PREMIUM
Rogers' ICE BREAKER *SPECIAL* >> Only $25! 19-8 L27 NHL Sides!
(NHL) Toronto vs. Arizona,
Money Line: -182.00 Toronto (Away)
Result: Win
Money Line: -182.00 Toronto (Away)
Result: Win
The set-up: The Toronto Maple Leafs continue their five-game road trip Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes. Toronto (22-14-1) had lost four straight in opposing rinks before posting a 3-2 victory over the Rangers in New York on Saturday. Auston Matthews scored the winning goal and added an assist, after missing six games with a concussion as the Maple Leafs improved to 1-1-0 on their current trip. The 9-25-5 Coyotes are coming off their second win in three games, a 3-1 triumph at Colorado on Wednesday that earned them a split of the home-and-home set. Arizona is looking to complete a sweep of the season series, after posting a 4-1 victory at Toronto on Nov. 20 .
Toronto: William Nylander (7 goals & 18 assits) also registered a goal and an assist against New York, giving him two of each during his three-game point streak. Center Mitch Marner (4 goals and 22 assists) also is riding a three-game point streak during which he has recorded two goals and four assists. James van Riemsdyk leads the team with 16 goals but has recorded just one in his last five contests. However, the bottom line is, the Maple Leafs need Matthewsz in the lineup. He has missed 10 games this season, first with a probable back injury and most recently with concussion symptoms. The difference he makes was readily apparent Saturday night when he notched a goal and an assist as the Leafs snapped a four-game road losing streak with a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers. Despite the limited playing time, he still has 14 goals and 14 assists in 27 games. "I feel good," said Matthews. "I don't think it (the concussion) is really something you talk about every day but I feel good and back to normal. It's in the past now."
Arizona:Cllayton Keller (13 goals & 17 assists) enters Thursday with a six-game point streak after notching an assist against the Avalanche. The 19-year-old rookie, who leads Arizona with 30 points, has collected two goals and five assists - one in each of his last five contests - during his run. Lawson Crouse, who was recalled from Tucson of the American Hockey League a day earlier, scored his first goal of the season on Wednesday after going seven games without a point during a stint with the Coyotes in October. Head coach Rick Tocchet fields a young team and the results have been decidedly mixed. Arizona endured a seven-game losing streak encompassing the first three weeks of December but have won two of their past three, including a 3-1 road victory over Colorado last night, five days after being routed by the Avalanche 6-2 at home.
The pick: Toronto, which sits second behind Tampa Bay in the Atlantic Division with 45 points (although the Lightning have 54!) and has spent much of the month of December on the road, playing seven of 10 games away from the Air Canada Centre. Can Toronto win consecutive games away from home for the first time since the end of November? Why not, the Coyotes played (and won) last night and are looking for their first win of the season in the second of back-to-back games, having posted an 0-5-1 mark thus far. make Toronto an 8* play.
Toronto: William Nylander (7 goals & 18 assits) also registered a goal and an assist against New York, giving him two of each during his three-game point streak. Center Mitch Marner (4 goals and 22 assists) also is riding a three-game point streak during which he has recorded two goals and four assists. James van Riemsdyk leads the team with 16 goals but has recorded just one in his last five contests. However, the bottom line is, the Maple Leafs need Matthewsz in the lineup. He has missed 10 games this season, first with a probable back injury and most recently with concussion symptoms. The difference he makes was readily apparent Saturday night when he notched a goal and an assist as the Leafs snapped a four-game road losing streak with a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers. Despite the limited playing time, he still has 14 goals and 14 assists in 27 games. "I feel good," said Matthews. "I don't think it (the concussion) is really something you talk about every day but I feel good and back to normal. It's in the past now."
Arizona:Cllayton Keller (13 goals & 17 assists) enters Thursday with a six-game point streak after notching an assist against the Avalanche. The 19-year-old rookie, who leads Arizona with 30 points, has collected two goals and five assists - one in each of his last five contests - during his run. Lawson Crouse, who was recalled from Tucson of the American Hockey League a day earlier, scored his first goal of the season on Wednesday after going seven games without a point during a stint with the Coyotes in October. Head coach Rick Tocchet fields a young team and the results have been decidedly mixed. Arizona endured a seven-game losing streak encompassing the first three weeks of December but have won two of their past three, including a 3-1 road victory over Colorado last night, five days after being routed by the Avalanche 6-2 at home.
The pick: Toronto, which sits second behind Tampa Bay in the Atlantic Division with 45 points (although the Lightning have 54!) and has spent much of the month of December on the road, playing seven of 10 games away from the Air Canada Centre. Can Toronto win consecutive games away from home for the first time since the end of November? Why not, the Coyotes played (and won) last night and are looking for their first win of the season in the second of back-to-back games, having posted an 0-5-1 mark thus far. make Toronto an 8* play.
