The Toronto Maple Leafs (19-5-6, 44 points, 2nd Atlantic) pay a visit to Madison Square Garden on Thursday to play the New York Rangers (15-10-5, 36 points, 5th Metro). Toronto has won each of its last four after defeating the Anaheim Ducks 7-0 on Tuesday night. The Maple Leafs have won 9 of the last 10 and are just three points behind first place Boston. New York has won four straight after defeating the New Jersey Devils 4-3 in overtime on Monday night. New York is nine points behind first-place New Jersey. Toronto will play without Jordie Benn, Kyle Clifford, Kelly Jarnkrok, Morgan Rielly and Victor Mete amongst others. New York does not have any players listed on its injury report.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are allowing an average of just 2.30 goals per game which is third best in hockey. The Maple Leafs are allowing an average of 29.4 shots per game which is sixth in the NHL and Toronto has a solid penalty kill unit that is holding opponents scoreless 79.8% of time Toronto is short-handed. Toronto's strength at its own end of the ice begins with goalies Ilya Samsonov and Matt Murray. Samsonov is 9-2-0 with a 1.70 goals-against average and .939 save percentage, while Murray is 7-1-2 with a 2.50 goals-against average in .926 a percentage. Samsonov has appeared in 11 games and Murray has appeared in 10.
Toronto is also getting it done on attack, as the Maple Leafs are scoring an average of 3.33 goals per game which is 10th best in the NHL. The Maple Leafs are averaging 31.2 shots per game which is 18th and Toronto as the eighth best power play, scoring 25.3% of the time with the man advantage. William Nylander is the leading goal scorer for Toronto with 17, while Auston Matthews has scored 15 and John Tavares has scored 14. Mitchell Marner has a team-best 25 assists, while Matthews is second with 20 assists. Marner is the points leader with 37 and Matthews is second with 35. Toronto has scored 24 power play goals in 30 games.