New York @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 20, 2019 ) Toronto 6, NY Rangers 3

The Toronto Maple Leafs ride a season-high six-game winning streak into their Hockey Night in Canada showdown with the visiting New York Rangers on Saturday, but will be without Ilya Mikheyev. The 25-year-old Russian scored his eighth goal of the season Friday before sustaining what the club called a significant wrist laceration, and was hospitalized.

"He's got a deep cut and we're just going to have to get it sorted out,'' Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters after he improved to 12-4-0 since replacing Mike Babcock. "He's going to stay here in New Jersey tonight and get evaluated. We'll have to figure out what needs to be done." Toronto doesn't seem to need much luck with its game lately but got some anyway Friday when Devils defenseman Damon Severson shot the puck into his own net on a clearing attempt in overtime, gifting the Maple Leafs a 5-4 victory. New York defeated Carolina 5-3 on Friday for its second win in six games as its power play - 0-for-18 in the previous five games - produced a pair of goals. "We've been having some pretty good looks on the power play, but haven't been able to convert," Rangers center Mika Zibanejad told reporters after recording two goals - both on the power play - and an assist. "Today, we got two, so hopefully that will get us going now."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, MSG Plus (New York), CBC, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet West, Sportsnet Pacific (Toronto)

ABOUT THE RANGERS (18-15-4): Zibanejad is second on the club with 14 goals despite missing 13 games with head and neck injuries, and has three scores in his last three contests. Artemi Panarin received an $81.5 million contract during the offseason and has been worth every penny with team highs of 21 goals and 48 points after recording a goal and two assists Friday. Henrik Lundqvist made 39 saves against Carolina so Alexandar Georgiev could get another shot at Toronto on Saturday after losing 6-3 to the Maple Leafs on Dec. 20.

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (21-14-4): John Tavares (32 points) and William Nylander (31) each scored their 15th goal of the season Friday while recording two assists apiece. Auston Matthews (team highs of 24 goals, 43 points) was kept off the scoresheet versus New Jersey after collecting five goals and four assists in his previous four games. Frederik Andersen (19-8-3, 2.64 goals-against average, .916 save percentage) puts his four-game winning streak on the line Saturday after Michael Hutchinson stopped 24 shots Friday.

OVERTIME

1. New York D Marc Staal on Friday played his 861st game, tying Jean Ratelle for sixth all-time in franchise history among non-goaltenders.

2. Toronto's power play is 6-for-14 in its last four games after scoring twice Friday while its penalty-killing unit is 10-for-15 in the past six contests.

3. The clubs have split the last four meetings since the start of 2018-19 after Nylander and F Mitch Marner scored two goals apiece at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 20 in a 6-3 win.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 3, Rangers 2