Hockey Night in Canada Cheat Sheet: Kessel returns to Toronto

Phil Kessel's tumultuous time in Toronto is well documented so just how will the former Maple Leaf be received when his Penguins visit the ACC Saturday night? We take a closer look at #81 then and now.

What better way to celebrate Halloween than a night full of hockey?

Saturday’s installment of Hockey Night in Canada is loaded with options, including four games that feature five Canadian teams.

There’s Phil Kessel first game against the Toronto Maple Leafs since he was shipped out of town in the off-season. There’s a re-match of Friday’s contest between Detroit and Ottawa, and a tilt between Columbus and Winnipeg before Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers take on the Calgary Flames in the Battle of Alberta in the late game.

As we do every week in the Cheat Sheet, here’s everything viewers need to know about this week’s Hockey Night in Canada:

Note: All games below are listed in Eastern time

The 7 p.m. games:

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Channel: CBC
Broadcast crew: Jim Hughson, Glenn Healy, Mike Johnson, Scott Oake
Game notes: Kessel has 12 points in 19 career games against the Maple Leafs…Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to start in net following backup Jeff Zatkoff’s 50-save performance against Buffalo on Thursday…Sidney Crosby has just five points on the season and has only registered points in two games.

Detroit Red Wings vs. Ottawa Senators
Channel: City
Broadcast crew: Paul Romanuk, Garry Galley, David Amber
Game notes: Petr Mrazek will start in net for Detroit after Jimmy Howard made 32 saves in a loss Friday night..The Red Wings have lost six of their past seven games while Ottawa has won two in a row following a four-game losing streak (0-2-2)…The Senators are ninth in the NHL in goals (three per game) and 22nd in goals against (2.90 per game).

Winnipeg Jets vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
Channel: Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360
Broadcast crew: R.J. Broadhead, Greg Millen, Christine Simpson
Game notes: The Blue Jackets have won two of their last three games after starting the regular season 0-8…Winnipeg rookie forward Nikolaj Ehlers enters Saturday with a five-game point streak (three goals, two assists)…Jets forward Drew Stafford is expected to play his 600th NHL game while defenceman Tyler Myers will play his 400th.

The 10 p.m. game:

Calgary Flames vs. Edmonton Oilers
Channel: CBC, Sportsnet ONE
Broadcast crew: Dave Randorf, Craig Simpson, Cassie Campbell-Pascall
Game notes: Connor McDavid has scored 11 points in his last seven games…The Flames have lost four straight and rank last in the Western Conference with a minus-24 goal differential…Karri Ramo is expected to start in net for the Flames.

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