Pittsburgh @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 3, 2018 ) Toronto 5, Pittsburgh 0

The Pittsburgh Penguins were not about to wait for the trade deadline to ramp up their roster for the stretch run, swinging a deal with the Florida Panthers on Friday to acquire forwards Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann. The duo made it into the lineup with minutes to spare Friday and will play their first road game for the Penguins at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.

Bjugstad collected an assist in Friday's 5-3 win over visiting Ottawa, part of a whirlwind day in which he and McCann arrived on Pittsburgh's bench at the start of the national anthem. "I thought they had strong games tonight under difficult circumstances," coach Mike Sullivan said. "We’re really excited about both guys. They’re really good guys. I think they’re excited to be Pittsburgh Penguins." Toronto also unveiled its latest acquisition in Friday's 3-2 overtime loss at Detroit as defenseman Jake Muzzin played just over 18 minutes in his debut four days after he was brought in from the Los Angeles Kings. The Maple Leafs were playing for the first time since snapping a four-game home losing streak with a 6-3 win over Washington on Jan. 23.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN-Plus, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh, CBC, Sportsnet1, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific (Toronto)

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (28-17-6): Pittsburgh traded centers Derick Brassard, Riley Sheahan along with three draft picks for Bjugstad, 26, and McCann, 22, a pair of former first-round picks who struggled offensively this season but each established career highs in 2017-18 with 48 and 28 points, respectively. Captain Sidney Crosby helped spark Friday's victory by setting up a pair goals by Jake Guentzel, who has scored 10 times in 12 games since the calendar turned to 2019. Center Evgeni Malkin, who notched a pair of goals and an assist in a 3-0 win at Toronto on Oct. 28, will sit out his second straight game due to an upper-body injury.

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (30-17-2): Patrick Marleau was elevated to Toronto's No. 1 line alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner in the final game before the break and the results were mixed, but the unit had much more success Friday in accounting for both goals against the Red Wings. Matthews scored his 22nd goal of the season off an assist from Marleau before returning the favor in setting up the the veteran for the tying goal with just over two minutes remaining. "I thought that group was better," coach Mike Babcock said. "I'm going to move things around tomorrow, just for the matchup against Pittsburgh, we'll see what happens."

OVERTIME

1. Toronto has won five of the last seven meetings, but Pittsburgh has emerged victorious in five straight against Atlantic Division foes.

2. Penguins G Matt Murray is 3-1-1 with a 2.11 goals-against average versus Toronto.

3. Maple Leafs F John Tavares had a goal and an assist in a 5-0 win at Pittsburgh on Nov. 3 but has only 11 tallies in 45 games versus the Penguins.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 4, Penguins 2