Toronto @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 27, 2018 ) Winnipeg 2, Toronto 3

The Toronto Maple Leafs are unbeaten in their past eight games entering Thursday’s visit to the Winnipeg Jets, and it’s no surprise Auston Matthews is one of the big reasons why. The 22-year-old center has at least two points in six of the past seven contests, registering a goal and an assist in Tuesday’s 4-1 victory at Minnesota to give him eight goals and six assists in that span, as the Maple Leafs improved to 7-0-1 since Dec. 14.

“Things are building, confidence is getting better,” Toronto center John Tavares told reporters after also recording a goal and an assist Tuesday, extending his point streak to five games. “I think we’re starting to have a really good feel of the way we want to play.” The Jets had stumbled through most of late December, but ended 2019 with an impressive 7-4 triumph at Colorado on Tuesday - just Winnipeg’s second victory in its past seven games. Forward Kyle Connor led the way with his second career hat trick and center Mark Scheifele finished with a four-point night (three assists). “He’s dialed in,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler told the media in describing Connor, who finished December with 10 goals and seven assists in 13 games.

TIME: 8 p.m. ET. TV: TSN4, TSN3

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (22-14-5): Right wing Mitch Marner registered an assist Tuesday to give him points in 10 of his past 11 games, and 19 points (13 assists) in that span - including a two-goal, three-assist contest Dec. 23 against Carolina. Tavares has 10 points (seven assists) during his point streak, while fellow forward William Nylander boasts a goal in four straight contests. Frederik Andersen became the first NHL goaltender to reach 20 wins this season after making 26 saves Tuesday.

ABOUT THE JETS (22-15-3): Connor has scored six goals in his past four games, including a two-goal performance Friday against St. Louis. Scheifele scored nine goals with 11 assists in 13 games during December, while Wheeler recorded two goals and an assist Tuesday to give him 11 points (six assists) in his past eight contests. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck earned just his second win in his past six games Tuesday, making 39 saves - his second-highest total of the season - on Tuesday.

OVERTIME

1. Winnipeg’s penalty kill went 2-for-4 on Tuesday and has surrendered 11 power-play goals in 22 attempts across its past nine contests.

2. Toronto signed D Justin Holl, who has 10 assists in 39 games, to a three-year contract extension Tuesday.

3. The Maple Leafs have scored 51 goals and are at 39.3 percent on the power play while going 9-1-1 in their past 11 games.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 5, Jets 3