GAME DAY PREVIEWS
Updated: Monday November 29, 1999 11:03PM EST
Monday November 29, 1999 Washington at Toronto 7pm
Coming off a pair of one-goal victories, the Washington Capitals seek their season-high third straight win tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Right wing Peter Bondra scored twice in the third period Saturday as the Capitals rallied from a two-goal deficit to defeat the New York Islanders, 4-3, and give coach Ron Wilson his 200th career victory.
Bondra paces the Capitals with 11 goals and also shares the team lead in scoring with 14 points. Center Jan Bulis has seven goals and seven assists.
Washington has climbed back to .500 for the first time since it was 2-2-1 on October 16 and has not been more than one game over all season. The Capitals are in third place in the Southeast Division, three points behind the Carolina Hurricanes.
Toronto has struggled of late but posted a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. The Maple Leafs improved to 3-6-2 in their last 13 contests.
Right wing Jonas Hoglund had a goal and two assists against the Oilers to give him 18 points in 25 games and match last season's total in 74 contests with the Montreal Canadiens.
Center Mats Sundin scored in the third period, giving him 400 points in a Toronto uniform. He was acquired from the Quebec Nordiques -- now the Colorado Avalanche -- on June 28, 1994.
Despite their recent troubles, the Leafs have a two-point lead over Ottawa in the Northeast Division.
The teams are meeting for the first time this season. The Capitals took three of four meetings with Toronto last season.
Saturday November 27, 1999 Edmonton at Toronto 7pm
The Toronto Maple Leafs look to snap a three-game winless streak when they host the struggling Edmonton Oilers tonight.
Toronto lost an opportunity to move into at least a share of first place in the Eastern Conference standings Friday with a 3-2 overtime loss to Philadelphia. The one point earned gives them 29, one ahead of Ottawa for the top spot in the Northeast Division.
Toronto has struggled after a great start, going 2-6-2 in its last 10 games after Friday's loss. Five of the Maple Leafs' last nine games have gone to overtime, with the team posting a 1-2-2 record in those games.
Center Mats Sundin scored on Friday and has recorded points in five straight games (3-3-6). Jonas Hoglund leads the team with 11 goals and Yanic Perreault is tops with 18 points.
The Oilers have lost two in a row following a four-game unbeaten streak after Friday's 4-2 setback at Detroit. The Oilers have 22 points this season, third in the Northwest Division.
Alexander Selivanov has 17 goals this season, one behind Pittsburgh's Jaromir Jagr for the league lead. After scoring seven goals and two assists in three games, Selivanov is pointless in his last two.
Goaltender Tommy Salo has dropped each of his last three starts, allowing 10 goals over that span, to fall to 6-7-4 on the season.
The Oilers have been bitten by the injury bug lately. Goaltender Bill Ranford (inner ear infection), defenseman Janne Niinimaa (back) and forwards Mike Grier (shoulder), Ethan Moreau (rib) and Rem Murray (knee) are among those who missed Friday's game.
The Maple Leafs took all three meetings against the Oilers last season and have won four straight at Toronto.
Friday November 26, 1999 Toronto at Philaelphia 1pm
A pair of contenders heading in different directions meet for the first time since last season's playoffs this afternoon when the Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Philadelphia Flyers.
Lack of scoring was the half story for Toronto in its Eastern Conference quarterfinal tilt with Philadelphia. Despite scoring just nine goals -- no more than two in any game -- the Maple Leafs won the series in six games and eventually went to the conference finals.
This season's edition of the Leafs is 2-5-2 in their last nine games despite being first in the Northwest Division. Mats Sudin scored the lone tally Tuesday as Toronto dropped a 3-1 decision to Pittsburgh.
Sundin has two goals and three assists during a four-game points streak for the Leafs. Jonas Hoglund leads the team with 11 goals and Yanic Perreault is tops with 18 points.
Philadelphia improved to 4-1-1 in its last six games with Wednesday's 6-1 rout of Florida. Eric Lindros scored twice and the Flyers erupted for three goals in a 3:12 span of the first period. John Vanbiesbrouck stopped 21 shots, improving to 9-7-3 after an 0-4-1 start.
Mark Recchi is third in the league with 28 points and Eric Desjardins is riding a three-game points streak with one goal and five assists.
