Toronto @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 12, 2019 ) Toronto 5, Colorado 2

The Toronto Maple Leafs responded to their coaching change in a positive way and try to make it two victories under Sheldon Keefe when they continue their season-high six-game road trip Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche. Toronto snapped a six-game losing streak with a 3-1 win over Arizona on Thursday in Keefe's NHL coaching debut after Mike Babcock was fired following Tuesday's setback to Vegas.

"He came in with a really fresh attitude," Maple Leafs defenseman Tyson Barrie told reporters about Keefe after scoring his first goal of the season. "We know we weren't meeting expectations and we need to be better." Saturday's contest will be a homecoming of sorts for Barrie, who played his first eight seasons in Colorado and averaged 12 goals and 51.2 points over his final five seasons with the Avalanche but has eight points in his first 24 games with the Maple Leafs. “I know I’m a good player. I’ve been a good player in this league a long time,” Barrie said. “So I’ve got to get back to that.” Colorado is coming off a 3-2 loss at Minnesota on Thursday that capped a 3-2-0 road trip as they continue to perform well without top-line players Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific (Toronto), Altitude (Colorado)

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (10-10-4): Auston Matthews paces the team with 15 goals and 28 points after scoring for the second time in four games Thursday, and has four goals and eight assists over his last nine contests. Pierre Engvall scored his first goal in his second career game while William Nylander had an assist versus Arizona, giving him nine points (five goals) in 10 November contests. Frederik Andersen (10-5-3, 2.66 goals-against average, .915 save percentage) lost his shutout with 17 seconds left Thursday but improved to 4-3-1 with a .932 SP in his last eight games and is 3-3-0, 2.18, .929 versus the Avalanche.

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (13-7-2): Nathan MacKinnon has five goals and nine assists in his last seven games, raising his team-leading totals to 13 goals and 32 points. Defenseman Cale Makar scored twice Thursday and has six goals and eight assists in his past eight contests with his 25 points leading all rookies while his seven goals are tied for the top. Andre Burakovsky (10 goals, 20 points) has also stepped up during the absence of Rantanen and Landeskog, and boasts five goals and three assists over his last four games.

OVERTIME

1. Barrie's first-period goal Thursday gave Toronto its first regulation lead in eight games.

2. Colorado has received a multi-goal effort from a player in seven consecutive contests, matching the franchise record set by the Quebec Nordiques in 1983.

3. The clubs split the two-game series last season with the road team winning each contest by three goals.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 3, Maple Leafs 2