.
DUBNYK RETURNS – Devan Dubnyk is 2-1-0 in his last three starts with a 2.36 GAA, a .926 SV% and one shutout. He is also 4-1-1 in his last seven games (six starts) and is 4-2-2 in nine games (eight starts) at Xcel Energy Center this season. – The 6-foot-6 backstop made a season-high 40 saves Dec. 27 at COL, his eighth 40-plus save game in a Wild sweater – the third-most by a Wild goaltender in team history. He owns 19 career 40-plus save games and is 14-1-4 in those contests. – The native of Regina, Saskatchewan, recorded a 22-save shutout Dec. 23 vs. CGY, his first shutout of the season.
EASY PARISE – Zach Parise owns five points (1-4=5) in the last six games and 13 points (6-7=13) in the last 17 games, including a season-high fivegame point streak (Nov. 25-Dec. 3). – The Minnesota native has 21 points (11-10=21) in the last 27 games and leads the team in PPG (5), ranks second in GWG (3) and shots, and is T-3rd in scoring.
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT – Ryan Donato netted his eighth goal of the season Sunday and owns 10 points (7-3=10) in his last 16 games. He ranks second on the Wild in goals since Nov. 25. The Boston, Mass. Native, owns seven points (5-2=7) in the last 11 games, including a season-high four-game point streak. His four-game point streak included a career-high three-game goal streak (12/7-12/12). – Joel Eriksson Ek is on a three-game point streak (1-2=3), tying his career-high three-game point streak for the third time, second this season. The 22-year-old owns a career high in assists (12) and is one point shy of tying his career best (16) set in 75 games during the 2017-18 season. – Kevin Fiala has seven points (2-5=7) in the last eight games and 15 points (4-11=15) in the last 18 games, including three multi-point games. The 23-year-old ranks second on the Wild in scoring since Nov. 23. – Jordan Greenway has three assists in the last five games and five points (1-4=5) in the last nine games. The 22-year-old registered his first career Gordie Howe hat trick Dec 12 vs. EDM. He became the seventh and youngest NHL player to record a Gordie Howe hat trick this season. – Luke Kunin owns three points (1-2=3) in the last three games and six points (3-3=6) in the last nine contests, including two multi-point games. The Chesterfield, Mo. native, is one point shy of tying his career-best 17 points in 49 games last season. He ranks third on the Wild in shots on goal, tallying at least one shot in 35 of his 39 games this season.
POSITIVE IMPACT – Jonas Brodin owns nine helpers and a plus-11 rating in the last 13 games, ranking T-5th in the NHL in plus/minus rating since Dec. 3. – He owns 11 assists in the last 15 games and 14 points (1-13=14) in the last 22 contests. – The Karlstad, Sweden native, ranks second on the Wild with a plus-10 rating, third with 16 assists and fourth with 53 blocked shots this season.
SUTE UP – Ryan Suter owns nine points (2-7=9) in the last nine games, ranking T-4th amongst NHL defensemen in scoring since Dec. 12. He has 17 points (3-14=17) in the last 20 games, including four multi-point contests. His 14 assists since Nov. 19 rank second amongst League defensemen. – He leads the Wild in assists (21; T-10th amongst NHL blueliners), TOI/gm (25:07; seventh in the NHL) and PPP (9) and ranks second in scoring and T-2nd in multi-point games (6).
DR. SOUCE – Carson Soucy owns eight points (4-4=8) in the last 13 games, ranking T-4th amongst NHL rookies in goals and scoring since Dec. 3. His plus-13 rating since Dec. 3 ranks T-2nd in the NHL. – The Viking, Alberta native, leads the Wild and ranks second amongst League rookies (T-14th overall) with a plus-16 rating this season. – He owns five goals this season ranking fourth in team history for most goals scored by a rookie defenseman. – The 25-year-old netted his first career shorthanded (empty-net) goal Dec. 14 to became the sixth defensemen in franchise history to record a SHG.
NORWEGIAN FORCE – Mats Zuccarello notched his 10th goal of the season on Dec. 27 and has five points (3-2=5) in the last six contests. – He has 11 points (6-5=11) in the last 13 games, including a three-game goal and point streak (12/3-12/7). – The winger owns 16 points (7-9=16) in the last 20 games, ranking T-3rd on the Wild in scoring since Nov. 19.
STALOCK FOR THE SAVE – Alex Stalock is 6-3-2 in his last 11 starts with a 3.13 GAA and a .900 SV%. – The 32-year-old is 8-4-2 in his last 15 starts and has made 12 of his 18 starts this season on the road. – He is 15-6-5 in a Wild sweater at Xcel Energy Center with a 2.30 GAA, a .919 SV% and one shutout in 28 games (24 starts) since 2016. Minnesota Wild:
Sheldon Keefe’s Maple Leafs can put the puck in the net. With one game remaining before the calendar turns to 2020, it’s time for the Leafs to tighten up defensively. Outscoring opponents at the midway point of the season with regularity provides excitement for Leafs Nation, but the Leafs — and this isn’t exactly a […]
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