NHL Game of the Week: New Jersey Devils vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

One of the NHL’s premiere matchups of the week takes us to Scotiabank Arena where the Maple Leafs play host to the New Jersey Devils.

Both of these squads enter Thursday’s matchup off of losses, the Leafs losing to the Stars 4-1 and the Devils losing to Florida 2-1 in a shootout.

This is already the third and final meeting of the season between these two. The Maple Leafs took each of the first two games by scores of 4-2 and 2-1.

Head Coach Sheldon Keefe makes his much-anticipated return to Toronto with his Devils squad that sits second in the Metro with 57 points.

New Jersey's top scorers at this point in the year are Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. Hughes has tallied 17 goals and 52 points in 46 games played. Bratt has buried 15 goals along with 36 helpers for 51 points.

The Devils have eight double-digit goal scorers which ranks near the top of the league.

The depth scoring that the Devils have gotten this year has boosted their stride.

Free agent signing Stefan Noesen is having a career year after coming off a great season in Carolina.

Noesen has 17 goals which is tied for second on the team alongside Hughes right behind Nico Hischier.

One of the biggest problems with the Devils a season ago was the goaltending. That has been shored up big time with the addition of Jacob Markstrom.

Markstrom has a record of 21-8-4 and carries a 2.15 goals-against average along with a .913 save percentage.

The Maple Leafs own a 27-16-2 record and are in first place in the Atlantic right on top of the defending champion Florida Panthers.

The Leafs started January with four wins in a row before being stifled losing their last three before taking on the Devils.

Toronto’s leading scorer coming into Thursday is Mitch Marner who has 60 points in 45 games. Marner is second in the league in assists right now with 46.

William Nylander has once again been producing offensively and has hit the 20-goal mark for the fourth season in a row with 24.

Auston Matthews is fully back from injury as he put one home in Tuesday night's games against Dallas for his 15th of the season.

Shortly after Matthews returned to game action, the team is now facing the possibility of having another top center out of the lineup.

John Tavares went down in practice on Wednesday and was assisted off the ice.

Leafs head coach Craig Berube told the media that Tavares was being evaluated for an injury and there is no timetable for return.

If Tavares is out a while, it would be another major blow for Toronto as he has been one of the Maple Leafs offensive producers with 20 goals and 22 assists this year.

The Leafs’ goalie tandem with Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz has been solid. Woll has a 2.65 GAA and a .908 save percentage.

Stolarz owns a .927 save percentage and a 2.15 GAA which is fourth in the league in 17 starts.

The matchup between two of the top teams in the East is set for Thursday night at 7 p.m. EST.

Austin Moran is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email acm6506@psu.edu.