Maple Leafs at Penguins preview

MAPLE LEAFS (35-19-5) at PENGUINS (33-22-4)
7 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, ATTSN-PT, NHL.TV

The Maple Leafs are 9-1-0 in their past 10 games and have scored four goals or more in in seven of their past nine.
Toronto is in third place in the Atlantic Division, six points behind the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning and three behind the Boston Bruins.
The Penguins will attempt to win their 11th consecutive home game; their 10-game streak is their longest since they won a Pittsburgh-record 13 straight at home from Nov. 15, 2013, to Jan. 15, 2014.
Pittsburgh, 8-1-1 in its past 10 games, is three points behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Washington Capitals.
The Maple Leafs won 4-3 against the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Dec. 9.

Players to watch

Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri has 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in his past 10 games. He had five points (three goals, two assists) in a 6-3 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday.
Penguins center Evgeni Malkin has 17 points (11 goals, six assists) in his past nine games and 28 points (18 goals, 10 assists) in his past 17.

They said it

"All three [Penguins] lines have a guy on the top … 10 of points in the League. So we're going to have to play a good team game." -- Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner
"If we're on the same page and we play the game the right way, we're a good enough team where we can beat anybody." -- Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta

Maple Leafs projected lineup

Zach Hyman -- Auston Matthews -- William Nylander
Patrick Marleau -- Nazem Kadri -- Mitchell Marner
James van Riemsdyk -- Tyler Bozak -- Connor Brown
Leo Komarov -- Dominic Moore -- Kasperi Kapanen
Morgan Rielly -- Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner -- Nikita Zaitsev
Travis Dermott -- Roman Polak
Frederik Andersen
Curtis McElhinney
Scratched: Connor Carrick, Matt Martin, Josh Leivo
Injured: None

Penguins projected lineup

Zach Aston-Reese -- Sidney Crosby -- Conor Sheary
Carl Hagelin -- Evgeni Malkin -- Bryan Rust
Jake Guentzel -- Riley Sheahan -- Phil Kessel
Dominik Simon -- Carter Rowney -- Ryan Reaves
Brian Dumoulin -- Kris Letang
Olli Maatta -- Justin Schultz
Ian Cole -- Jamie Oleksiak
Matt Murray
Tristan Jarry
Scratched:Chad Ruhwedel, Matt Hunwick, Teddy Blueger
Injured:Patric Hornqvist (lower body), Tom Kuhnhackl (lower body)

Status report

Gardiner is expected to play after sustaining a lower-body spasm against Columbus on Wednesday. He participated in an optional morning skate Saturday after missing practice Friday. … Hornqvist, who had skated on his own the previous three days, did not skate prior to the morning skate Saturday. He has missed six games.

Stat pack

Marner has eight points (three goals, five assists) in a three-game point streak. … Kadri needs two points to reach 300 in the NHL. … Crosby has six points (two goals, four assists) in a three-game point streak and 30 points (five goals, 25 assists) in his past 17 games.