When: Saturday, February 21, 2015
Time: 6:00 p.m. CST
Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Records: Winnipeg Jets (30-20-10, 70 points, 5th in West), Toronto Maple Leafs (23-31-5, 51 points, 14th in East)
Television/Radio: CBC/ TSN 1290 Radio
On the Horizon: Tuesday, February 24th at home against the Dallas Stars (7:00 p.m. CST)
Last Game: 5-1 loss to the Washington Capitals
Top Scorers:
Winnipeg Jets: Bryan Little (23 goals, 26 assists, 49 points), Andrew Ladd (20 goals, 28 assists, 48 points), Blake Wheeler (16 goals, 28 assists, 44 points), Dustin Byfuglien (14 goals, 26 assists, 40 points), Mathieu Perreault (18 goals, 18 assists, 36 points)
Toronto Maple Leafs: Phil Kessel (22 goals, 26 assists, 48 points), James van Riemsdyk (21 goals, 23 assists, 44 points), Tyler Bozak (16 goals, 21 assists, 37 points), Nazem Kadri (14 goals, 18 assists, 32 points), Daniel Winnik (6 goals, 17 assists, 23 points)
Game Day Notes:
– This is Game 2 of a two game road trip for Winnipeg. The Jets are 4-4-2 in their last 10 games.
– Jets Road Record: 15-10-4
– The Jets are 21-9-5 this season when they score the first goal of a game.
– The Jets have taken 290 minor penalties this season, by far the most in the NHL. Pittsburgh is next with 45 less minor penalties.
– Five of the last eight games for the Jets have gone to overtime (3-2)
– Toronto’s Home Record: 16-13-0
– Since Peter Horachek took over as Head Coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs for Randy Carlyle, they have lost 17 of 19 games.
– Toronto forward Phil Kessel has seven points (four goals, three assists) over the last 18 games.
– This stat courtesy of Tim Campbell of the Winnipeg Free Press: Since the All Star Break (12 games), Winnipeg has allowed 17 goals on 50 power plays (66%).
– This is the second of two meetings between the Jets and Maple Leafs this year. The Jets defeated Toronto 5-1 in Winnipeg back on January 3rd.
– Michael Hutchinson is expected to start in goal for the Jets tonight. In 28 games this season, Hutchinson has a record of 17-7-3 with a .920 save percentage and 2.30 Goals Against Average.
– Jonathan Bernier is expected to start in net for the Maple Leafs tonight. In 40 games this season, Bernier has a record of 16-18-5 with a .914 save percentage and 2.72 Goals Against Average.
– According to Jonas Siegel of TSN 1050 Radio, Joffrey Lupul (knee) will return to the line-up tonight. Brandon Kozun, who scored his first career NHL goal, will come out of the line-up for Kozun.
– According to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun, based on the morning skate, Dustin Byfuglien will play forward tonight on the 2nd line with Mark Scheifele and Drew Stafford. Andrew Ladd did not take the game day skate with TJ Galiardi in his place on the 1st line but it is expected Ladd will still play on the 1st line tonight and Galiardi will play on the 4th line. Carl Klingberg also practised on the 4th line so he might be an option for tonight.
– Red Hot for Winnipeg: Andrew Ladd is on a three game points streak (two goals, one assist)
– Ice Cold: Adam Lowry has no points in the last 10 games.
– Milestone Watch: Bryan Little needs five more assists to reach 200 career assists.
– The Maple Leafs average 2.71 goals for/game, 18th in the NHL. The Jets average 2.67 goals for/game, 19th in the NHL.
– The Maple Leafs average 3.00 goals against/game, 25th in the NHL. The Jets average 2.63 goals against/game, 17th in the NHL.
– Defenseman Dion Phaneuf leads all Maple Leafs in ice time, averaging 23:05 of ice time per game.
– Maple Leafs Top Face-off Guy: Tyler Bozak (51.2%)
– Jets Top Face-off Guy: Jim Slater (56.5%)
Special Teams Breakdown:
– Toronto PP (19.0%, 11th in NHL), Toronto PK (82.7%, 11th in NHL)
– Winnipeg PP (18.0%, 16th in NHL), Winnipeg PK (80.2%, 19th in NHL)
Projected Winnipeg Jets Line Combinations:
Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Blake Wheeler
Dustin Byfuglien- Mark Scheifele- Drew Stafford
Chris Thorburn- Adam Lowry- Michael Frolik
Carl Klingberg/TJ Galiardi- Jim Slater- Anthony Peluso
Tobias Enstrom- Tyler Myers
Mark Stuart- Jacob Trouba
Ben Chiarot- Adam Pardy
Michael Hutchinson
Ondrej Pavelec
Healthy Scratches: Paul Postma, TJ Galiardi/Carl Klingberg
Projected Toronto Maple Leafs Line Combinations:
James van Riemsdyk- Tyler Bozak- Phil Kessel
Daniel Winnik- Nazem Kadri- Richard Panik
Leo Komarov- Olli Jokinen- David Clarkson
David Booth- Peter Holland- Joffrey Lupul
Morgan Rielly- Roman Polak
Jake Gardiner- Korbinian Holzer
Stephane Robidas- Petter Granberg
Jonathan Bernier
James Reimer
Healthy Scratches: Brandon Kozun
Injury Report:
Toronto Maple Leafs: Dion Phaneuf (hand), Trevor Smith (lower body)
Winnipeg Jets: Grant Clitsome (back surgery, indefinitely), Matt Halischuk (lower body, Injured Reserve), Mathieu Perreault (IR, lower body)