TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS NOTES:
LAST GAME
Score: Toronto 5 at St. Louis 4 – OTW
Date: Tuesday, December 27, 2022
TOR Goals: Holl, Tavares, Kerfoot (SH), Järnkrok, Nylander (OTW)
STL Goals: Rosen, O’Reilly, Faulk (PP), Kyrou
TOR Goaltender: Samsonov, 30/34, .882 SV%
STL Goaltender: Binnington, 32/37, .865 SV%
TOR Power Play: 0-for-2
TOR Penalty Kill: 3-for-4
Player Notes: – William Nylander scored the game-winning goal for Toronto at 4:03 of overtime. Nylander has scored in four-consecutive games and posted the seventh overtime goal of his NHL career. Nylander is currently on a four-game point streak where he has recorded seven points (4G, 3A).
- Calle Järnkrok scored for Toronto at 15:16 of the second period and added two assists. Järnkrok has scored in back-to-back games. Järnkrok recorded his first multi-point game as a Maple Leaf and the seventh game of his NHL career with three or more points. Järnkrok tied a single-game NHL career second-best with three points during Tuesday’s game, his career-high stands at four points (1G, 3A) which he posted with Nashville on March 15, 2021 at Tampa Bay. Järnkrok extended his current point streak to three games where he has posted five points (2G, 3A).
- Alexander Kerfoot scored shorthanded for the Maple Leafs at 5:26 of the second period. Kerfoot recorded the second shorthanded goal of his NHL career.
- Ilya Samsonov stopped 30 of 34 shots in Tuesday’s overtime win. Samsonov improved to an 11-3-0 record on the season.
Team Notes – The Maple Leafs are 3-6 in overtime this season.
- The Maple Leafs have registered four shorthanded goals this season. Toronto is one of 12 teams that have recorded four or more shorthanded goals during the 2022-23 campaign.
TONIGHT’S GAME
2022-23 Matchups vs. Arizona: Second of Two
2021-22 Record vs. Arizona: 0-1-1
Toronto Season Record: 22-7-6
Toronto Road Record: 9-5-3
TONIGHT’S STORYLINES
The Maple Leafs are scheduled to take on the Arizona Coyotes tonight in the second of two games between the clubs this season. The Maple Leafs lost their first meeting of the season against Arizona 4-2 on Oct. 17 at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto is entering tonight’s game on a three-game winning streak and have posted a 7-2-1 record through the month of December.
INJURY REPORT
Carl Dahlström Shoulder (IR)
Victor Mete Lower Body (IR)
Jake Muzzin Neck (LTIR)
Morgan Rielly Knee (LTIR)
Nick Robertson Shoulder (IR)
Rasmus Sandin Neck (IR)
ALL-TIME VS. ARIZONA COYOTES:
First Matchup between Clubs: November 10, 1979 (Toronto 8 at Winnipeg 4)
All-Time Record: 39-55-8-3 (105 Games)
All-Time Record at Home: 22-28-2-3 (55 Games)
All-Time Record on the Road: 17-27-6-0 (50 Games)
Last Road Win vs. Opponent: November 21, 2019 (Toronto 3 at Arizona 1)
FAST FACTS
Thursday games 8th of 15 (7 home, 8 road)
Back-to-Backs played 5 of 14
Record in first game of back-to-back 2-3-0
Record in second game of back-to-back 4-0-1
December games 11th of 12 (5 home, 7 road)
ARIZONA COYOTES NOTES:
3 HARD LAPS
• Arizona is 2-2-1 in its last 5 games but hold a 6-3-2 record at home this season, including a 5-1-1 home clip in December
• Nick Schmaltz comes into the matchup on a 6-game point streak and can set a new team-high by a Coyote this season with a point tonight
• Jakob Chychrun ranks among NHL defensemen leaders in goals, assists and points since 11/23. He also has recorded a share of the third-most assists by a Coyotes/Jets defenseman within his first 17 GP of a season
LAST GAME
Coyotes 6, Avalanche 3 – December 27, 2022 – Mullett Arena
ARI Goals: Gostisbehere (9), Crouse (14), Schmaltz (7), Moser (4), Carcone (1), Keller (13)
COL Goals: Rodrigues (8), Maker (8), Rantanen (24)
ARI Goalie: Ingram (W) – 28 svs on 31 shots
COL Goalie: Georgiev (L) – 27 svs on 32 shots
PP: 1-3 PK: 0-1
Notes: Arizona defeated Colorado for the third consecutive matchup (COL, 0-2-1) to establish the first 3+ game win streak against the Avalanche since 1/16/12 – 4/6/13 (4 games)…Tuesday was the first time the Coyotes scored 6 goals against the Avs in a game since 12/22/18 (6-4, W)… Tuesday also marked a season-high in goals at home for Arizona…Jakob Chychrun registered three points (0-3-3) and set a new career-high for assists in a game… Lawson Crouse kept his team lead in goals with his 14th of the season. He also chipped in two assists to tie his season-high in points (12/9 vs BOS)…Nick Schmaltz has extended his point streak to six games with a goal and an assist (3-9-9 in that span); That’s tied for the longest by a Coyote this season (Keller, 11/5 – 11/17)…Shayne Gostisbehere scored for his ninth goal of the season…Clayton Keller picked up his 20th assist of 2022-23 with the secondary helper on Gostisbehere’s goal… Keller also added the empty-net goal for his 60th career multi-point game and will enter Thursday a point-per-game player this season (13-20-33 in 33 GP)…Michael Carcone made his season debut with the Coyotes and scored his first NHL goal of the campaign…JJ Moser potted his fourth goal of the season and 16th point. His goal total matches last season’s output while the defenseman set a new single-season career-high for points…The last time the Coyotes had six different goal scorers in a game was 3/15/22 at MTL (6-3, W)…Nick Bjugstad registered his 250th career point (117-133-250)…Josh Brown skated in his 200th career NHL game…ARI’s 2 PIMs are its fewest PIMs committed in a game this season
MAN GAMES LOST (Name/Roster Status/Injury Type/Games Missed/Last Game Played)
Matias Maccelli…Week-to-Week…Lower-Body (1 / 12/23)
Liam O’Brien…Week-to-Week…Upper-Body (5/ 12/16)
Total man games lost: 69 games
Jakob Chychrun (16), Nick Schmaltz (15), Zack Kassian (9), Connor Timmins (9), Andrew Ladd (6), Josh Brown (3), Ben McCartney (3), Juuso Valimaki (1), Lawson Crouse (1)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
-12/27 – Recalled F Michael Carcone from Tucson (AHL)
-12/18 – Assigned F Jan Jenik to Tucson (AHL)
-12/17 – Recalled F Jan Jenik from Tucson (AHL)
-12/15 – Assigned D Dysin Mayo to Tucson (AHL)
-12/8 – Loaned F Dylan Guenther to Team Canada for the 2023 WJC
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
DATE TIME
(AZ)
OPPONENT VENUE TV RADIO
Sat, Dec 31 3pm at TBL AMALIE Arena Bally Sports Arizona ESPN 620
Tue, Jan 3 5pm at FLA FLA Live Arena Bally Sports Arizona TBD
Thur, Jan 5 5pm at PHI Wells Fargo Center
Bally Sports Arizona TBD
YOTES & LEAFS
- Tonight is the second and final ARI-TOR matchup this season. The Yotes knocked off the Leafs 4-2 on 10/17, ARI’s first win of the season
- Nick Ritchie, Shayne Gostisbehere and Christian Fischer each chipped in a goal and an assist in the first matchup this season
- The Coyotes have beaten Toronto three straight times, are 5-1-1 in the last 7 meetings and 17-4-2 versus Toronto in the last 23 games dating back to 1/14/06
- The last time the Coyotes beat the Maple Leafs four straight times was 5-game win streak from 11/4/14 – 12/15/16
- Gostisbehere leads current Coyotes in career goals (6, tied) and assists (8) against Toronto, including 4 pts (2-2-4) in his last 4 games against them
-Coyotes franchise vs Maple Leafs:
• All-Time: 58-37-8-2
• Home: 27-17-6-0
• Road: 31-20-2-2
• L10: 6-3-1
• STRK: W3
SCORING NOTABLES AGAINST THE MAPLE LEAFS
Nick Bjugstad…6-5-11…24 career GP
Shayne Gostisbehere…6-8-14 in 18 career GP
Lawson Crouse…2-3-5…10 career GP
Nick Ritchie…2-3-5…10 career GP
Nick Schmaltz…1-5-6…8 career GP
Career Leaders
Goals (Bjugstad/Gostisbehere, 6)… Assists (Gostisbehere, 8)…Points (Gostisbehere, 14)
Career Leaders Among Defensemen
Goals (Gostisbehere, 6)… Assists (Gostisbehere, 8)…Points (Gostisbehere, 14)
HOME SWEET HOME
- Arizona comes into tonight with a 6-3-2 home record on the campaign, good for the NHLs 12th best points percentage at .636
- In December, the Coyotes have submitted a 5-1-1 home record. That .786 points percentage is good for 9th in the NHL for the month of December
- The Coyotes have reached 6 home wins within 11 games at Mullett Arena. Last season it took the team 25 games to reach 6 home wins
- Some key home wins for Arizona this season include Tuesday vs Colorado (defending champs), 12/9 vs Boston (NHL’s best record) and 11/1 vs Florida (reigning President’s Trophy winners)
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Shayne Gostisbehere (9-16-25 in 33 GP) enters tonight ranking among NHL d-men leaders in goals (4th), points (17th), power-play goals (3, T-6th) and even-strength points (15, T-12th) on the campaign
- The blueliner has compiled 11 pts (5-6-11) in his last 12 games, as well as 15 pts (5-10-15) in his last 16 GP (since 11/23)
- Gostisbehere’s tally last night was his third goal in his last 6 games
- Since 11/23, Gostisbehere ranks T-1st among NHL d-men in goals, 5th in points as well as T-9th in assists
- Gostisbehere (83-212-295 in 496 GP) is closing in on 300 pts and 500 games for his career. He is on track to become the sixth player and second defenseman from the 2012 Draft Class to play in 500+ games and record 300+ points (Filip Forsberg, Tomas Hertl, Morgan Rielly, Teuvo Teravainen, Alex Galchenyuk)
