Toronto faces Columbus in game 1 of Eastern Conference qualifying round
Columbus Blue Jackets (33-22-15, sixth in the Metropolitan Division during the regular season) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (36-25-9, third in the Atlantic Division during the regular season)
Toronto; Sunday, 8 p.m. EDT
EASTERN CONFERENCE QUALIFYING ROUND: Toronto and Columbus begin series
BOTTOM LINE: The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Columbus Blue Jackets square off in game one of the Eastern Conference qualifying round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The teams meet Sunday for the third time this season.
The Maple Leafs are 20-15-6 against conference opponents. Toronto ranks third in the Eastern Conference recording 9 points per game, averaging 3.4 goals and 5.6 assists.
The Blue Jackets are 23-9-10 in conference play. Columbus averages only 2.9 penalties per game, the least in the Eastern Conference. Pierre-Luc Dubois leads the team averaging 0.3.
TOP PERFORMERS: Auston Matthews has 80 total points for the Maple Leafs, 47 goals and 33 assists. William Nylander has five goals and three assists over the last 10 games for Toronto.
Oliver Bjorkstrand leads the Blue Jackets with 21 goals and has 36 points. Emil Bemstrom has five goals and one assist over the last 10 games for Columbus.
LAST 10 GAMES: Maple Leafs: 5-4-1, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.8 assists, three penalties and 7.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game with a .915 save percentage.
Blue Jackets: 3-4-3, averaging 2.5 goals, 4.5 assists, 1.9 penalties and 4.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.5 goals per game with an .887 save percentage.
INJURIES: Maple Leafs: Timothy Liljegren: day to day (undisclosed), Denis Malgin: day to day (undisclosed), Zach Hyman: day to day (undisclosed).
Blue Jackets: Josh Anderson: day to day (shoulder).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by , and data from ,.
