Notes: Leafs likely to be without Matthews against Wings

DETROIT - The Toronto Maple Leafs are likely to be without their best player when they face the Red Wings tonight.
Auston Matthews has missed the last three games due to an upper-body injury.

Since the Leafs played at Minnesota Thursday night, they did not hold a morning skate.
"They still have lots of dangerous, dangerous players," Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "I think they're one of the deepest teams up front in the league without question. Anytime you have a Mitch Marner spend time on the fourth line it tells you the type of depth you have up front. So they're a dangerous team no matter what up front. Auston Matthews is without question one of the best players in the league already, so certainly that's a big piece but they're dangerous no matter what.
"They got guys like (Patrick) Marleau, who's been a career elite player in this league. I think (William) Nylander is one of the best players in the league. They got a great forward group. We're going to have to make sure we're making them defend. If they have the puck lots and are attacking lots and get you on your heels you're in trouble. We better get them on their feels with our forecheck pressure, much the same way we've played the last four games., We've done a good job of that."
Despite missing seven games so far this season, Matthews leads the Leafs with 26 points.
In five games against the Wings, Matthews has six goals and two assists.
"He's one of the best players in the league," Anthony Mantha said. "For us, they play the same way, I don't think there's any difference if he's in or out. Like I said, we need to put them on their heels instead of them putting us on ours."
James van Riemsdyk leads the team in goals with 15.
In the three games that Matthews has missed, the Leafs have scored a total of just three goals, far below their average of 3.2 goals per game.
"He's a great player, he's a difference maker," Gustav Nyquist said. "He's one of those guys that can kind of seem to be able to score from a little bit out of nowhere. When you don't think it's kind of a chance but he finds a way to put the puck in the net. He's one of those difference makers and I'm sure he means a lot to that team for sure."
TROUBLE AGAINST DIVISION: With the Metropolitan Division once again proving to be stronger overall than the Atlantic Division, the Wings will likely need to claim one of the top three spots in order to make the playoffs.
In order to do that, their 3-7-2 record in the Atlantic has to improve.
"Those are the important games obviously to be that top three in your division," Nyquist said. "We're chasing some teams there in the standings and so are teams below us, too. So these are big games for sure."
The Wings have not had much luck lately against the Leafs, who have won the last five games in the matchup and have won seven of the last 10.
"We know they have the talent up front," Mantha said. "They could score as many goals as any team in this league. We need to be ready. Our goalies need to be ready. I think we need to put them on their heels instead of them putting us on our heels and things will be going good."
PLAYING TIRED TEAMS: One would think that playing a team that is in the second game of a back-to-back would give the rested team the advantage.
That has not been the case this season for the Wings, who are just 1-3-3 against teams that played the previous night.
"It hasn't been good enough for sure," Nyquist said. "We've talked about that. Just somehow it hasn't gone our way in those games and those are games that for sure you should have more energy than the other team and be able to get on them. Obviously we have another chance here tonight. They played Minnesota last night. And a big game for us again. Had two big games here this week, lost both in overtime and lost out on a couple points so this is another big opportunity for us."
The Leafs were shut out by the Wild, 2-0.
"We just need to be ready from the start," Mantha said. "We didn't play yesterday, they did. They'll be ready. I don't think they're going on this morning and you know they'll be ready for the game. For us, it's to play 60 minutes. It's a big game tonight and we need to get on a winning streak right here as soon as the puck drops."
ENDING DROUGHTS: Although Mantha still leads the team in goals with 12, he has not scored in the last five games.
Mantha said he is not discouraged.
"Last game I had six shots," Mantha said. "It's a matter of time before they go in. I don't think I'm playing bad, I'm having a couple chances, our line is having chances. Last game (Dylan) Larkin and (Tomas) Tatar got one so it's going to be my turn pretty soon."
Mantha's last points were a goal and an assist on Nov. 30 at home against the Montreal Canadiens.
Martin Frk is also looking to end a bit of a scoring drought.
Since returning from missing eight games with a groin injury, Frk has not scored a goal in five games.
He does have an assist, which game in the team's 5-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 5.
"I definitely have to produce more shots on the net," Frk said. "Seven shots in five games, that's not too many. I need to at least aim for 20 in five games. It's a hard league to play in. you got to find a way to put the puck on the net."
Known for his cannon of a shot, Frk knows he doesn't always have to put everything he has on it.
"Because everything is faster here you might not get all the power with the shot, but you can also surprise the goalie if you shoot it really quick," Frk said. "Just got to find a way what is the best. If it goes on the net the goalie can (mis)handle the puck, the rebound is there for another guy who's there. The main goal is to just put it on net and we'll see what happened."