Gabriel Landeskog Scores Twice as the Avalanche Hand the Maple Leafs a Fourth Straight Loss, and Dawson Mercer Burns the Devils: Tuesday NHL Fantasy Notes

The Toronto Maple Leafs' homestand keeps getting worse. Gabriel Landeskog scored twice, including the tiebreaking goal 5:02 into the third period, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Leafs 6-3 on Tuesday night in Toronto. It was Toronto's fourth straight loss, dropping the Leafs to 8-10-2, while the Avalanche (11-6-2) moved into second place in the Central Division behind Minnesota (12-3-4).

In Winnipeg, Dawson Mercer scored twice against his former team, including the third-period winner, and Kyle Connor added two goals as the Jets beat the New Jersey Devils 4-2, snapping New Jersey's five-game winning streak.

Here is what both games mean for fantasy rosters and the betting board.

Avalanche 6, Maple Leafs 3: Colorado's depth shows up

Colorado did not need a huge night from its biggest stars to win this one, and that is the most encouraging sign for the Avalanche. Landeskog, who missed years of action with a knee injury before returning, did the damage. Devon Toews had a goal and an assist, Cale Makar added two assists and Mackenzie Blackwood made 28 saves.

Fantasy takeaways:

- Landeskog is worth a look in standard leagues. A two-goal night on a deep Colorado team is a reminder that he adds goals, hits and shots in multi-category formats. If he is on your waiver wire, he is a reasonable pickup. - Toews is a sneaky streaming option on the blue line in deep leagues, especially in points formats where his secondary assists add up behind Makar. - Blackwood remains a solid fantasy starter. Colorado's possession game limits the quality of shots against him, which makes him a dependable source of wins.

The Leafs' problem: no Matthews, no 5-on-5 offense

Toronto's struggles go deeper than one bad night. Auston Matthews remains on injured reserve until at least Nov. 22, and the Leafs have been unable to create offense at even strength without him. Over one recent five-game stretch, Toronto scored 12 goals, only one of them at 5-on-5.

The injury list keeps growing. Colton Sissons is week-to-week with a lower-body injury, Kirill Marchenko is also week-to-week, and Morgan Rielly is day-to-day. Head coach Jim Hiller said after the loss that the team made multiple poor decisions, and he was asked directly about Sergei Bobrovsky, who allowed four or more goals for the fifth time this season with Toronto.

Fantasy takeaways:

- William Nylander has still been productive in the box score, but his underlying even-strength numbers are concerning. Among Leafs forwards who have played more than 10 games, he has one of the lowest 5-on-5 shot-attempt percentages on the team. He is still a must-start, but temper expectations until Matthews returns. - Bobrovsky is a risky fantasy start right now. Five games of four or more goals allowed is a red flag, and Toronto's defensive structure has been poor. Bench him in head-to-head leagues until the Leafs stabilize. - Toronto's opponents become streaming targets. A team without its top scorer, missing multiple forwards and struggling defensively is a matchup to attack in DFS and season-long.

Betting angle: The Leafs at 8-10-2 with four straight losses are a team the market may still be pricing on reputation. When a struggling team is still being priced as a contender, there is often value on the other side. Overs on opponents' team totals deserve a look until Toronto tightens up.

Jets 4, Devils 2: Mercer's revenge night

Mercer scored twice in his first game against New Jersey since joining Winnipeg, including the game-winner in the third period. Connor added two more. The Devils trailed 2-0 after the first period and tied it in the second on goals from Jesper Bratt and Cody Glass, but they could not finish. Jake Allen made 21 saves in the loss.

New Jersey fell to 13-6-0 and saw its five-game win streak end. Winnipeg improved to 8-8-3.

Fantasy takeaways:

- Kyle Connor remains one of the most reliable goal scorers in the league and a must-start in every format. - Dawson Mercer has carved out a real role in Winnipeg. A two-goal game against his former team will get attention, and he is worth a speculative add in deeper leagues if he is playing in the Jets' top six. - Jesper Bratt continues to drive New Jersey's offense and remains a top fantasy winger. - Jake Allen took the loss in this one. Watch the Devils' goalie usage this week before streaming either New Jersey netminder.

What's next

The Devils host Washington on Thursday, and the Jets visit Dallas the same night. The Leafs, meanwhile, try to stop the slide without Matthews. For confirmed starting goalies before each slate, check the morning reports, because Toronto's crease situation could change after Tuesday's performance.

For the Verdexed model's view on every NHL game this week, see the NHL predictions page.

What to do in your league

1. Add Gabriel Landeskog if he is available. 2. Bench Sergei Bobrovsky in head-to-head formats until the Leafs stabilize. 3. Stream skaters against Toronto while Matthews is out. 4. Keep Kyle Connor and Jesper Bratt locked into lineups.