The Maple Leafs are battling with short term injuries and consequently have made a couple roster moves ahead of tonight’s match against the Washington Capitals at the Air Canada Center.

Winger Clarke MacArthur and defenseman Mike Komisarek are both out tonight, as both missed Tuesday night’s win in Buffalo with unusual wounds. Macarthur lost a finger nail after being slashed in last Saturday’s loss to New York and Komisarek had to have stitches to repair an eye injury caused by graphite shrapnel from a broken composite stick.

Winger Mike Brown did not see much action after his fight with Buffalo defenseman Mike Weber due to an injured shoulder, which has caused him to be placed on injured reserve. He is expected to be out of the lineup for a week. The availability of Colton Orr is also in question for tonight, as he is battling the flu.

Center David Steckel will see action for the second game in a row after not playing in four of the Leafs first five games, while the club has recalled Marlies team captain Ryan Hamilton.

The 27 year old Hamilton is having a very good season with the Leafs AHL affiliate, leading the club with 18 goals in 38 games and is coming off being awarded the MVP at the AHL All Star Game in Providence, RI earlier in the week, where he scored a hat trick.

The club has also claimed enforcer Frazer McLaren off of waivers from the San Jose Sharks.

The 6’5”, 250 lb native of Winnipeg, MN has only played once this season for the undefeated Sharks, after playing 26 games for their AHL affiliate in Worcester, MA during the lockout.

The 25 year old McLaren has played only 40 NHL games since turning pro in the 2007-08 season, with one goal and five assists, to go along with 85 penalty minutes.




Toronto faces Washington in the first of a three game home stand tonight. The Capitals have struggled under new head coach(and Hall of Famer) Adam Oates, losing their first five games of the season until defeating Buffalo at home last Sunday.

Star winger Alex Ovechkin, who has always enjoyed great success scoring against Toronto, has only one goal this season and has often appeared unmotivated and lackadaisical.

Michal Neuvirth will make his fifth start of the season for the Caps.

James Reimer will make his third straight start for Toronto

Lineup

F
Van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Kessel
McClement-Grabovski-Kulemin
Komarov-Kadri-Frattin
Orr-Steckel-Hamilton

D
Phaneuf-Kostka
Liles-Gunnarsson
Fraser-Franson

G
Reimer
Scrivens

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