5 NHL games and players you NEED to watch this Saturday

14 October 2016: Calgary Flames Left Wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) and Edmonton Oilers Defenceman Darnell Nurse (25) gets in a fight during an NHL Hockey game between the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Jose Quiroz/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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WINNIPEG, MB – OCTOBER 4: Nazem Kadri /

Winnipeg Jets vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Channel: CBC, RSN

Live Stream: Fubo.tv

Time: 7 p.m. ET

An all Canadian matchup between Canada’s two best teams, on Hockey Night in Canada. Need I say more?

The must-watch game this Saturday night features the top two Canadian teams battling for the title of Canada’s best NHL team. The Winnipeg Jets are 47-19-10 on the season and have 104 points, good enough for second in the NHL’s Central Division, and third overall in the league. They head to Toronto to take on a Leafs team that has a 46-24-7 record and 99 points on the campaign.

The Leafs are 7-4 are in the month of March, while the Jets are surging, with a 10-2-1 record. On the season, the Jets average an NHL second-best 3.3 goals per game, while the leafs average 3.2 goals per game, good for third-most in the league.

The two teams are very even when it comes to special teams, too. The Jets power play is operating at 23.3 percent, fourth overall, while the Leafs’ power play operates at 23.4 percent good for third overall in the NHL. The Jets have the 10th best penalty kill in the league, while the Leafs have the seventh best.

This will be the second and final meetings between the two teams. The only previous meeting came on October 4, the Jets’ home opener. In that game, the Maple Leafs embarrassed the Jets, winning 7-2.

Look for a red-hot Jets squad backed by the solid play of Connor Hellebuyck in net rather then Steve Mason to head into the ACC Saturday night with one thing on their mind: revenge for the embarrassing defeat the leafs handed them on opening night.

Player to watch: Patrik Laine

WINNIPEG, MB – JANUARY 7: Patrik Laine /

After going on a 15-game tear, Laine has been quiet over his past 4 games. A game against a Canadian rival should provide the elite Finnish Sniper all the motivation he needs to put forward a dominant offensive showing.

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After all, he has 43 goals on the year, and will likely be shooting on Leafs goalie Fredrick Anderson, who has a 3.80 GAA and .886 SV% through March.

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