Tuesday November 23, 1999 Toronto at Pittsburgh 7:30pm
The struggling Pittsburgh Penguins try to avenge last year's playoff disapointment when they host the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs.
The teams are meeting for the first time since Toronto eliminated the Penguins in six games in last season's Eastern Conference semifinals.
Pittsburgh superstar Jaromir Jagr missed Saturday's 2-1 overtime loss at Florida with a thigh injury. But he still leads the league with 33 points, including an NHL-best 19 assists. The Penguins are coming off a pair of road losses, combining for only two goals.
The Penguns have only a 3-3-2 home record, but have won their last three at Civic Arena. Pittsburgh is tied with the New York Rangers for third place in the Atlantic Division.
Jean-Sebastien Aubin (3-5), who took over the starting goaltender job earlier this month, has played well in his last three games. He has allowed just six goals over that stretch but has only a 1-2 record.
Toronto is coming off a 2-1-1 homestand. Yanic Perreault, who leads the Maple Leafs with 18 points, has four goals in the last three games. The Leafs have a two-point edge over Ottawa in the Northeast Division.
Curtis Joseph has been outstanding in goal for Toronto, posting a 10-5-5 record with three shutouts, a 1.91 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage.
The teams split four meetings last season, with each team going 1-1 at home. But Pittsburgh is 7-2-1 in the last 10 at home.
Saturday November 20, 1999 Ny Rangers at Toronto 7pm
With John Muckler's job possibly hanging in the balance, the New York Rangers hope to avoid their third straight loss tonight when they battle the Toronto Maple Leafs. New York has the NHL's highest payroll at just under $60 million, but has won only twice in its last 12 games (2-8-2), fueling speculation that Muckler could be fired at any time.
"I'm not looking for scapegoats. This isn't a time to point fingers," Muckler said following Thursday's 5-3 loss at Boston. "You're day-by-day in this situation as a team. That's the way we have to play it.
"Muck is doing everything he can to prepare us," Rangers captain Brian Leetch said. "We're not going out and playing 60 minutes of hockey. ... I really feel for Muckler."
Toronto is tied with Ottawa atop the Eastern Conference standings, has been struggling of late. The Leafs have gone just 1-4-2 in their last seven games since reeling off a season-high five-game winning streak.
Mats Sundin and Jonas Hoglund scored for the Leafs in Thursday's 3-2 loss to St. Louis.
Yanic Perreault leads the team in scoring with 16 points and is followed by Hoglund (15) and Sundin (14).
The Rangers went 2-1-1 against the Leafs last season. Those four games featured a combined 36 goals between the teams.
Wednesday November 17, 1999 St. Louis at Toronto 7:30pm
The Toronto Maple Leafs aim to move into sole possession of first place in the Northeast Division when they host the St. Louis Blues tonight.
Toronto's 26 points ties them with the Ottawa Senators for the top spot in one of the league's more competitive divisions. The Maple Leafs snapped a five-game winless streak Monday with a 4-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks.
Toronto has gotten balanced scoring from all four lines, resulting in an Eastern Conference best 58 goals. Only San Jose (65) and Los Angeles (62) have scored more while Detroit also has 58.
Right wing Jonas Hoglund is pacing the Leafs with 10 goals, while center Yanic Perreault leads all Toronto scorers with 15 points.
The Blues are coming off a 5-3 win over the New York Islanders on Saturday and have lost only once in their last five games (3-1-1). St. Louis' 21 points is five behind first-place Detroit in the Central Division.
The newly formed Slovakian line of Pavol Demitra, Micheal Handzus and Lubos Bartecko paid immediate dividends on Saturday. Demitra had a goal and three assists, Handzus recorded two assists and Bartecko scored and added a helper.
Center Pierre Turgeon has led the Blues' offensive charge with 10 goals and 11 assists and his 21 points is tied for sixth in the NHL.
St. Louis won 4-2 in the teams' first meeting of the season on October 16, but Toronto is 3-1-1 in its last five contests against the Blues.
Monday November 15, 1999 San Jose at Toronto 7:30pm
A pair of second-place teams looking to halt winless streaks collide tonight when the San Jose Sharks continue their seven-game road trip against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Sharks fell to 0-2-1 in their last three contests on Saturday with a 3-2 loss to Philadelphia. Mike Ricci and Jeff Friesen scored for San Jose, which is 4-6-2 since a 7-2 start.
