NJD Preview: Devils at Maple Leafs
Associated Press
The Devils' bid at their second five-game winning streak in a month came to an end their last time out, but they're still one of the NHL's hottest teams of late.
They hope to stay on a roll tonight when they visit the Maple Leafs in Toronto (7 p.m., MSG Plus, WFAN 660 AM).
The Devils (16-9-2) have gone 9-2-0 since Nov. 15, and even though they're fourth in the crowded Atlantic Division, they've moved within striking distance of the first-place New York Rangers.
New Jersey has scored nearly four goals a game over the past month, and on Friday night against the Rangers delivered the franchise's best offensive performance in more than three years. Seven Devils scored in an 8-5 rout of New York, the most goals for New Jersey since an 8-2 win at Tampa Bay on Nov. 25, 2005.
The Devils' offense, however, wasn't quite as effective Saturday against Buffalo. After New Jersey took a 2-1 lead early in the second period, the Sabres scored the final three goals to win 4-2 and snap the Devils' four-game winning streak.
"It was a game for us to win and we didn't," said center Bobby Holik, who scored his first goal of the season. "I think we played right into their hands. I think we had a great opportunity to continue our streak but we didn't play smart enough."
New Jersey got another goal from Patrik Elias, the third straight game in which he's scored. After scoring in the Devils' first two games, the left wing scored twice in 13 games between Oct. 13-Nov. 12. In his last 12 games, though, Elias has nine goals and 11 assists.
Elias, however, hasn't had much luck against the Maple Leafs (11-12-6) in recent years, scoring twice in his last 16 games versus Toronto.
The Leafs' most recent game was also against Buffalo, but they came away with a win. Ian White scored for the second straight game, and that third-period goal was enough for Toronto to win 2-1 on the road Friday.
Toronto has won two in a row and last won three straight from March 18-22.
Leafs goaltender Vesa Toskala's had a disappointing first two months, but he's making progress since a rough start. He began the season 7-6-4 with a 3.33 goals-against average, but in his last eight starts Toskala is 4-3-1 with a 2.49 GAA.
Part of that improvement is due to the Leafs doing a better job of killing penalties. Toronto was letting its opponents score 26.8 percent of the time with the man advantage through Nov. 26, but has killed off all but two of its opponents' past 26 power-play chances.
Toronto had lost four in a row to the Devils prior to a 6-5 shootout win in New Jersey on Oct. 29. Toskala is 1-3-0 with a 3.47 GAA in four career starts against the Devils.
NJD NOTES
Defenseman Andy Greene, who traveled with the team to Toronto, has been removed from injured reserve and activated. The second-year blueliner has missed 18 games with a broken hand that he suffered in the Devils' last meeting with Toronto on Oct. 29.
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