x

Already member? Login first!

Comments / New

Game #21 Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets at Toronto Maple Leafs

Columbus Blue Jackets at Toronto Maple Leafs
Monday, November 19, 2018 – 7:00 EST
Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario
TV: Fox Sports Ohio – Radio: 97.1 WBNS FM
Opponent’s Blog: Pension Plan Puppets

Columbus Blue Jackets, 12-6-2, 26 points, 1st Metro, 3rd East
@
Toronto Maple Leafs, 14-6-0, 28 points, 2nd Atlantic, 2nd East

The Columbus Blue Jackets enter the Air Canada Centre to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs riding a hot streak, going 5-0-2 in their last seven games. The Blue Jackets lead the Metropolitan Division and are finding ways to get results, both by scoring goals to pick up goaltenders as well as the return of in-form Sergei Bobrovsky (4-0-0, four goals allowed in his last four games).

They will match up against the high-flying Maple Leafs, second in the Eastern Conference and riding their own hot streak as they recently swept their California road trip. The Maple Leafs have struggled at home (just 5-5-0 at the Air Canada Centre) while they have gone an astounding 9-1-0 on the road.

Player to Watch

John Tavares

The prized free agent signing of last summer has impressed in his return to Toronto, registering 12-11-23 in his first 20 games in a Maple Leafs uniform. Tavares has carried the first line center load for the Leafs, averaging 19:12 TOI per night and scoring three game winning goals already this season. Tavares has six points in his last five games including a 1-2-3 effort against the Los Angeles Kings.

Shutting down Tavares will be a key tonight if the Blue Jackets want to have a chance against the Leafs.

Jackets Notes

Nick Foligno joined the team in Toronto after missing the Carolina Hurricanes game for a personal matter. He is expected to play tonight … Sergei Bobrovsky has posted four straight games with a SV% of greater than .960 … Since his return from a broken foot, Cam Atkinson has registered 30-23-53 in 52 regular season games played.

The Other Bench

Auston Matthews will miss the game tonight with an injury, and William Nylander is still holding out … Nylander has until December 1 to report to the Maple Leafs before he is ineligible to play this season … The Maple Leafs are a bottom half CF% team, yet top five in goals against, limiting teams chances against their net.

Season Series

11/19/2018 CBJ @ TOR
11/23/2018 TOR @ CBJ
12/28/2018 TOR @ CBJ

Stats

Toronto Columbus
3.50 (4) GPG 3.45 (5)
2.55 (5) GAPG 3.10 (17)
25.9% (6) PP% 16.4% (23)
81.2% (7) PK% 77.6% (21)
49.54% (18) EV Corsi % 49.10% (21)
1.031 (2) EV PDO 1.016 (6)
John Tavares, 12 G Leader Cam Atkinson, 12
Mitch Marner, 20 A Leader Artemi Panarin, 16
Mitch Marner, 26 P Leader Artemi Panarin, 21
Nazem Kadri, 14 PIM Leader Pierre-Luc Dubois, 30
5-5-0 Home / Road 7-2-1
7-3-0 Last 10 6-2-2

Projected Lineups

Artemi Panarin Pierre-Luc Dubois Cam Atkinson
Nick Foligno Boone Jenner Josh Anderson
Brandon Dubinsky Alexander Wennberg Anthony Duclair
Markus Hannikainen Riley Nash Oliver Bjorkstrand
Ryan Murray Seth Jones
Markus Nutivaara David Savard
Zach Werenski Scott Harrington
Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Korpisalo
Zach Hyman John Tavares Mitch Marner
Patrick Marleau Nazem Kadri Kasperi Kapanen
Andreas Johnsson Par Lindholm Connor Brown
Tyler Ennius Frederik Gauthier John Leivo
Morgan Reilly Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner Nikita Zaitsev
Travis Dermott Igor Ozhiganov
Frederik Andersen
Garrett Sparks