Blue Jackets vs Maple Leafs Picks & Props

Columbus will continue a four-game road trip Wednesday against the rising Toronto Maple Leafs.

Dean Evason didn't mince words after his Blue Jackets fell 3-1 at the New York Islanders on Monday to halt the 6-0-1 points streak and fall to 0-1-1 on their trip thus far.

"We didn't have any positives," Evason said. "We were slow in all areas. We thought slow, we skated slow, we passed slow. We haven't done that lately. We've played the game fast, we got pucks going so we could move our feet, and (Monday), it looked like we were stuck in a bit of mud."

Kent Johnson scored to give the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead on Monday before the Islanders took over in the second period. The loss was their first in regulation since Jan. 2.

"Teams are locking it down," Columbus right winger Mathieu Olivier said. "In a playoff race, teams are going to tighten it up, so we can't have any lapses like we had in the second. We've got to be dialed in for a full 60 minutes, but I think every team's going to shut it down really well defensively. We're at that point of the season now, so it's going to be harder to generate (offense) in general."

Columbus right winger Justin Danforth returned to the lineup and played 7:26 after he missed 18 games with a lower-body injury.

After a back-to-back Wednesday at Toronto and Thursday at the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus won't have much time to get comfortable at home. After one game in Ohio against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, the Jackets return to the road for four more.

The Maple Leafs won their third straight game Monday night, 5-3 at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Toronto coach Craig Berube was pleased with his team's effort in the first frame in particular.

"We came out and had the right mindset in the game," Berube said. "I thought we played a real good first. They made a push in the second, they had some rush chances against us, but (goaltender Joseph) Woll was good."

Woll made 27 saves and has been in net for all three wins on the Leafs' streak.

Toronto's Matthew Knies had two goals and an assist, Mitch Marner had an empty-net goal and two assists and Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist. Marner had multiple assists in a game for the 123rd time, surpassing Borje Salming for the franchise record.

Matthews has scored in four consecutive games (five goals, one assist) and has eight goals in the nine games since missing six games with an upper-body injury.

"It's been feeling better each night," Matthews said. "Just getting back in a rhythm and playing every night, I think that kind of helps settle back into the season after the time off, but I think the way our line has been playing, just hounding pucks, trying to attack offensively and being good in our own zone has been good and we just want to keep that momentum going."

The Maple Leafs have rebounded from a three-game losing streak.

"It shows the depth in our room," Knies said. "I think it shows the resilience. ... We just all trust each other in here. I think we have good chemistry. And I think it's just really brought us together."

The Blue Jackets defeated the Maple Leafs 6-2 on Oct. 22 in Columbus.

--Field Level Media