Alexander Korolyuk has a three-game points streak with two goals and three assists for the Sharks, who trail Los Angeles by one point in the Pacific Division.
Owen Nolan leads the team with 12 goals and is second to Pittsburgh's Jaromir Jagr with 27 points.
Toronto managed a 1-1 tie against Detroit on Saturday and is 0-2-3 in its last five outings. Dmitri Khristich scored for the second straight game, tying the contest with 6:07 left in regulation.
Jonas Hoglund has nine goals and Yanic Perreault has 13 points for the Leafs, who trail the Ottawa Senators by two points in the Northeast Division.
San Jose won the lone meeting last season in Toronto and has beaten the Maple Leafs three straight times, including two in a row north of the border.
Saturday November 13, 1999 Detroit at Toronto 7pm
The suddenly struggling Toronto Maple Leafs look to snap a four-game winless streak tonight when they host the surging Detroit Red Wings.
After starting the season 10-3-1, Toronto has lost three of its last four games, including a 4-3 overime setback at Boston on Thursday. The Maple Leafs are second in the Northeast Division, one point behind the Ottawa Senators.
Toronto's offense has scored 53 goals this season, tied for third-best in the league with Philadelphia. Six players already have reached double figures in points, led by Yanic Perreault's 13.
The Leafs' power play unit snapped out of its funk on Thursday with two goals in three chances. The first broke an 0-for-15 skid that covered four games.
The Central Division-leading Red Wings have won two straight games and three of their last four after Friday's 3-2 overtime victory over Pittsburgh. Sergei Federov scored the game-winner, giving him three goals in his last four games.
After a slow start, center Steve Yzerman has been on a tear. He has points in six straight games, recording five goals and two assists. Another offensive weapon, left wing Brendan Shanahan, completed his two-game suspension on Friday and should return tonight.
Detroit has been known to jump on the board quickly in games. The Red Wings have scored at least one first-period goal in each of their last three games, and have done it in 11 of 16 games this season.
With goaltender Ken Wreggett starting on Friday, Chris Osgood probably will make his 13th start tonight. Osgood has a league-leading nine wins and the third-best goals-against average at 1.83.
Toronto won all three meetings last season and has taken four of the last five overall.
Thursday November 11, 1999 Toronto at Boston 7pm
The Boston Bruins aim to extend a six-game home unbeaten streak tonight when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are winless in a season-high three straight contests.
Boston had a six-game winning streak stopped with a 6-2 loss at Buffalo on Wednesday but the news was not all bad for the Bruins as center Jason Allison returned to the lineup. Allison was expected to be sidelined up to two weeks with an injured left forearm but came back after missing just two games.
The Bruins have outscored opponents, 17-6, during their four-game winning streak at home and are unbeaten in six straight games at the FleetCenter.
Right wing Steve Heinze has four goals and two assists during a six-game points streak.
Toronto has followed a five-game winning streak with an 0-1-2 slide and has not gone without a victory in four straight since March 30-April 6, 1998.
The Leafs' high-powered offense was shut down by Guy Hebert in a 2-0 loss to Anaheim on Tuesday.
Center Yanic Perreault leads Toronto with 12 points and captain Mats Sundin is tied for second with 11 despite missing nine games with a fractured ankle.
Curtis Joseph stopped 21 shots in a 4-0 blanking of the Bruins on October 4 but the Leafs have lost three straight visits to Boston.
Tuesday November 9, 1999 Anaheim at Toronto 7:30pm
The Toronto Maple Leafs hope that some home cooking can cure their struggles tonight when they host a team they have dominated on home ice -- the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. After beginning a three-game road trip with a 6-0 rout of Carolina on November 3, the Maple Leafs fell, 5-3 to Washington two nights later and skated to a 3-3 tie with New Jersey on Saturday.
Toronto is 7-1-1 at the Air Canada Centre this season and is 14-5-4 at home since moving into their new home last February. The Leafs own a 6-1-4 all-time home mark against Anaheim, including last season's 4-1 victory on December 30, 1998.
