Surging Jackets host up-and-coming Leafs
While the Columbus Blue Jackets have punched their ticket to the postseason for just the third time, the Toronto Maple Leafs are still searching for a rare playoff spot.
Looking for their fifth win in a row, the surging Blue Jackets take on the up-and-coming yet inconsistent Maple Leafs on Wednesday night at Nationwide Arena.
Columbus (47-18-6) reached 100 points for the first time and is headed to the postseason after defeating the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Sunday behind 35 saves from Sergei Bobrovsky and two goals from Boone Jenner.
"It's just the start of things for us, the start of our new road," Matt Calvert told the Blue Jackets' official website. "We've got to finish out the regular season hard and prepare ourselves for the playoffs now."
The Blue Jackets, winners in eight of 10 games this month, are battling the Washington Capitals for the Eastern Conference lead. They will meet two more times, including Thursday night in the nation's capital.
In their only previous matchup with Toronto this season, the Blue Jackets came away with a 5-2 on Feb. 15 in Columbus, putting John Tortorella's club in position for its first four-game winning streak over the Maple Leafs.
Columbus is among a handful of teams averaging more than three goals per game. Jenner, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Cam Atkinson and Sam Gagner are tied for the team lead with four goals while Zach Werenski has a team-high seven assists and nine points this month.
The Jackets' defense, led by Bobrovsky, is more impressive.
Bobrovsky is 7-0-0 with a 1.14 goals-against average, a .963 save percentage and three consecutive shutouts in March. He's stopped 211 of his last 219 shots faced, and needs one win to reach 40 for the first time in his seven NHL seasons.
"You see it all the time that the teams that win and teams that go far in the playoffs get unbelievable goaltending," teammate Brandon Dubinsky told the team's website. "He's our most important player. He's going to be leaned on a lot, and if he can stand tall the way he has so far I really like our chances to make a good run."
Backup Joonas Korpisalo defeated the Maple Leafs last month, and is 2-0-0 with a 1.00 GAA and a shutout at home.
While Columbus' playoff spot is secure, the same cannot yet be said for Toronto (33-23-15), which has been to the playoffs once since 2004.
After a 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Monday to complete a rare season-series sweep, the Maple Leafs trail the third-place Bruins by one point in the Atlantic Division with a game in hand.
"We've gotten better as the year's gone on," Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly said. "When you come down the stretch and you play these important games late in the season you learn a lot. This is where you learn how to win."
But with less than three weeks to play in the regular season, Toronto needs to figure out how to win on the road consistently. The club is 4-7-2 and has failed to win back-to-back games in its last 13 away from home.
"Where there's more on the line, they're more fun to play, they're more satisfying when you win, and they crush you when you lose," defenseman Brian Boyle told the Toronto Star.
Boyle was acquired before the trade deadline to lend an additional veteran presence to a team loaded with rookies. Top overall pick Auston Matthews is second among rookies in goals (32) and points (57) behind Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets. Mitch Marner (56) and William Nylander (52) are third and fourth, respectively, in the rookie scoring race.
Nylander has been the hottest of the three lately with two goals and six assists in an eight-game points streak.