GDT: CBJ@Leafs 7PM SN

[Budsfan]

Wednesday game preview: Columbus Blue Jackets at Toronto Maple Leafs

Columbus snapped a five-game losing streak last weekend.

Wednesday game preview: Columbus Blue Jackets at Toronto Maple Leafs | Toronto Star

Columbus forward Josh Anderson, left, mixes goal scoring with physical play. (Barbara J. Perenic / Columbus Dispatch/TNS)

By Mark ZwolinskiSports Reporter
Tues., Feb. 13, 2018

AIR CANADA CENTRE
PUCK DROP: 7 p.m.
TV: Sportsnet
RADIO: Sportsnet 590 The FAN
KEY PLAYERS
Anderson/van Riemsdyk
James van Riemsdyk is having a strong season in his contract year and is second on the team in goals (23). Josh Anderson leads the Jackets with 17. The six-foot-three, 219-pounder was moved off the top line six games ago and placed on a bruising, third line with Brandon Dubinsky and Boone Jenner. Anderson has 103 hits in 53 games, and has also absorbed 72 hits, so the Leafs know he’s going to be physical.
NEED TO KNOW
Columbus defeated the Devils 6-1 Saturday night to snap a season-high five-game losing streak. The Jackets scored more than four goals for just the third time 16 games . . . They entered their game Tuesday against the Islanders one point out of a wild card berth . . . Columbus will be wrapping up its 14th back-to-back set when it faces the Leafs; the Jackets are 6-6-1 in the second games . . . There’s a possibility defenceman Ryan Murray could come off the IR (upper body injury). He was cleared for full contact practice on Monday.
UP NEXT
Saturday, at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Game Day: Blue Jackets at Maple Leafs
Lance HornbyMore from Lance Hornby

Game Day: Blue Jackets at Maple Leafs

Artemi Panarin of the Columbus Blue Jackets. (JEFFREY T. BARNES/AP)

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS at TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Wednesday, 7 P.M., Air Canada Centre
TV: Sportsnet; Radio: 590 AM
THE BIG MATCHUP
RW Artemi Panarin vs. RW William Nylander
Panarin had six points in his past six games prior to facing the Islanders and had nine points against Toronto in six. Of the young guns leading the Leafs attack of late, Nylander has looked the most dangerous.
FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME
HOME COOKING
The Leafs have a chance at sweeping their five-game home stand and have the added advantage of facing Columbus on the end of a back-to-back after the Blue Jackets faced the Islanders on Tuesday.
SHOOTING GALLERY
Yes the Leafs can generate offence, but the past four games prior to Tuesday have seen the Jackets get 175 shots on net. That’s an average of 43.8 and the most in a four game span in Jackets history.
OHIO EXPRESS
The Leafs have yet to beat John Tortorella’s team this season, with a 4-2 loss and 3-2 overtime defeat in a three-week span before and after Christmas. The Jackets often turn to backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo against Toronto.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
The Leafs and Jackets rank 1-2 in the Eastern Conference in one-goal victories with 17 and 16 respectively.
POWER PLAY ANEMIA
The Jackets can’t have any serious thoughts of making a playoff push with the league’s worst power play. It was running 9-for-73 on the road before Monday.

BLUE JACKETS GAME DAY LINES
LW C RW
Artemi Panarin Pierre-Luc Dubois Cam Atkinson
Nick Foligno Alexander Wennberg Oliver Bjorkstrand
Boone Jenner Brandon Dubinsky Josh Anderson
Matt Calvert Jussi Jokinen Markus Hannikainen
DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Zach Werenski Seth Jones
Jack Johnson Markus Nutivaara
Scott Harrington David Savard
GOALIES
Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Karpisalo
SICK BAY
F Sonny Milano
F Ryan Murray
MAPLE LEAFS GAME DAY LINES
LW C RW
Zach Hyman Auston Matthews William Nylander
James van Riemsdyk Tyler Bozak Connor Brown
Patrick Marleau Nazem Kadri Mitch Marner
Leo Komarov Dominic Moore Kasperi Kapanen
DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Jake Gardiner Nikita Zaitsev
Morgan Rielly Ron Hainsey
Travis Dermott Connor Carrick/Roman Polak
GOALIES
Frederik Andersen
Curtis McElhinney
SICK BAY
F Nikita Soshnikov
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power Play
Toronto 20.5% (14th)
Columbus 14.0% (31st)
Penalty Killing
Toronto 83.0% (6th)
Columbus 75.3% (27th)

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[Warden of the North]

Win. We need to beat this team. Im sick of losing to them

 

[Budsfan]

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

We always seem to lose vs Columbus. Can we beat them for once? Also if someone wanted to take a healthy run at Foligno that’d be great.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

Make it 5 in a row tonight boys. GLG

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Let’s Go !!!!

 

[Budsfan]

 

[HamiltonNHL]

I really would love to see Dermott have a great game. I’m going to watch him tonight.