Captain Mats Sundin has provided a lift to the offense since returning from a broken ankle on November 3, scoring three goals and four points in three games. In seven games this season, Sundin has six goals and 11 points.
Anaheim capped off a mediocre 3-2-1 homestand with a 3-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday. The win moved the Ducks over the .500 mark for the first time this season.
Right wing Teemu Selanne celebrated his 500th career game on Sunday by scoring a goal, his fourth in five games. He also added an assist, giving him 21 points on the season, good for fourth in the league.
Goaltender Guy Hebert has won two of his last three starts, including an impressive 37-save effort on Sunday.
Saturday November 6, 1999 Toronto at New Jersey 7pm
Coming off a loss in Washington, the Toronto Maple Leafs try to start another winning streak tonight against the inconsistent New Jersey Devils.
The Maple Leafs suffered a 5-3 setback to the Washington Capitals Friday, ending their five-game winning streak and six-game unbeaten run. It was Toronto's first loss since a 4-2 defeat at St. Louis on October 16.
Toronto has a one-point lead over the Ottawa Senators for the best record in the Eastern Conference.
The Devils continued their inconsistant season with Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins, and are 3-4 in their last seven contests.
Right wing Claude Lemieux, re-acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday in exchange for left wing Brian Rolston, played his first game in a Devils uniform since Game Four of the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals.
New Jersey once again will be without right wing Randy McKay, who will serve the final game of his three-ganme suspension for slashing Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ulf Samuelsson.
The Devils went 1-2-1 against the Maple Leafs last season, including a loss and a tie in two contests at home.
Friday November 5, 1999 Toronto at Washington 7pm
Tied for the league lead in wins, the red-hot Toronto Maple Leafs seek their sixth straight victory tonight against the Washington Capitals.
During the winning streak, Toronto has outscored its opposition 19-3, including Wednesday's 6-0 victory over Carolina. It was the Maple Leafs' third shutout in their last five games.
The winning streak is the longest for Toronto since a 10-game run in 1993-94, when it lost to the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference finals.
Curtis Joseph grabbed a share of the league lead with his third shutout Wednesday while Mats Sundin returned to the lineup and contributed his 300th career goal. He had missed eight contests with a fractured right ankle.
Toronto, playing the middle game of its three-game road trip, is tied with San Jose and Los Angeles for the most points in the NHL with 21.
Rookie Glen Metropolit collected his first three NHL points on two goals and an assist as Washington ended a six-game winless streak with a 3-1 victory over Ottawa on Wednesday. The Capitals were 0-5-1 since opening the season 2-1-1.
It was Washington's first game since since general manager George McPhee completed his one-month suspension. The Capitals are tied with Tampa Bay for last place in the Southeast Division.
The Capitals won three of four meetings against the Maple Leafs last season, taking both meetings in Washington.
Wednesday November 3, 1999 Toronto at Carolina 7:30pm
The Toronto Maple Leafs expect to have star center Mats Sundin back in the lineup tonight as they try win five straight games for the first time in five years against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Sundin suffered a fractured right ankle against Nashville on October 11 and was expected to miss six weeks. But the Leafs' captain should return tonight after missing only eight games.
Toronto certainly has not struggled without its best player, going 6-1-1 in Sundin's absence. The Leafs have been getting balanced scoring as no player has more than nine points.
Saturday's 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames was the fourth straight win for the Maple Leafs, who last won five in a row as part of a 10-game run during the 1993-94 season. Unbeaten in five straight (4-0-1), Toronto is one point behind Los Angeles for the league lead.
Both Curtis Joseph and Glenn Healy have been excellent in net this season. Joseph has allowed just three goals in his last four games and Healy is 2-1 with a 1.67 goals-against average.
The Hurricanes will be looking to post their first win in their new home after opening the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena with a 4-2 loss to New Jersey on Friday.
Carolina rebounded from that loss with a 4-0 blanking of the New York Islanders on Saturday as Eric Fichaud recoded his second career shutout.
Emerging as a force for the Hurricanes is left wing Sami Kapanen, who has four goals and three assists during a four-game points streak. He has a team-leading eight goals and 15 points.
The teams skated to a 3-3 tie at Toronto on October 20. The Hurricanes are 4-1 in their last five home games against the Maple Leafs.