Toronto @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 28, 2019 ) Toronto 1, NY Islanders 6

The raucous crowd at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum wasn't too welcoming in its reception when former New York Islanders captain John Tavares returned with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 28. Tavares likely will hear more of the same on Monday night as the visiting Maple Leafs bid to clinch a playoff berth and avert a season sweep against the Islanders.

New York punched its postseason ticket for the first time since 2016 after recording its fourth win in five outings following Saturday's 5-1 victory over Buffalo. "The strength of our team this year has been working as a group, everyone buying into the system learning how to play close games and play good defense," said former Sabres goaltender Robin Lehner, who recorded a 36-save shutout in Toronto on Dec. 29 and has turned aside 70 of 71 shots versus the Maple Leafs this season. Tavares (team-high 45 goals) has yet to dent the scoresheet against the team with which he spent his first nine NHL seasons before signing a seven-year, $77 contract extension, and he doesn't expect to be celebrated by the Islanders' fans on Monday. "I'm sure it will be probably somewhat similar (to the last encounter)," Tavares said of the reaction he'll receive on Monday. "It is what it is. I'm just going to go out there and try and play well."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Ontario (Toronto), MSG Plus 2 (New York)

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (45-26-7): Auston Matthews scored in his second straight contest after netting a power-play goal in the third period of Saturday's 4-2 setback versus NHL-worst Ottawa. Mitch Marner boosted his club-best totals in assists (66) and points (91) by setting up Matthews' tally to give him six points (one goal, five assists) in his past five games. Defenseman Ron Hainsey, who also had an assist on Saturday to move within one point of 300 for his career, joined Marner in setting up Zach Hyman's first-period goal in the Maple Leafs' loss to the Islanders in February.

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (46-26-7): Tavares' departure brought about low expectations heading into the season for New York, however coach Barry Trotz said that was not the feeling in the locker room. "The strength of this team has been its backbone, not its wishbone, or wishing wins, this team had to go and work for wins. They have," Trotz told reporters of the postseason berth. "It's good to know that we'll at least get an invite to the party." New York is still negotiating its place in the second season, as it resides three points behind Metropolitan Division-leading Washington with three games to play.

OVERTIME

1. New York RW Jordan Eberle has scored four goals and set up another in his last four games overall and had two assists against Toronto on Feb. 28.

2. The Maple Leafs have been hemorrhaging goals to the tune of allowing at least four in seven of their last 10 games (3-5-2).

3. Islanders C Mathew Barzal, who leads the team in assists (44) and points (62), has scored three goals and set up another against Toronto this season.

PREDICTION: Islanders 4, Maple Leafs 2