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Maple Leafs’ Craig Berube signals notable changes on offense
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Maple Leafs’ Craig Berube signals notable changes on offense

Coach aims to give team boost against undefeated Winnipeg Jets

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The Maple Leafs are hoping their roster shakeup will end a three-game losing streak, a tough challenge against the undefeated Winnipeg Jets.

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When the Leafs took the ice at the Canada Life Center Monday morning after a day off following an overtime loss to Boston, significant changes were made to the lines and power play unit.

Coach Craig Berube appears to have broken up the second line for Monday night’s game, moving Max Pacioretty to the left side with center John Tavares and William Nylander, who has been pointless in his last three starts.

Max Domi and Bobby McMann – also shut out the last three – found themselves on a third unit Monday with checker Pontus Holmberg. The fallout also saw winger Nick Robertson scratched.

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Matthew Knies, who has been one of the most consistent performers from a production and physical standpoint, joins his frontline colleagues Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews in the top man advantage unit, with Nylander now in the second group. The team as a whole is struggling with a success rate of 10%, 29th in the NHL.

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While Toronto’s main priority is to end its three-game losing streak (0-2-1) and, second, ruin the Jets’ October unbeaten streak (8-0-0), a sidebar for the Leafs is to preserve their own piece of NHL history. .

The 1993-94 Leafs, under the leadership of the late Pat Burns, were the first team to win their first 10 games of the season, a record matched once by the Buffalo Sabers in 2006-07.

To stand out, the Jets will need to pull away from the Leafs, then win two road games – at Detroit on Wednesday and at Columbus on Saturday.

The 1993-94 Leafs have one overtime win while Winnipeg has three so far and the 2006-07 Sabers have three shootout victories during their streak.

Among the striking differences in the two Canadian clubs’ debuts this month is the success on the power play. Winnipeg comes in first with 43.5%. Winger Cole Perfetti’s three power play goals are as many as the vaunted Leafs team has produced as a whole.

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Toronto assistant coach Marc Savard has been under scrutiny to try something new after days of predictions from Bérubé and players that things would eventually change without the need to make big changes.

In Winnipeg’s most recent win, 5-3 over Calgary on Saturday, the Jets allowed the opening goal for the sixth time this year, but were undeterred. They also killed off all four of Calgary’s power plays and scored a shorthanded goal to reach 16 straight regular season wins dating back to last season – the second-longest streak in league annals after the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 17 in 1992-93.

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This win also came with Eric Comrie in net for a second game during the streak with Connor Hellebuyck likely to start Monday, putting into play his .940 save percentage – the best of any goaltender with at minus six starts.

Anthony Stolarz is expected to start for the Leafs, a sign that he has solidified his number one status ahead of Joseph Woll for the time being.

The Leafs are 7-3 against the Jets in the last 10 meetings and, in Winnipeg in particular, have gone 9-2-1 recently, often in front of friendly crowds.

Winnipeg native Ryan Reaves enters the game on Toronto’s fourth line with Steven Lorentz and David Kampf.

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