WHEN: 5:00 p.m. MT
WHERE: Scotiabank Arena - Toronto, Ontario
TV: SEG+, UtahHC+, Utah 16, NHL Network | RADIO: KSL Sports Zone 97.5 FM, NHL App
The Utah Hockey Club (8-9-3) rides the wings of last night’s victory into tonight’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs (12-6-2) at Scotiabank Arena in downtown Toronto. Utah enters tonight coming off a 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, but now must settle in to face a Toronto team that not only leads the Atlantic Division with 26 points, but is also one of the most stout defensive teams in the NHL, allowing just 2.50 goals-against per game.
ONE-TIMERS
- Utah scored three power-play goals in a game for the first time last night.
- Captain Clayton Keller picked up three assists last night in Pittsburgh and leads the team with 19 points (6G, 13A).
- Toronto has won three in a row entering tonight.
- This weekend is the first time this season that Utah is playing in back-to-back days.
- Karel Vejmelka has the second-best save percentage in the NHL (.927) of any goaltender with at least nine appearances.
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
The Maple Leafs are battling injuries with Utah coming to town tonight. Toronto superstar Auston Matthews has been dealing with an upper-body injury and told reporters his appearance in tonight’s game against Utah is “not realistic”. Talented winger Matthew Knies has also been dealing with an upper-body injury and will not be in Toronto’s lineup tonight. Despite the absences in their lineup, the Leafs have been excellent defensively and have allowed three goals or fewer in each of their last eight games.
WHO TO WATCH
UTAH: #17 ALEXANDER KERFOOT - Kerfoot returns to Toronto to face his old team tonight. The versatile Utah forward spent four seasons with the Maple Leafs from 2019-2023 and laced up the skates for 285 games in blue and white. Kerfoot picked up his third goal of the season last night against the Penguins.
TORONTO: #16 MITCH MARNER - Marner is another one of Toronto’s featured players, and the former fourth overall pick has six points (2G, 4A) in his last three games for the Maple Leafs. He has twice eclipsed the 30-goal mark and three times reached 90 points in a season. So far in 2024-25, Marner has 26 points (6G, 20A) in 20 games to lead all Toronto skaters.
LOOK BACK
Utah snapped a three-game losing streak with a convincing 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night. Utah jumped out to a 2-0 start after goals from Jack McBain and Mikhail Sergachev in the first period, but then Sydney Crosby scored his 600th career NHL goal to start off the second. Utah answered with four straight goals of their own, including three power-play goals and two tallies from Dylan Guenther. Karel Vejmelka proved steadfast in net once again with 27 saves on 28 shots. Pittsburgh native Logan Cooley picked up two assists in the win, and captain Clayton Keller grabbed three assists.
DYLAN GUENTHER
21-year-old Dylan Guenther scored two goals for the third time this season last night against Pittsburgh to bring his team-leading total to nine. His nine markers lead all NHL skaters aged 21 or younger. Guenther also picked up an assist last night to secure his first three-point night of the season and the third of his young career. His four power-play goals also lead the team.
POWER PLAY
Utah bagged three power-play goals last night after having scored three total in their previous 14 games. Last night’s game served as the first time this season in which Utah struck three times on the man-advantage, and Utah now has three games this season in which it has scored multiple times on the power play (2/2 on Oct. 10 at NYI, 2/4 on Oct. 10 vs CGY, 3/4 on Nov. 23 at PIT). After the three conversions last night, Utah’s power play now ranks 22nd in the NHL at 17.0%. Special teams are important, and three of the top four teams on the power play lead their respective divisions (New Jersey, Vegas, Winnipeg).
STAUBER CALLED UP FROM AHL TUCSON
Utah announced on Wednesday that goaltender Jaxson Stauber had been recalled from the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners after Connor Ingram sustained an injury and is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury. This year with Tucson, Stauber is 5-2-0 with a 2.29 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. The Wayzata, Minnesota native has seen NHL action previously with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2023 and went 5-1-0 with a 2.81 goals-against average and .911 save percentage.
LOOK AHEAD
Utah rounds out its four-game road trip on Tuesday night in French-speaking Canada against the Montreal Canadiens. Rookie defenseman Maveric Lamoureux, from just outside of the city, will be making a return trip to his home province as will Utah Head Coach Andre Tourigny.
