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Maple Leafs Game Day - Game 26: Leafs vs. Bruins, Reimer Returns

December 3, 2011, 1:41 PM ET [ Comments]
Ken Beckett
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
After suffering their third loss of the season to the Bruins on Wednesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs get a big return to the lineup as they visit Boston to close out this home-and-home series.

The big news from Boston following the Leafs' morning skate is that James Reimer is set to make his return to the lineup. The 23-year old netminder has missed the last 18 games with concussion-like symptoms and will make his first start since Oct. 22.

Before he went down with the head injury, Reimer was 4-0-1 with a 2.58 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. With Reimer in the lineup, the Leafs are unquestionably a better team, posting a record of 24-10-6 since Jan. 1. Without the Morweena, Manitoba native, they are 14-14-3.

Reimer has also had success against the Bruins in his young career and could be the key against a divisional opponent which has proved to be quite a challenge for the Leafs this season. In four career games against Boston, Reimer is 3-1-0 with a 2.46 GAA and a .930 save percentage.

In comparison, Jonas Gustavsson is 2-3-1 over his career against the Bruins. In his last five games against Boston, the Monster has had a tough time, going 0-3-1 while posting an .887 save percentage.

Following the Leafs' morning skate, head coach Ron Wilson revealed that the decision to have Reimer return in Boston was one that had been in the works for a few days.

"Three days ago," Wilson said when asked about when the decision came to insert Reimer back into the lineup. "He's been stopping the puck and he feels great, that's the most important thing. It's not so much what I see. He feels he's ready to play so we're gonna get him in there."

The only other change in the Leafs' lineup on Saturday is that Cody Franson will play while Keith Aulie sits out as a healthy scratch. In ten games this season, Franson has one goal and three assists. The 24-year old rearguard will play on a defensive pairing alongside John-Michael Liles.

Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines

Forwards
Joffrey Lupul - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel
Clarke MacArthur - Tim Connolly - Matt Frattin
Joey Crabb - Mikhail Grabovski - Nikolai Kulemin
Joe Colborne - David Steckel - Philippe Dupuis

Defencemen
Carl Gunnarsson - Dion Phaneuf
John-Michael Liles - Cody Franson
Jake Gardiner - Luke Schenn

Goaltenders
James Reimer
Jonas Gustavsson

The Bruins will look to make Reimer's return to action a difficult one as they also look to extend their Northeast Division lead.

Boston's 6-3 win over the Leafs on Wednesday at the Air Canada Centre helped the Bruins to overtake first place in the division. They sit one point up on Toronto with one game at hand as well.

The Bruins have been dominant against the Leafs this season, winning all three meetings. Boston has outscored Toronto 19-5 during that stretch. In Wednesday's win, David Krejci played exceptionally well with a goal and two assists en route to first star of the game honours. It was announced the next day that he had signed a three-year extension worth $15.7 million.

Wednesday's win also wrapped up an incredible month of November in which the Bruins posted an almost perfect 12-0-1 record. The Bruins have been tough to beat at home, posting a 7-0-1 record in their last eight games at TD Garden.

Milan Lucic scored two goals on Wednesday to give him ten this season. Of the ten goals that the Vancouver, British Columbia native has scored this season, five have come against the Maple Leafs.

After stopping 34 shots on Wednesday to pick up his ninth straight victory and 12th of the year, Tim Thomas is expected to get the start once again against the Leafs. In three starts against Toronto this season, Thomas is undefeated while posting a 1.67 goals-against and a .944 save percentage with one shutout.

Boston Bruins Projected Lines - Subject to change

Forwards
Milan Lucic -David Krejci - Nathan Horton
Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Tyler Seguin
Benoit Pouliot - Chris Kelly - Rich Peverley
Daniel Paille - Gregory Campbell - Shawn Thornton

Defencemen
Zdeno Chara - Johnny Boychuk
Dennis Seidenberg - Joe Corvo
Andrew Ference - Adam McQuaid

Goaltenders
Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask

Leafs vs. Bruins gets underway at 7PM ET. The game will be broadcast on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada and AM640.

For up-to-the-minute Leafs news and updates, be sure to follow Ken Beckett on Twitter @KenBeckett

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