Matias Maccelli, Leafs try for ‘fun’ outing vs. Mammoth

The Toronto Maple Leafs will search their fifth straight victory after they go to the Utah Mammoth in Salt Lake City on Tuesday evening.

The Maple Leafs are coming off doubtlessly their greatest win of the season on Monday.

William Nylander capped a 4-3 victory in opposition to the league-leading Colorado Avalanche with an extra time winner following a slick feed from his soon-to-be Sweden Olympic teammate Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

“I was just jumping up the ice,” Nylander mentioned of his objective after the sport. “I didn’t know if he was going to pass it or shoot it, and then he slid it through and I was able to shoot it five-hole.”

The consequence ended Colorado’s 17-game house profitable streak.

The Tuesday conflict will mark Maple Leafs winger Matias Maccelli’s first return journey to Utah after the Mammoth dealt him to Toronto in June for a third-round draft choose. Maccelli recorded a objective and an help of their first assembly of the season, a 5-3 Toronto victory on Nov. 5.

“It’ll be fun,” Maccelli mentioned on Saturday. “You know, I played with most of the guys for four years, so it’s going to be fun to see the guys there and go back there, but obviously, no friends out there. We’re there to do our job and win the game.”

It is unclear whether or not winger Nick Robertson might be obtainable, having left the Colorado sport within the first interval after blocking a heavy shot along with his left leg.

The Mammoth, in the meantime, had their three-game profitable streak snapped 3-2 at house in extra time by the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday. Dmitri Voronkov drove to the web to tip defenseman Zach Werenski’s low streaking move previous goaltender Vitek Vanecek for the sport winner.

“I’m disappointed about the way we process that game, the way our thought process, mindset, our play with the puck, our play without the puck,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny mentioned. “I think V (Vanecek) gave us an opportunity to get a point, which is a big point, which is important.”

Well out of a divisional playoff spot in a Central Division that comprises the three finest data within the league, the Mammoth hope to safe an important two factors in what’s shaping as much as be a fierce combat for a wild-card berth within the Western Conference.

Utah did not capitalize on both of its man benefits vs. the Blue Jackets, leaving its power-play proportion at a dismal 15.7 for the season. Even because the Mammoth have a tendency towards league common with 3.02 targets per sport, their energy play stays one of many weakest within the NHL.

“Finding wings probably,” defenseman Mikhail Sergachev replied when requested how Utah may enhance its energy play. “Passing around guys, getting to the net, boxing their (defenseman) out, creating some traffic in front. I think that would be great.”

Utah has misplaced all three video games in opposition to the Leafs since its relocation from Arizona.