The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the road to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at Scotiabank Arena.
The Maple Leafs come into this game sitting at 9-9-2 with 20 points. They've gone 4-5-1 in their last 10 and are 1-4-1 in their last 6 games. Not exactly what you expect to see out of the Maple Leafs, but then again, this entire season has been wacky around the league. They also currently sit 7th in the Atlantic Division and 15th in the East. I know, mind blown right?
Everyone knew when Mitch Marner bolted for Vegas that they'd have a tough time replacing those 100 points, but I don't think anyone expected this. There are some mitigating circumstances though. Auston Matthews, Scott Laughton, Chris Tanev, Brandon Carlo, and Anthony Stolarz are all on IR, with Matthew Knies and Nicolas Roy also out. This is not an ideal situation for a team always expected to compete for a Stanley Cup.
With all that being said, the Blue Jackets won't feel sorry for them, as they're dealing with injuries of their own. The Blue Jackets have historically played well in Toronto and will be looking to get back to winning and earn some points in this wacky Eastern Conference.
The CBJ currently sits 5th in the Metro, 10th in the East, and 20th in the league.
Blue Jackets Stats
- Power Play - 17.4% - 22nd in NHL
- Penalty Kill - 72.0% - 28th in NHL
- Goals For - 59 - 18th in NHL
- Goals Against - 64 - 23rd in NHL
Maple Leafs Stats
- Power Play - 15.1% - 28th in NHL
- Penalty Kill - 78.3% - 20th in NHL
- Goals For - 70 - 2nd in NHL
- Goals Against - 74 - 30th in NHL
Series History vs. The Maple Leafs
- Columbus is 22-20-1 all-time, and 12-9-1 on the road vs. Toronto.
- The Jackets are 5-2 in the last 7 against the Maple Leafs, and have scored 5-plus goals in every win.
- The Blue Jackets are 12-6 inside Scotiabank Arena in the last 18 games.
- The CBJ went 2-1 vs. the Leafs last season.
Who To Watch For TheMaple Leafs
- John Tavares leads the Leafs with 11 goals.
- William Nylander leads the team with 18 assists and 27 points.
- Goalie Joseph Woll is 1-1 with a SV% of .934. He last played on November 18 and won.
- Dennis Hildeby is 2-0-2 with a SV% of .904.
CBJ Player Notes vs.Maple Leafs
- Zach Werenski has 17 points in 18 career games against Toronto.
- Charlie Coyle has 25 points in 31 games.
- Sean Monahan has 18 points in 29 games vs. the Maple Leafs.
- Mathieu Olivier has 8 points in 6 games.
Injuries
- Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 12 games - IR
- Boone Jenner - Upper Body - Missed 4 Games - IR
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 28
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 93.3 The Bus, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
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