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Thursday game preview: Toronto Maple Leafs at New York Rangers
Leafs forward Patrick Marleau has eight career goals against the Rangers.
Thursday game preview: Toronto Maple Leafs at New York Rangers | Toronto Star
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist is 15-10-5 lifetime against the Leafs. (Bruce Bennett / GETTY IMAGES)
By Kevin McGranSports Reporter
Wed., Jan. 31, 2018
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
PUCK DROP: 7 p.m.
TV: TSN4
RADIO: Sportsnet 590 The FAN
KEY PLAYERS
Lundqvist/Marleau
Henrik Lundqvist is 15-10-5, with a 2.87 goals-against average and .900 save percentage all time versus the Leafs. Lundqvist has earned a win in three of his last six appearances against Toronto, and he has allowed two goals or fewer in three of the six contests . . . Patrick Marleau leads all Leafs with eight career goals against the Rangers.
NEED TO KNOW
The Rangers are the only NHL team that has eight players with 10 or more goals this season . . . Toronto won the prior two meetings this season, 8-5 in Toronto and 3-2 in New York . . . Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello has recorded at least one point in eight of his last 10 games against the Leafs, registering 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) over the span. J.T. Miller has a six-game point streak against Toronto (five goals, four assists), including a five-game goal streak.
UP NEXT
Saturday, at Boston, 7 p.m.
Game Day: Maple Leafs at Rangers
Terry KoshanMore from Terry Koshan
Game Day: Maple Leafs at Rangers
New York Rangers center Peter Holland. (MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ/AP files)
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS at NEW YORK RANGERS
Thursday, 7 p.m., Madison Square Garden,
TV; TSN4, Radio: 590 AM
THE BIG MATCHUP
Tyler Bozak vs. Peter Holland
It’s possible that through process of elimination, Tyler Bozak will line up against Peter Holland. The latter couldn’t cut it under Mike Babcock in Toronto, and was traded to Arizona in December 2016. Holland has not done a lot since, recording 13 points in 46 NHL games after the Leafs sent him packing. You would think Holland has a bit of a chip on his shoulder, and it could be on Bozak to keep him in check.
FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Make the Papas proud
Despite playing Wednesday at home against the New York Islanders, the Leafs won’t have an excuse for not showing up. They’ve been joined on the road by their dads for the annual fathers trip, and you can bet they don’t want to hear about a bad performance from their elders. The Leafs’ 15 road wins were tied for second-most in the NHL.
2. Just like last time?
The Leafs played a sound game at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 23, as Auston Matthews returned to the lineup from a concussion and was named first star in a 3-2 Toronto victory. Though the Leafs will face a rested Rangers club that has been off since Thursday, Toronto has been okay in the second game of back-to-back sets, going 4-4-1.
3. Take your best shot
Before games on Wednesday, only the Islanders had allowed more shots on goal this season than the Leafs. And only the Islanders and Leafs had allowed more than the Rangers. The latter club’s 46.2% Corsi was lowest in the NHL, so the Leafs might have their chances if they execute in the offensive zone during five-on-five play.
4. Curtis on call
Curtis McElhinney won’t go five weeks between starts again, though it didn’t hurt him last week in Dallas, as he made 39 saves in a Leafs win in his first game since Dec. 20. Despite the rare starts, McElhinney is dialled in. In four career games versus the Rangers, he is 1-1-1 with an .894 save percentage and a 3.65 goals-against average.
5. The McLeod factor
Acquired on waivers from Nashville by the Rangers, tough guy Cody McLeod will make his New York debut. It’s possible, then, that we see the return of Matt Martin, who has sat the past three games, to the Leafs lineup. McLeod has fought six times this season and Martin five, though the two have fought each other just once in their NHL careers.
MAPLE LEAFS 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 pairs
Jake Gardiner-Nikita Zaitsev
Andreas Borgman-Connor Carrick
Travis Dermott-Justin Holl
Goaltenders
Curtis McElhinney
Frederik Andersen
RANGERS LINES
LW-C-RW
Rick Nash-Mika Zibanejad-Pavel Buchnevich
J.T. Miller-Kevin Hayes-Mats Zuccarello
Michael Grabner-Peter Holland-Jesper Fast
Cody McLeod-David Desharnais-Jimmy Vesey
Defence pairs
Ryan McDonagh-Nick Holden
Brady Skjei-Marc Staal
Brendan Smith-Anthony DeAngelo
Goaltenders
Henrik Lundqvist
Ondrej Pavelec
INJURIES
Rangers — D Kevin Shattenkirk (knee), F Chris Kreider (arm).
Maple Leafs — D Morgan Rielly (upper body), F Nikita Soshnikov (lower body).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power play
Maple Leafs: 21.0% (8th)
Rangers: 20.1% (12th)
Penalty kill
Maple Leafs: 83.2% (5th)
Rangers: 81.7% (15th)