Anaheim @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 16, 2018 ) Toronto 2, Anaheim 1

The Toronto Maple Leafs appear to be still finding their legs since returning from the All-Star break and league-mandated bye, with their high-octane offense mustering just five goals in two games. The Maple Leafs have a chance to stretch those legs heading into Monday's game against the visiting Anaheim Ducks, who fell for the 15th time in 17 outings (2-11-4) after a 9-3 shellacking in their last outing.

Toronto defenseman Morgan Rielly matched his career high in points (52) by setting up Zach Hyman's go-ahead goal late in the second period of Saturday's 3-2 win over Pittsburgh. Rielly, who has four assists in his last three games, scored 3:17 into overtime to lift Toronto to a 2-1 triumph over Anaheim on Nov. 16. That defensive battle doesn't appear likely to repeat itself based on the Ducks' woeful performance on Saturday, as they saw goaltender John Gibson permit six goals to Winnipeg on 14 shots before being pulled with 2:19 remaining in the first period. "To give up six in the first period. Unacceptable," forward Corey Perry told reporters following his season debut in the opener of their five-game road trip. "We as a team have to be better, have to be better in front of (Gibson)."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Prime (Anaheim), TSN4 (Toronto)

ABOUT THE DUCKS (21-22-9): Although Nick Ritchie recorded his fourth multi-point performance after scoring and setting up a goal versus the Jets, the 23-year-old Ontario native wasn't interested in talking about that end of the ice. "There is no excuse for that kind of effort," Ritchie told reporters. "It would be one thing if we played hard and made a couple mistakes with the puck, but that was a pretty bad (first) period. That's all I can really say." Ritchie, who has six points (two goals, four assists) in his last eight games, set up former teammate Pontus Aberg's goal in the first encounter versus Toronto.

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (31-17-3): Auston Matthews scored in the first period versus the Penguins to push his goal-scoring streak to three games after being limited to just one tally in his previous 13. The top overall pick of the 2016 NHL Draft has flourished in front of the home fans, recording 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 20 games at Scotiabank Arena. Patrick Marleau set up defenseman Travis Dermott's second-period goal against the Pittsburgh, moving him past Hall of Famer Michel Goulet and giving him sole possession of 54th place on the NHL's all-time points list with 1,154.

OVERTIME

1. Anaheim's Cam Fowler is tied with Hall of Famer Scott Niedermayer (204) for the franchise's all-time assist record for defensemen.

2. Toronto F Mitch Marner, who leads the team in assists (43) and points (63), has 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists) in 27 home games this season.

3. Ducks RW Daniel Sprong has collected seven points (four goals, three assists) in his last eight games.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 5, Ducks 1