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After going 3-1 on a four-game homestand, the Toronto Maple Leafs finish the month of October with a five-game Western road swing, starting with an all-Canadian matchup with the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. The Jets have split their first four games, with victories over the Rangers and Colorado, and losses to Dallas and Vegas, but more of a focal point of the contest could be the ill will that exists between the two clubs.
In a victory at the end of the 2020-21 season, Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin laid out Jets captain Blake Wheeler with a reverse check along the boards. Memories are long in hockey, and Winnipeg blueliner Neal Pionk appeared to get a bit of retribution eight months later in Winnipeg, going knee-on-knee with Sandin, knocking him out for four weeks. Toronto believed the incident was retaliatory, which prompted the normally mild-mannered Jason Spezza to take a run at Pionk, for which he was suspended four games.
After a 3-2 victory over Dallas on Thursday which the Stars took liberties against Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe indicated that he would insert forward Wayne Simmonds in place of fourth liner Nicolas Aube-Kubel. The expectation of a physical contest on Saturday was further illustrated when the Leafs called up veteran winger Kyle Clifford, who will take the place of Pierre Engvall.
“(Kyle) gives us a different look on the fourth line. It gives us a chance to have Cliff and Simmer back involved with our group.” Keefe said. “I think it's good timing for it. Both guys bring lots of energy, on the bench and on the ice, and I think coming into this road trip, we could use that.”
Engvall surprisingly made it back into the lineup to start the season after suffering an ankle injury prior to camp, but the big winger has not been himself, with no points in five games.
"(Pierre) has looked tentative and hesitant to skate, and that's his No. 1 asset, to move his feet with and without the puck. He hasn't done that here quite yet.” Keefe said. “It’s a bit of a reset for him…..He’s an important player for us. I know he has more ability to impact our lineup positively."
Ilya Samsonov will get the start for Toronto and it is expected that Connor Hellebuyck will be between the pipes for Winnipeg. The Jets will be without forward Nikolaj Ehlers, who was placed on injured reserve on Friday.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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