The visiting Toronto Maple Leafs will have their three-game win streak tested against the high-flying Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night.
The Maple Leafs edged the New York Rangers 5-4 in a back-and-forth game on Thursday. Defenseman Troy Stecher provided the unlikely game-winner with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation for his first goal since February.
“I really liked our game,” head coach Jim Hiller said. “That was probably our best game of the year through 60 minutes for me. The Rangers played good, pushed us hard, but we didn’t have those lulls and dips. In fact I thought we ended up pushing and got momentum back.”
Toronto’s fourth line came to the rescue Thursday, combining for seven points as Brandon Duhaime and Teddy Blueger scored their first goals with the Maple Leafs. Hiller was delighted to see his depth players step up during alternate captain John Tavares’ ongoing absence.
“Everybody always loves it when those guys get rewarded with goals and points because they do the dirty work, blocking shots, getting forechecks going,” Hiller said. “I think that’s what makes the night extra special.”
If he starts again, Toronto will hope for a bounce-back performance from netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, who allowed four goals on 25 shots even as he moved into a sixth-place tie with Henrik Lundqvist in all-time wins for goaltenders. Bobrovsky, who signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Maple Leafs in the offseason, has posted a .895 save percentage through eight games.
The Oilers sit atop the Pacific Division after a 6-5 shootout win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continued their early-season tears, combining for ten points to complete the comeback.
“I thought this was the best opportunity for our team was to play them tonight,” head coach Mike Babcock said of the heavyweight bout. “For me, it was like a gift. We’ve got a lot of lessons there today, and then I think you build off those lessons. And we have to learn to be way more resilient. When we bend, we can’t break like that. You’ve just got to hang in there.”
The dynamic duo has combined for 68 points against the Maple Leafs in their careers and will have every reason to be optimistic against a short-handed Toronto blue line.
Edmonton, though, will be without No. 1 goaltender Devon Levi, who was placed on injured reserve Friday. It was unclear what Levi injured or when, as he finished out the shootout win against Carolina. Tristan Jarry will make his fourth start of the season against the Maple Leafs, while Matt Tomkins was recalled from the Bakersfield Condors under emergency conditions to serve as backup.
In addition to Chris Tanev (upper-body injury), Toronto will be without defenseman Nick Blankenburg, who left the game on Thursday after taking a heavy hit in the third period. Mattias Ekholm has been placed on injured reserve for the Oilers and Jason Dickinson remains sidelined.
The game will mark Babcock’s first time coaching against the Maple Leafs since his contentious 2019 departure, which preceded a nearly seven-year hiatus from the NHL.
“Because they asked me,” Babcock said of why he returned to the league. “So if they hadn’t asked me, I’d have never done it. But when those kids asked me, they want to win and I think they should, so I’m gonna try to help.”