 

[Mugzy97]

Valentine's bowl

 

[Budsfan]

Babcock has memories under MLG roof
Lance HornbyMore from Lance Hornby

Babcock has memories under MLG roof

GOING FOR FIVE
Babcock didn’t hint at any changes with Tuesday’s practice lines as Toronto goes for a fifth straight home win Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“What’s unique about it right now is that we have four lines that can really contribute,” Babcock said. “The more you have going … with 82 (game) nights, everyone isn’t going to be at their best. It’s just impossible … but the more quality players you have, the more chance you can pick one another up. That’s a big part of what we have going on now.”
LEO ON THE MOVE
As he said he would do when he moved winger Leo Komarov from the third line down to the fourth, Babcock has made up some of his lost ice time with some special assignments on other units.
“If we’re ahead, I do that,” Babcock said. “There is no one better getting the puck out, getting the puck off the wall and forechecking.
“I noticed today that Leo was on the fourth line (in Toronto’s win over Tampa Bay on Monday), but played almost 15 minutes. It’s been able to get us much more balance.”

 

[ToneDog]

Maybe the Jackets can leave Jenner behind and take Bozak with them

 

[ACC1224]

Valentine's bowl

Toughest game of the year to sell and it seems the Leafs always play at home on this day.

Any chance we get Beyak calling the game again tonight?

 

[ToneDog]

Dermott's confidence grows with each game. With that confidence he seems to take more chances offensively. IMO it would be wise to concentrates more on D and not risk getting caught and irking the coach. Like Matthews he has the least amount of difficulty getting the puck out of our zone. And those edges. Now know why they refer to him as an "ankle breaker".

 

[rojac]

Toughest game of the year to sell and it seems the Leafs always play at home on this day.

Any chance we get Beyak calling the game again tonight?

Given that the game is on Sportsnet and Beyak works for TSN, I'd say no.

 

[Tall Morty]

Not sure if I'll be able to watch tonight, but hoping for a strong showing. Should be a decent game.

 

[ACC1224]

Given that the game is on Sportsnet and Beyak works for TSN, I'd say no.

Thanks, who keeps track of such things?

 

[Phion Keneuf]

Going to the game. Hopefully we can beat CBJ for once.

 

[Daisy Jane]

get a point, don't get hurt

 

[tom leafers]

The leafs better be pissed about blowing that two goal lead to Columbus back in January. With Columbus on the second of a B2B there shouldnt be any excuses.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Win. We need to beat this team. Im sick of losing to them

Yup. If we want to be the best, there should be no team that "we have trouble with" or that "we match up poorly with".

Dermott's confidence grows with each game. With that confidence he seems to take more chances offensively. IMO it would be wise to concentrates more on D and not risk getting caught and irking the coach. Like Matthews he has the least amount of difficulty getting the puck out of our zone. And those edges. Now know why they refer to him as an "ankle breaker".

It's hard for me to express how much I love Dermott. Since he arrived we're like a new team. Not saying he's the reason for it all but he is a huge part of it.

get a point, don't get hurt

Screw the point. We're on such a roll right now and #1 overall is withing reach. Two points is the goal, preferably in regulation. Why should we stop winning now?

The leafs better be pissed about blowing that two goal lead to Columbus back in January. With Columbus on the second of a B2B there shouldnt be any excuses.

Yup. There is no reason we can't win this game.

Look at the standings people. Maybe this hot streak ends tonight but maybe we're just starting to put it all together. If we keep playing the way we have been then #1 overall is within reach. Let's set the bar high and join the upper echelon!

 

[Mugzy97]

Yup. If we want to be the best, there should be no team that "we have trouble with" or that "we match up poorly with".

Most of the time this is a myth that was created because of our poor record over several years while our team was garbage. Soon other teams will be saying that they don't match up well against the leafs.

 

[ToneDog]

Yup. If we want to be the best, there should be no team that "we have trouble with" or that "we match up poorly with".



It's hard for me to express how much I love Dermott. Since he arrived we're like a new team. Not saying he's the reason for it all but he is a huge part of it.



Screw the point. We're on such a roll right now and #1 overall is withing reach. Two points is the goal, preferably in regulation. Why should we stop winning now?



Yup. There is no reason we can't win this game.

Look at the standings people. Maybe this hot streak ends tonight but maybe we're just starting to put it all together. If we keep playing the way we have been then #1 overall is within reach. Let's set the bar high and join the upper echelon!

The team is putting pressure on Lou to strengthen the team at the TDL

 

[Macallan18]

interested in watching Dubois play. Interesting how Columbus was excorciated for that pick, doesn't look quite as off the wall now.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Most of the time this is a myth that was created because of our poor record over several years while our team was garbage. Soon other teams will be saying that they don't match up well against the leafs.

Could be. Though I have to admit, NSH was scary. If there's one team I'd rather not face it's probably them.

The team is putting pressure on Lou to strengthen the team at the TDL

Or maybe the team is sending the message that you know what, we're just fine the way we are.

 

[egd27]

Thanks, who keeps track of such things?

Those that get bent out of shape over Hughson & Romanuk?