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GAME DAY PREVIEW Game time: 7:30pm ET Toronto at Detroit | ||||||||||||||||||||
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DETROIT -- The Toronto Maple Leafs try to extend their unbeaten streak to four games when they battle the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night (7:30 ET, ESPN2).
Toronto went to overtime for the the third straight game and fourth in its last five outings Monday, playing to a 3-3 deadlock with Ottawa. Igor Korolev scored twice, including the tying goal in the third period. The Maple Leafs, who are 3-1-2 in their last five, are tied with Florida for the second-highest point total in the Eastern Conference with 63, five behind first-place New Jersey. Korolev continues to play at a high pace, producing four points in his last two games and six goals and two assists in his last seven. Goaltender Curtis Joseph is tied for second in the NHL with 23 wins, but has allowed 12 goals in his last three games. He has slipped from among the league leaders in goals-against average but still sports an impressive 2.31 mark. Detroit will be looking to build off Saturday's 3-2 victory over Ottawa that snapped its five-game winless skid. The Red Wings own the best points total in the Western Conference and lead the Central Division by a point over the St. Louis Blues, who battle the Ottawa Senators tonight. Pat Verbeek notched the go-ahead goal early in the third period on Saturday and has 26 points in 34 games since signing as a free agent on November 10. Detroit is 13-0-4 when he records a point. Chris Osgood made 29 saves on Saturday for only his second win in nine games (2-5-2) since returning from a broken finger on January 2. Steve Yzerman is riding a five-game points streak. The team's leading scorer with 47 points, Yzerman has three goals and two assists during the stretch. Detroit is 4-0-1 in its last five meetings with Toronto,
including a 1-1 tie in the only other matchup this season on
November 13.
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