Penguins at Maple Leafs preview

PENGUINS (39-25-4) at MAPLE LEAFS (39-22-7)
7 p.m. ET; NHLN, CBC, TVAS, SN, CITY, ATTSN-PT, NHL.TV

The Maple Leafs, who trail the Boston Bruins by nine points for second place in the Atlantic Division with Boston holding two games in hand, are 0-2-2 in their past four games and have not lost five in a row since Feb. 23-March 3, 2017 (0-2-3).
With a victory, Toronto would set a record with its 10th consecutive home win; the Maple Leafs mark is nine straight home victories, set from Nov. 11-Dec. 26, 1953 and tied from March 6-April 7, 2007.
Center Auston Matthews will miss his sixth straight game with a shoulder injury.
Goaltender Tristan Jarry will start for the Penguins, who seek their fourth straight win following a three-game losing streak (0-3-0). Pittsburgh, 14-4-1 in its past 19 games, trails the Washington Capitals by one point for first place in the Metropolitan Division.

Players to watch

Penguins center Sidney Crosby, who reached 1,100 points in the NHL with three assists in a 5-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday, has 37 points (eight goals, 29 assists) in his past 26 games.
Maple Leafs forward Mitchell Marner has 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in his past 12 games.

They said it

"They still have a good team [without Auston Matthews]. … It's going to be a big test for us, they haven't played in a few days and we expect a big push out of their team." -- Penguins forward Derick Brassard
"We've had a big break here, so we should be fresh and ready to go … being ready right from the start, making sure that our legs are going, I think the rust will shake off pretty quick." -- Maple Leafs forward Patrick Marleau on having five days between games

Penguins projected lineup

Jake Guentzel -- Sidney Crosby -- Conor Sheary
Carl Hagelin -- Evgeni Malkin -- Patric Hornqvist
Riley Sheahan -- Derick Brassard -- Phil Kessel
Tom Kuhnhackl -- Josh Jooris -- Carter Rowney
Brian Dumoulin -- Kris Letang
Olli Maatta -- Chad Ruhwedel
Jamie Oleksiak -- Justin Schultz
Tristan Jarry
Casey DeSmith
Scratched: Matt Hunwick
Injured: Bryan Rust (concussion), Zach Aston-Reese (upper body), Dominik Simon (lower body), Matt Murray (concussion)

Maple Leafs projected lineup

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

Status report

Simon remains week to week, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. … There is no timetable for Matthews to return to the lineup. Toronto is 1-2-2 since his injury against the New York Islanders on Feb 22.

Stat pack

Malkin has eight points (two goals, six assists) in a four-game point streak. … Kadri has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in his past 10 games.