Colorado @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 23, 2019 ) Toronto 5, Colorado 3

Mikko Rantanen made his presence felt in a return to the lineup last time out and the Colorado Avalanche could get a few more key players back when they begin a three-game road trip against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night. Rantanen had a goal along with three assists in 10:43 of ice time Saturday in a 7-3 win over Chicago and is expected to play against Maple Leafs despite missing practice Tuesday.

“He’s an elite player. He really is,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar told the Denver Post of Rantanen, who missed 16 games with an ankle injury. “The way he thinks the game, the way he maneuvers around the ice, his skill, ability, size strength - all that - you know he’s going to be able to produce.” The Avalanche, who lost to Toronto 5-2 on Nov. 23 without Rantanen, are expected to get forward Matt Calvert (concussion) back following a six-game absence and captain Gabe Landeskog (leg) could be cleared to play after sitting out the past 15 contests. The Maple Leafs come home after giving up five unanswered goals in the final 10 minutes to drop a 6-1 decision at Philadelphia on Tuesday - their second loss in six games since Sheldon Keefe replaced Mike Babcock as coach. Toronto center Auston Matthews has managed only one of his team-leading 31 points in the last four games and owns a minus-4 rating in that span, but had a goal and an assist in the win at Colorado last month.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TVA, Altitude (Colorado), Sportsnet, Sportsnet360 (Toronto)

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (16-8-2): Forward Colin Wilson (lower body) is out long term, left wing Andre Burakovsky (upper body) could return at some point on the trip and defenseman Erik Johnson (lower body) is week-to-week, but Colorado has won three in a row and eight of 11. “How many call ups?” Calvert told the Denver Post. “Our bottom six is loaded with Colorado Eagles and they’ve done a hell of a job and then the top guys have stepped up even more.” Center Nathan MacKinnon leads the team in goals (17) and points (42) while defenseman Cale Makar leads all NHL rookies with 26 points.

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (13-12-4): Right wing Mitch Marner (18 points, 18 games) is back skating with the team and could return to the lineup as soon as Wednesday after sitting out the past 11 contests with an ankle injury. Captain John Tavares put together a streak of three straight two-point games (four goals, two assists combined) before being kept off the scoresheet Tuesday, but the 29-year-old center collected a team-high five shots. Backup Michael Hutchinson is expected to make his seventh start in a Toronto sweater and seeks his first victory (0-5-1) after allowing five goals on 35 shots in the loss to Buffalo on Friday.

OVERTIME

1. Toronto F William Nylander boasts three goals and two assists in the past six games, but is a minus-4 in two of the past three.

2. Colorado G Philipp Grubauer (9-5-2, .911 save percentage) has won two straight since allowing four goals on 15 shots against the Maple Leafs.

3. Maple Leafs D Travis Dermott scored his second goal in four games Tuesday and owns a plus-6 rating in 16 contests this season.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 5, Maple Leafs 3