Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ny Rangers Rangers Picks and Predictions October 19th 2024

Red-hot Artemi Panarin Leads Rangers Against Maple Leafs

The New York Rangers will continue their road trip on Saturday night as they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs, with star winger Artemi Panarin looking to extend his scorching start to the season.

Panarin has been on fire, collecting at least two points in each of the Rangers’ first four games, including a dazzling three-goal, one-assist performance on Thursday night in a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. His play has helped propel the Rangers to a strong 3-0-1 start.

Panarin’s Historic Streak

With five goals and six assists so far, Panarin became the first player in Rangers history to record multiple points in each of the team’s first four games of a season. The only other active player to have achieved 11 points in his first four games was Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who did it during the 2021-22 season.

“I didn’t know that, but that’s awesome,” Panarin said when told of his record. “I’m going to try to keep that going.”

Panarin’s endeavors have been an impetus for the Officers’ initial achievement, and his capacity to make scoring chances on the show of dominance has been a key component. On Thursday, Panarin contributed two show of dominance goals and a help, assisting New York with profiting by three of their four strategic maneuver potential open doors against the Red Wings.

Special Teams Shine for Rangers

The Rangers’ special teams have been on point recently, both in power-play execution and penalty killing. Against Detroit, the Rangers killed off four of five penalties, including a crucial five-on-three disadvantage for 42 seconds in the first period.

“I liked that we faced some early adversity with the penalty kill and responded so well,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “The power play was good all night and the penalty kill was big early in the game.”

The Rangers will hope to carry this momentum into their matchup with the Maple Leafs, a team that also boasts a potent offensive attack.

Maple Leafs Eye Fourth Straight Win

Toronto enters Saturday’s down riding a three-game winning streak in the wake of overcoming the Los Angeles Kings 6-2 on Wednesday. The triumph was fueled by chief Auston Matthews, who scored his initial three marks of the season with a goal and two helps. Matthews arrived at an achievement by scoring his 200th profession goal on home ice, turning into the fourth player in Maple Leafs history to do as such.

Matthews is in world class organization, joining Darryl Sittler, Dave Keon, and Mats Sundin in Toronto’s 200-home-goal club. He additionally turned into the quickest dynamic player to arrive at that imprint, doing as such in only 279 games, taking down Alex Ovechkin, who hit the achievement in 321 games.

“Matthews could take care of off that energy at home, everything is somewhat more natural,” partner Bobby McMann said, featuring Matthews’ solace in Toronto. McMann has been essential for a line with Max Domi and William Nylander that has been clicking great for the Leafs.

Leafs’ Depth Stepping Up

The chemistry between McMann, Nylander, and Domi has provided Toronto with a much-needed spark. Nylander, who had a goal and an assist against the Kings, praised his line’s play, saying, “We’ve got a lot of speed, creating a lot of chances. I think we’re playing great and love the chemistry that we have.”

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The line has been producing since they were paired together in a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins last weekend. Domi, in particular, has been a playmaker, notching two assists in Wednesday’s victory.

Goaltender Situation for Both Teams

Toronto is managing its goaltending situation carefully. Goalie Joseph Woll has yet to appear this season but is recovering from groin tightness and is expected to return soon. “I’m just focused on coming back and helping this team,” Woll said, hinting at his potential availability for Saturday.

For the Rangers, Igor Shesterkin has been his usual reliable self, helping steady the team on the back end. His counterpart in Toronto, Ilya Samsonov, will likely get the start, looking to help the Leafs continue their winning ways at home.

Key Storylines to Watch

• Panarin’s Hot Streak: Can Artemi Panarin continue his historic run of multi-point games and remain the Rangers’ offensive catalyst?
• Maple Leafs’ Winning Streak: Will Auston Matthews and his high-flying teammates maintain their momentum as they aim for a fourth consecutive win?
• Special Teams Battle: Both teams have excelled on the power play and penalty kill. The winner of this special teams battle could determine the outcome of the game.

As the Rangers look to extend their winning streak on the road, and the Leafs aim to keep their home ice advantage intact, Saturday’s matchup promises to be an exciting and high-scoring affair between two offensively gifted teams.