Toronto @ New Jersey preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 9, 2018 ) New Jersey 1, Toronto 6

The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the midst of their worst stretch of the season, having lost four of their last five (1-2-2) heading into the finale of their five-game road trip Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils. The Maple Leafs likely will receive little sympathy from the free-falling Devils, who were on the business end of a 6-1 shellacking in Toronto on Nov. 9 and have dropped 11 of their last 14 contests (3-5-6).

Mitch Marner recorded his third career multi-goal performance by scoring twice in the third period Saturday, but Aleksander Barkov one-upped him by scoring in overtime to seal Florida's 4-3 win. The 21-year-old Marner's road point total stands at 24 (five goals, 19 assists), one better than Morgan Rielly after the defenseman set up third-period tallies by John Tavares and Marner on Saturday. For all of the gloom and doom in the Garden State, the Devils received a bit of good news as reigning Hart Trophy recipient Taylor Hall participated in Monday's practice after missing the last two games with a lower-body injury. Hall, who leads the team with 23 assists and 31 points, told NJ.com that he needed to speak with trainers to get a better idea about his availability for Tuesday's contest.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN4 (Toronto), MSG Plus (New Jersey)

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (21-10-5): Mike Babcock isn't one who routinely publicly praises his charges, however the veteran bench boss applauded the recent effort of the line comprised of Auston Matthews, Andreas Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen. "Those guys are working," Babcock said Monday, via TSN. "When you got guys that work with you, you end up with the puck. So we have to get everyone working at the same pace. Those guys have energy right now; they're feeling good right now. They have some pop to them." Babcock likely isn't too thrilled with his club's special teams, as Toronto is mired in a 1-for-22 stretch on the power play in the last six games while its penalty kill has permitted a goal in four consecutive outings.

ABOUT THE DEVILS (11-13-7): New Jersey placed veteran Cory Schneider on injured reserve with an abdominal strain Monday and recalled fellow goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood from Binghamton of the American Hockey League. The 32-year-old Schneider, who last won Dec. 27, 2017, owns a dismal 0-15-3 mark since and was pulled after yielding three goals on seven shots in less than 10 minutes of action in Friday's 5-4 overtime win versus Vegas. Blackwood, who is expected to back up starter Keith Kinkaid, boasts a 6-7-0 mark with a 2.69 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in 15 games in the AHL this season.

OVERTIME

1. New Jersey RW Kyle Palmieri has scored five of his team-leading 17 goals in the last five games.

2. Toronto D Jake Gardiner has collected 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in seven contests this month.

3. Devils C Travis Zajac has recorded only eight points since scoring his team's lone goal in the first meeting with the Maple Leafs.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 5, Devils 2