Panthers at Maple Leafs preview

PANTHERS (39-28-7) at MAPLE LEAFS (45-24-7)
7:30 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN, FS-F, NHL.TV

It would mark the first time since 2003-04 that the Maple Leafs would qualify for the playoffs in consecutive seasons. Toronto, 6-2-0 in its past eight games and 13-1-0 in its past 14 home games, is third in the Atlantic Division, eight points behind the Boston Bruins.
The Maple Leafs also could set their record for wins in one season with 46 and home wins with 27. Toronto won 45 games three times previously (1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2003-04) and 26 games at home in 2005-06.
The Panthers, 13-3-1 in their past 17 games, trail the New Jersey Devils by three points for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference with two games in hand.

Players to watch

Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov has 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in his past 17 games. His next goal will be his 100th in the NHL.
Maple Leafs forward Mitchell Marner has 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in a nine-game point streak.

They said it

"I'd be lying to say we weren't [scoreboard watching] but again, we all know the only we are going to get in is if we do it ourselves. We can't rely on anybody else." -- Panthers coach Bob Boughner on the playoff race
"Should be a lot of fun, they're battling for their playoff lives; this is a real hockey game we're going to play in. … These guys will draw it out of you, if not, they're going to beat you." -- Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock on the Panthers

Panthers projected lineup

Evgenii Dadonov -- Aleksander Barkov -- Nick Bjugstad
Jonathan Huberdeau -- Vincent Trocheck -- Denis Malgin
Jamie McGinn -- Jared McCann -- Maxim Mamin
Colton Sceviour -- Derek MacKenzie -- Frank Vatrano
Keith Yandle -- Aaron Ekblad
Mike Matheson -- Mark Pysyk
MacKenzie Weegar -- Alexander Petrovic
Roberto Luongo
James Reimer
Scratched:Connor Brickley, Micheal Haley, Ian McCoshen, Radim Vrbata, Henrik Borgstrom
Injured:None

Maple Leafs projected lineup

Zach Hyman -- Auston Matthews -- William Nylander
Patrick Marleau -- Nazem Kadri -- Mitchell Marner
James van Riemsdyk -- Tyler Bozak -- Connor Brown
Andreas Johnsson -- Tomas Plekanec -- Kasperi Kapanen
Morgan Rielly -- Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner -- Nikita Zaitsev
Travis Dermott -- Roman Polak
Frederik Andersen
Curtis McElhinney
Scratched: Josh Leivo, Matt Martin, Dominic Moore, Connor Carrick
Injured:Leo Komarov (left leg)

Status report

Borgstrom, a center, will not play against the Maple Leafs, but could make his NHL debut against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.

Stat pack

Yandle, who holds the NHL's longest active consecutive games streak at 707, seven more than Marleau, has 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) in his past 13 games. … van Riemsdyk has 11 points (eight goals, three assists) in his past seven games; his next goal will be his 200th in the League.