Time: 7:00 PM EDT Venue: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ont., Canada, M5J 2X2 / The Columbus Blue Jackets hope to play themselves out of a rut when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday. The Blue Jackets are coming off consecutive 3-2 overtime losses -- Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks on the road and Saturday against the New York Islanders at home." (We) really should've won both these games," Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones said. "They just made the plays in overtime to win. That's all that mattered, that's all it comes down to." The Maple Leafs are coming off a 4-3 overtime victory Saturday over the visiting Boston Bruins in their first game without team captain John Tavares, who will be out at least two weeks with a broken finger. Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly, whose two goals Saturday included the game-winner, said pulling out the win under the circumstances was big." A team within the division, not having (Tavares), just kind of a point in our year where we want to get going, and I think we answered the bell," Rielly said. "Not as clean as we wanted to win, but we got it done anyways, so we'll take it." Columbus isn't always getting it done, but it is consistently competitive. The Blue Jackets have played in six straight one-goal games, winning three and losing three. On Saturday, Columbus gave up the overtime goal when Cam Atkinson left the defensive zone anticipating a breakout pass." We can't have a guy leaving the zone before we have control of the puck tonight, and it ends up in the back of the net," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said after the game. "It's frustrating for me when we play the absolute right way all night long here being above the puck and then we end up with a blown coverage and some cheating and it ends up in the back of our net." It's a huge point that goes by the boards again." The Maple Leafs, who defeated the Blue Jackets 4-1 in Columbus on Oct. 4, have won three of their past four games after losing three in a row." We want to start stringing some wins together," said Toronto goaltender Frederik Andersen, who made 43 saves on Saturday. "We know we haven't been as consistent as we'd like, but this was a good test for us, and hopefully we can build on this." With Tavares out, Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock moved right winger Mitchell Marner onto a line with center Auston Matthews, which creates a potent combination. Babcock said the two likely will be on the same line on Monday." We haven't played with each other much, but I think every time we get paired up together, we get pretty excited out there," Matthews said. Toronto had one reported injury Saturday, with Andreas Johnsson missing the third period after blocking a shot with his leg in the second. X-rays were negative, but he did not practice Sunday." I think he's going to be fine," Babcock said. As for the win over Boston, Babcock said: "I don't know if it's a statement game, but what I'd say to you is that it was more important for our team than their team. It was important because (Tavares) was out, to find a way to win it, and it was probably even more important when we lost (Johnsson) that we got it done." --Field Level Media
Looking for More Picks?
You can browse all the individual handicapper picks below.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Toronto Maple Leafs
Pick Center
NHL
FINAL (10/21/2019)
MrSoccer
