Game Day Set-Up: Maple Leafs @ Jets

When: Saturday, January 3, 2015

Time: 6:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (19-12-7, 45 points, 8th in West), Toronto Maple Leafs (21-15-3, 45 points, 7th in East)

Television/Radio: CBC, NHLN-US/ TSN 1290 Radio

On the Horizon: Monday, January 5th at home against the San Jose Sharks (7:00 p.m. CST).

Last Game: 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders

Top Scorers:

Winnipeg Jets: Andrew Ladd (14 goals, 15 assists, 29 points), Blake Wheeler (11 goals, 17 assists, 28 points), Bryan Little (14 goals, 13 assists, 27 points), Dustin Byfuglien (8 goals, 12 assists, 20 points), Michael Frolik (8 goals, 11 assists, 19 points)

Toronto Maple Leafs: Phil Kessel (18 goals, 23 assists, 41 points), James van Riemsdyk (17 goals, 19 assists, 36 points), Tyler Bozak (13 goals, 17 assists, 30 points), Mike Santorelli (8 goals, 16 assists, 24 points), Nazem Kadri (11 goals, 13 assists, 24 points)

Game Day Notes:

– The Jets have lost two games in a row and are 5-3-2 in their last 10 games.

– Jets Home Record: 8-8-3.

– The Maple Leafs are 4-6-0 in their last 10 games. This is the last game of a seven game road trip for Toronto. Toronto is 2-4 on the current road trip and lost to the Minnesota Wild by a score of 3-1 last night.

– This is the first of two meetings between the Jets and Maple Leafs this year. The Jets will play the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Saturday, February 21st.

– According to Paul Wiecek of the Winnipeg Free Press, Michael Hutchinson is expected to start in net for the Jets tonight. In 15 games this season, Hutchinson has a record of 9-3-2 with a 1.87 Goals Against Average and .937 Save Percentage. Hutchinson has allowed six goals in his last two starts.

– Red Hot: Jets forward Mathieu Perreault has six goals and four assists in his last 10 games. Jets forward Andrew Ladd has three goals and three assists in his last four games.

– Jets forward Blake Wheeler enters tonight’s game on a four game points streak (two goals, three assists)

– The Maple Leafs average 3.23 goals for/game, 1st in the NHL.

– The Maple Leafs average 2.97 goals against/game, 25th in NHL.

– Toronto is 16-3-0 when they score first.

– James Reimer will start in net for the Maple Leafs tonight. In 15 games this season, Reimer has a record of 6-6-0 with a 3.39 Goals Against Average and .905 Save Percentage.

– As per the Toronto Maple Leafs PR Department, forward Nazem Kadri (lower body) will not play tonight versus the Jets. Kadri did not play last night versus Minnesota. The injury may have occurred after a hit from Kevin Millar of the Boston Bruins during their game on Wednesday night. According to Jonas Siegel of TSN 1050 Radio, Kadri will be out 7-10 days.

– Maple Leafs forward Joffrey Lupul was placed on Injured Reserve on Thursday after suffering a lower body injury against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night. Lupul has 17 points (9 goals, 8 assists) in 26 games for Toronto this season. According to Siegel, Lupul will be out for four weeks.

– Toronto forward Peter Holland (upper body) also missed last night’s game versus Minnesota and will not play tonight. According to Siegel, Holland is week-to-week.

– Forward Greg McKegg will play his second consecutive game for the Leafs tonight. It is only his third career NHL game. The 22-year-old has seven goals and eight assists in 23 games for the Toronto Marlies (AHL) this year. McKegg was drafted by Toronto in 2010 (3rd round, 62nd overall).

– Milestone Watch: Jets defenseman Paul Postma needs to play 4 more games to reach 100 career games played.

– The Jets average 14.1 penalty minutes/game, 2nd most in the NHL.

– Defenseman Dion Phaneuf leads all Maple Leafs in ice time, averaging 23:26 of ice time per game.

– Maple Leafs Top Face-off Guy: Tyler Bozak (53.0%)

– Jets Top Face-off Guy: Jim Slater (56.2%)

– Who’s Under the Microscope for Toronto: Phil Kessel. Kessel is one of the top scorers in the league and shutting him down will be a priority for the Jets.

– Who’s Under the Microscope for Winnipeg: Michael Hutchinson. Hutchinson did not play particularly well (or poorly either) against Minnesota in his last start.

Special Teams Breakdown:

– Toronto PP (20.6%, 9th in NHL), Toronto PK (82.7%, 12th in NHL)

– Winnipeg PP (16.8%, 22nd in NHL), Winnipeg PK (84.7%, 8th in NHL)

Projected Winnipeg Jets Line Combinations:

Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Blake Wheeler
Mathieu Perreault- Mark Scheifele- Michael Frolik
TJ Galiardi- Adam Lowry-Matt Halischuk
Chris Thorburn- Jim Slater- Anthony Peluso

Ben Chiarot- Dustin Byfuglien
Adam Pardy- Paul Postma
Jay Harrison- Grant Clitsome

Michael Hutchinson
Ondrej Pavelec

Healthy Scratches: Julien Brouillette, Patrice Cormier

Projected Toronto Maple Leafs Line Combinations:

Leo Khomarov- Tyler Bozak- Phil Kessel
James van Riemsdyk- Trevor Smith-  Mike Santorelli
Richard Panik- Greg McKegg- David Clarkson
David Booth- Daniel Winnik- Carter Ashton

Dion Phaneuf- Cody Franson
Morgan Rielly- Roman Polak
Jake Gardiner-Korbinian Holzer

James Reimer
Jonathan Bernier

Healthy Scratches: Stephane Robidas

Injury Report:

Toronto Maple Leafs: Peter Holland (upper body), Nazem Kadri (undisclosed), Joffrey Lupul (IR, lower body)

Winnipeg Jets:  Tobias Enstrom (lower body, IR), Zach Bogosian (lower body), Jacob Trouba (upper body, IR), Mark Stuart (lower body), Evander Kane (lower body)