Toronto @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 29, 2018 ) NY Islanders 4, Toronto 0

The much-ballyhooed return of John Tavares to Long Island will finally take place when the Toronto Maple Leafs pay a visit to the New York Islanders on Thursday night. Tavares, a former No. 1 overall pick of New York who played nine seasons with the Islanders, will make his first appearance at Nassau Coliseum since signing a $77 million deal with Toronto in the offseason.

Tavares did face his former teammates earlier this season, when New York ended a four-game losing streak in the series with a 4-0 victory at Toronto on Dec. 29. "I just think it will be emotional for him," Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. "The last time we played the Islanders, they flat-out outplayed us, we didn't play, so we'd like to do a better job." Toronto enters Thursday's matchup on a three-game winning streak after skating to a 6-2 victory over Edmonton on Wednesday night to pull within one point of Boston for second place in the Atlantic Division. New York has lost three of four but ranks as one of the league's biggest surprises, withstanding the loss of former captain Tavares to sit tied with Washington atop the Metropolitan Division.

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

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (39-20-4): Tavares scored at least 24 goals in each of his nine seasons with New York and amassed 272 tallies and 621 points in 669 games with the franchise, but he is wary of how he may be greeted by the fans. "I'm not trying to overthink it," Tavares said. "I think I'm just going to try to go out there and be myself and play and just try to help the Maple Leafs. Obviously, it's my first time back, it is what it is. Whatever reception I get, I'm just going to try to go out there and play." Tavares scored his team-leading 36th goal Wednesday night, two shy of his career high.

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (36-19-7): With marquee matchups upcoming against Toronto and Washington after New York dropped a 3-1 decision to Calgary on Tuesday in the opener of a five-game homestand, coach Barry Trotz decided to scrap practice at the last minute Wednesday. “I don’t think we need the exercise, we need a little bit of the mental focus,” Trotz said. "We’re not as sharp as we can be. It’s not physical, it’s mental. Sometimes, a little bit of a change in routine can help." Leading scorer Mathew Barzal had a hat trick versus Toronto in December but has one goal and two assists in the last nine games.

OVERTIME

1. The Islanders play the rest of their home games at Nassau Coliseum, where they are 6-2-2 this season.

2. Maples Leafs F Andreas Johnsson scored twice Wednesday, giving him nine goals and 14 points in 13 games this month.

3. Islanders G Robin Lehner made 36 saves in blanking Toronto in December.

PREDICTION: Islanders 3, Maple Leafs 2