Game 82 Scouting Report: The Blue Jackets Finish the Regular Season at Toronto

Columbus Blue Jackets (49-24-8) at Toronto Maple Leafs (39-26-15)

SUNDAY, APRIL 9, 2017, 6 p.m. (AIR CANADA CENTER)

Well, it happened.

For the first time since 2013 and just the second time since the 2004-05 lockout, the Toronto Maple Leafs are playoff bound, a status the team clinched Saturday with a 5-3 victory against Pittsburgh on Saturday night.

Toronto trailed 3-2 in the third after the Pens took the lead on a goal that pinballed in off defenseman Jake Gardiner, but the Leafs rallied. Kasperi Kapanen tied the game with 5:30 left with his first career goal, then Connor Brown got the winner with 2:48 on the clock before rookie wunderkind Auston Matthews scored into an empty net for his 40th goal.

“That’s a night I’m sure I’ll remember for a long time," Brown said. "It was cool for that one to come off my stick. But the way we stuck with it, to get one up and go down in the third, and just battle back, huge goal from Kappy too, real awesome night.”

The arrival of Mike Babcock as head coach and Matthews as the first pick in the draft has energized the franchise, and more could be on the way. The Maple Leafs iced eight rookies this season, making them one of the youngest teams in the league.

According to Elias Sports, the Leafs are only the second team in NHL history to have three rookies with 60 or more points: Matthews (67), Mitch Marner (61) and William Nylander (60).

There remains much to play for in Toronto as well. With a point against the Jackets, they would avoid facing Presidents' Trophy winner Washington in the first round and instead take on Ottawa.

But Saturday night, the main goal was accomplished.

“It means everything,” Matthews said of clinching a playoff spot. “It’s been our goal since the beginning of the year, to make it.

“We’ve done better each game, each segment, each month. That’s been the goal for everybody. It’s a big night for us, a huge clinch.”

You Oughta Know: Nazem Kadri

Kadri is of Lebanese descent (his father, Sam, was born in Lebanon) and is a practicing Muslim. The London, Ontario, native has seem ticketed for stardom since being a first-round pick in the 2009 NHL draft by the Leafs during a standout junior career with stints in both Kitchener and with the London Knights. Kadri made his NHL debut in 2010 but really burst onto the scene in 2012-13 with 44 points in 48 games. The next three seasons were up and down, as Kadri topped out in 2014 with 20 goals and 50 points, but he has shined this year under Mike Babcock, blowing past his career high with 32 goals and adding 29 assists.

[Fire Emoji] Right Now

• William Nylander was named the NHL's Rookie of the Month for March. Nylander registered 14 points (4 goals, 10 assists) in 14 games and had points in 12 consecutive games from March 3-28.
• Matthews has four goals in five April games. 
• Since the All-Star break, defenseman Jake Gardiner has 19 points in 33 games, is plus-13 and is playing more than 22 minutes per night.

Five Fast Facts

• Toronto is 2-2-0 on Sundays.
• The Maple Leafs are 6-10-1 in the second game of back-to-backs this season.
• Five current Maple Leafs were first-round picks of the team: Matthews, Nylander, Kadri, Marner, and defenseman Morgan Rielly.
• Injuries: Eric Fehr (hand/arm), Nikita Soshnikov (undisclosed).
• Former Jackets: Goaltender Curtis McElhinney spent four years with the team, going 26-33-8 before being let go earlier this season.

Previous Matchups

THIS YEAR: March 22: TOR 5, CBJ 2

Feb. 15: CBJ 5, TOR 2

ALL TIME SERIES: Columbus is 10-10-1

Keys to the Game

Stay Disciplined: Toronto's power play has been one of the best in the league all year, and in a streak like the one the Jackets are on, penalties have often seemed to end up in the back of the net.

Start Early: Toronto has a short turnaround after clinching a playoff berth. Jumping on the Leafs early, especially given the good starts Columbus has had of late, could be key.

Handle Adversity: It should be a party atmosphere in the Air Canada Center, and Columbus can't let one goal or one mistake lead to others. 

Maple Leafs Projected Lineup

10 Stats to Know

Impress your friends and enemies alike with these 10 key Toronto Maple Leafs stats.