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Thursday game preview: New York Islanders at Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs are 16-6-2 when James van Riemsdyk scores this season.
Thursday game preview: New York Islanders at Toronto Maple Leafs | Toronto Star
John Tavares leads the Islanders with 64 points. (Rene Johnston / Toronto Star)
By Kevin McGranSports Reporter
Wed., Feb. 21, 2018
AIR CANADA CENTRE
PUCK DROP: 7 p.m.
TV: TSN 4
RADIO: Sportsnet 590 The FAN
KEY PLAYERS
Tavares/van Riemsdyk
John Tavares and Anders Lee share the lead for the Islanders with 30 goals apiece; Tavares leads in points with 64. James van Riemsdyk has points (two goals, one assist) in three consecutive games, and the Leafs are 16-6-2 when he scores a goal this season.
NEED TO KNOW
The Islanders are 4-6-1 since the all-star break and treading water in the playoff race. They haven’t won three games in a row since mid-January . . . The Leafs beat the Islanders 5-0 in Toronto the last time the two teams met . . . The Islanders’ power play is seventh in the NHL, at 21.5 per cent, but their penalty kill is 30th (74.0 per cent) . . . New York placed goaltender Thomas Greiss on injured reserve and recalled former Leaf Christopher Gibson from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League on Monday. Other injured Islanders: Nikolay Kulemin (upper body), Calvin de Haan (upper body), Scott Mayfield (lower body).
UP NEXT
Saturday, vs. Boston, 7 p.m.
Game Day: Islanders at Maple Leafs
Lance HornbyMore from Lance Hornby
Game Day: Islanders at Maple Leafs
NY ISLANDERS at TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Thursday, 7 p.m., Air Canada Centre
TV: TSN4; Radio: 590 AM
THE BIG MATCHUP
LW James van Riemsdyk vs. Islanders defence
JVR is hot, but he’s not just tipping pucks and jamming in front-porch rebounds. The 25-goal man is now scoring a couple from the outer limits and that could mess up the Isles’ coverage. After a bad stretch of allowing 30 goals in seven games in late January/early February, the Isles had two shutouts, then were beaten 5-3 Monday by Minnesota.
FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME
A lack of net options
Goalie Thomas Greiss was playing well, until a lower body injury sent him to injured reserve. Jaroslav Halak is no stranger to the ACC and has a record of 8-3-3 against Toronto with a .909 save percentage against them.
Playoffs in peril
The Leafs are winning, they just can’t seem to gain on the Lightning and Bruins. But New York has no such cushion, already forced in playoff mode with 21 games to go, presently out of the top eight in the Eastern Conference and in a dog fight with a slew of teams. They’ll be dialled in early — and in a bad mood after losing 5-0 here three weeks ago.
Brick wall on Bay
Freddy Andersen is coming off his fifth shutout and 30th win, and seeking his 18th victory on home ice as he chases the Leafs’ single-season record of 22.
No give
These are two of the NHL’s worst teams in terms of giveaways. Toronto was better on Tuesday, keeping it to eight, with the defence accounting for seven. Travis Dermott’s arrival has helped.
One-goal wonders
If the Leafs are up one in the third, you can (almost) take it to the bank. They lead the NHL with 19 one-goal victories.
SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY
Toronto 20.0% (18th)
NY Islanders 21.5% (8th)
PENALTY KILL
Toronto 83.0% (4th)
NY Islanders 74.0% (30th)
ISLANDERS GAME DAY LINES
LW C RW
Anders Lee John Tavares Josh Bailey
Anthony Beauvillier Mathew Barzal Jordan Eberle
Andrew Ladd Brock Nelson Tanner Fritz
Ross Johnston Casey Cizikas Cal Clutterbuck
DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Nick Leddy Johnny Boychuk
Thomas Hickey Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech Sebastian Aho
GOALIES
Jaroslav Halak
Christopher Gibson
SICK BAY
G Thomas Greiss
D Calvin De Haan
LW Shane Prince
RW Nikolai Kulemin
LEAFS GAME DAY LINES
LW C RW
Zach Hyman Auston Matthews William Nylander
Patrick Marleau Nazem Kadri Mitch Marner
James van Riemsdyk Tyler Bozak Connor Brown
Leo Komarov Dominic Moore Kasperi Kapanen
DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Jake Gardiner Nikita Zaitsev
Morgan Rielly Ron Hainsey
Travis Dermott Connor Carrick/Roman Polak
GOALIES
Frederik Andersen
Curtis McElhinney
Sick Bay
No injuries