Jets visit Maple Leafs in offensive showcase (Mar 30, 2018)
TORONTO -- The Winnipeg Jets will have something to prove to themselves when they face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre.
The Jets know they cannot afford to continue to play the way they did in losing 6-2 to the Blackhawks in Chicago on Thursday to end a season-best six-game winning streak.
"We just weren't prepared," Winnipeg right winger Blake Wheeler said. "We came in and had a pretty bad morning skate. We just weren't prepared to play the game. We were just really slow."
The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, will be coming into the game after a 5-4 victory over the New York Islanders in Brooklyn on Friday night. It was the 17th time they have scored at least five goals in a game.
The Maple Leafs will have Leo Komarov, who has been out with a left leg injury, back in the lineup on Saturday. He was ready to return Friday, but Toronto decided to give him another day rather than have him play in back-to-back games.
The Jets (47-20-10) and the Maple Leafs (47-24-7) have both clinched playoff spots.
Winnipeg hopes to use the game against the Blackhawks as a warning.
"It's definitely humbling," said Jets right winger Bryan Little, who scored his 200th career goal Thursday. "You realize that when we don't play our game, and we're not ready to play, a game like that can happen. It's a little bit of a wake-up call."
"There wouldn't be a piece of the game that was at the level that we've played at, or at the level you need to play at to win in the NHL," Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said. "I don't think it's any one thing. The elemental part of our game is to play at a certain rate, a certain pace. We were well off that (Thursday)."
There could be another aspect to the game Saturday that will give the Jets incentive. The Maple Leafs defeated the Jets 7-2 in Winnipeg in October in the first game of the season.
By defeating the Islanders, the Maple Leafs reached 101 points for the season.
"I think that's real important," Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. "I always say, I've had a lot of 100-point years over the years, and I think it's a real indication of a good hockey club. It's hard to get 100 points, you've got to be a good team to do it.
"I'm excited for our guys that have worked hard to get good enough that they can do that. Like I said, we've got four more opportunities to get better and get ready."
Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist Friday.
"A good two points for us," Matthews said. "Obviously, they're a high-offensive team. They've got a lot of skill and firepower as far as that goes so you've got to find a way to contain them and obviously we've got some guys who can put the puck in the net as well. Probably not a fun game for the coaches, but probably a bit more fun for the players."
Matthews has scored at least one point in each of the five games he has played since returning from a shoulder injury.
"He's not as good as he's been and he's going to be better," Babcock said. "I thought tonight was another step. I thought his first game and this game -- it takes you a while to get your game back. He's going to get a real test (Saturday), which is real positive for him. Back-to-back games, a good grind, good for his conditioning. He'll just keep getting better."
As important as Matthews is to the Maple Leafs, he said the depth of the team is important.
"I think that's one of the key things for this team is that we've got a lot of depth," Matthews said. "A lot of guys who are skilled, can make plays and put the puck in the net so it definitely makes it tough in terms of matching up for the opposing team. Like you said, we've got three different guys (with 30 goals) on three different lines so it definitely helps."
