Game day: Maple Leafs at Winnipeg Jets

MTS CENTRE PUCK DROP: 7 pm TV: Sportsnet Radio: Sportsnet 590 The Fan KEY PLAYERS Lowry vs. Tavares Adam Lowry is off to the fastest start of his seven-year NHL career — four goals in nine games — and has come into his own this season as a top penalty killer and shut-down centre He’s also ranked fifth in the NHL in faceoff percentage and his line with Brandon Tanev and Andrew Copp is one of the best fourth lines in the league, producing five goals at even strength. John Tavares and the Leafs are looking for a big rebound effort after losing their past two games and managing only one goal. NEED TO KNOW The Jets overcame a two-goal deficit en route to an overtime win Monday over the Blues, the team that outplayed and outmuscled the Leafs last Saturday. The Jets, like the Blues, play the so-called “heavy” game. That poses enough of a challenge to the Leafs, but this game will also be underlined as a battle between two top Canadian teams with definite Stanley Cup aspi- rations … It’s been 26 games without a goal for Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers (regular season and playoffs). Ehlers is off to a slow start after scoring 29 goals last season … The emergence of Jacob Trouba and Josh Morrissey as the top defensive pairing has been a solid development in Winnipeg. The two were drafted in 2012 and 2013, respectively, and are fulfilling the team’s vision for the back end that was hatched during those drafts. UP NEXT Saturday vs. Winnipeg, Scotiabank Arena, 7 p.m.