The Leafs are on the road again, this time in Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets for the second time this week. You may remember that the Leafs rallied back to beat the Blue Jackets 4-2 on Monday night, which was fun. Tonight, they’re looking to bounce back from a lackluster effort in Raleigh on Wednesday.

At A Glance

Record: 15-7-0 (3rd)

CF%: 49.30 (19th)

PDO: 1.031 (1st)

Goal Differential: +18 (3rd)

Record: 12-7-2 (8th)

CF%: 49.23 (21st)

PDO: 1.011 (10th)

Goal Differential: +4 (10th)

These are two good teams once again duking it out. The Leafs may have the advantage in the standings, but there isn’t much separating these teams in what they can accomplish. Sure, the Leafs may be more offensively gifted, but the Jackets are a tough matchup on any night, and will surely bring their best at Nationwide tonight.

Leafs Lines

LW	C	RW	Forwards
ZACH HYMAN Rating: 72.9#57 LW	JOHN TAVARES Rating: 82.3#9 C	MITCH MARNER Rating: 79.4#12 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 78.20#17 FL1
PATRICK MARLEAU Rating: 74.1#45 LW	NAZEM KADRI Rating: 77.5#32 C	KASPERI KAPANEN Rating: 73.7#44 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 75.10#6 FL2
ANDREAS JOHNSSON Rating: 72.4#77 LW	PAR LINDHOLM Rating: 72.4#96 C	CONNOR BROWN Rating: 69.9#108 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 71.55#21 FL3
TYLER ENNIS Rating: 71.0#93 LW	FREDERIK GAUTHIER Rating: 69.8#161 C	JOSH LEIVO Rating: 72.4#74 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 71.07#8 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS	Defense
MORGAN RIELLY Rating: 80.0#3 LD	RON HAINSEY Rating: 73.3#41 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 76.64#9 DL1
JAKE GARDINER Rating: 76.6#15 LD	NIKITA ZAITSEV Rating: 71.2#77 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 73.89#17 DL2
TRAVIS DERMOTT Rating: 74.2#35 LD	IGOR OZHIGANOV Rating: 72.1#57 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 73.11#2 DL3

Status quo for the boys in blue and white. No Matthews or Nylander – yet.

Blue Jackets Lines

LW	C	RW	Forwards
ARTEMI PANARIN Rating: 81.5#8 LW	PIERRE-LUC DUBOIS Rating: 77.2#34 C	CAM ATKINSON Rating: 82.0#3 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 80.25#6 FL1
NICK FOLIGNO Rating: 73.9#46 LW	BOONE JENNER Rating: 73.0#84 C	JOSH ANDERSON Rating: 73.7#46 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 73.52#19 FL2
BRANDON DUBINSKY Rating: 70.5#146 LW	ALEXANDER WENNBERG Rating: 72.9#92 C	ANTHONY DUCLAIR Rating: 72.7#69 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 72.02#15 FL3
LUKAS SEDLAK Rating: 68.6#138 LW	RILEY NASH Rating: 69.7#162 C	MARKUS HANNIKAINEN Rating: 69.6#110 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 69.31#30 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS	Defense
RYAN MURRAY Rating: 72.6#55 LD	SETH JONES Rating: 80.3#9 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 76.43#11 DL1
MARKUS NUTIVAARA Rating: 73.8#41 LD	DAVID SAVARD Rating: 72.0#58 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 72.91#18 DL2
ZACH WERENSKI Rating: 76.3#17 LD	SCOTT HARRINGTON Rating: 67.4#105 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 71.85#14 DL3

This is the same fully-healthy Blue Jackets team that rolled into Toronto on Monday night. Scott Harrington – otherwise known as a lesser piece in the Kasperi Kapanen Trade – is a noteworthy name as an ex-Leaf Legend on this roster.

Who’s Hot

Cam Atkinson has been excellent offensively for Columbus, as has sophomore Pierre-Luc Dubois – with 10 goals already on the season. Not too shabby at all.

For the Leafs, Kasperi Kapanen has been dangerous night in and night out as of late. The fact that it was in a loss shouldn’t bury how beautiful this goal was on Wednesday night:

Maple Leafs Hotstove

@LeafsNews

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This goal made me laugh out load. Holy moly was Kasperi Kapanen flying from end to end. What a release at the end of all that. 3-2.

Watch on X

2:29 AM · Nov 22, 2018

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Starting Goalies

It’s a rematch of Bobrovsky vs. Andersen tonight. Bob is 7-7-0 with a 9.15, while Andersen continues to enjoy an elite campaign at 12-6-0 and .935.

Notes

We’re in the twilight days of Auston Matthews’ injury, thankfully. Though it was reported today that Matthews would be out for “at least” three more games, that only takes us through Monday – so, exactly on schedule.
Will Willy sign by the end of tonight’s game? We shall see.

Puck Drop is at 7pm ET on TSN4.