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TSN's Jonas Siegel reports that Leafs goaltender James Reimer suffered a mild MCL strain of his left knee and that he will be out a minimum of one week.
The Leafs play four games in the next seven days; in Carolina on Thursday, at home against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday and in Florida against the Panthers and Lightning next Monday and Tuesday.
With a day of rest in between three of the games, it is likely that Ben Scrivens will make the start Thursday, Saturday and Monday, but if Reimer is not available in a week, the Leafs may have to press Jussi Rynnas into service in the second of back to back games in the Sunshine State.
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Per Sportsnet's Chris Johnston, Leafs defenseman Korbinian Holzer will not face any further discipline from the league regarding his boarding major on the Flyers Tye McGinn. Holzer was ejected from the game for a hit that slammed the smaller McGinn behind the net, but he was not injured and returned later in the game, scoring Philadelphia's second goal late in the third.
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The excitement generated by the Maple Leafs 5-2 victory and dominating performance against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Air Canada Center Monday night was tempered as goaltender James Reimer left the game due to a lower body injury and did not return.
The Leafs improve to 8-5-0 on the year, as Dion Phaneuf, Colton Orr, Matt Frattin, Clarke MacArthur and James van Riemsdyk scored his club-leading eighth goal and Ben Scrivens made 32 saves in relief of the injured 24 year old netminder.
Wayne Simmonds and Tye McGinn scored for Philadelphia.
Reimer, who was making his ninth start of the season, injured his left leg stretching to make a save four minutes into the second period and needed assistance from teammate John-Michael Liles to get to the locker room.
The Leafs, who were looking to improve on an abysmal 1-4-0 home record after sweeping a three game road trip last week, surrendered the opening goal just 38 seconds into the game, as Simmonds cashed in the rebound of a Luke Schenn point shot for his third goal of the season.
Toronto tied the game late in the period, as Leo Komarov pulled up after gaining the blueline and fed Phaneuf, whose one-timer beat a screened Ilya Bryzgalov for his second goal in as many games.
Toronto’s fourth line of Orr, Frazer McLaren and Jay McClement continued to make a contribution, but their impact was not made with their fists, but on the scoreboard as Orr converted on a rebound of a McLaren shot for his first of the season to give the Leafs a lead that they would never relinquish. Just 28 seconds later, Cody Franson’s snap shot deflected off of both Nazem Kadri and Frattin’s stick to increase the lead to 3-1.
Just under four minutes later, the Leafs chased Bryzgalov from the net, as Frattin and Kadri combined in setting up MacArthur for his second of the season.
Philadelphia were given a chance to get back into the game, as Toronto’s Korbinian Holzer was given a five minute boarding major and game misconduct for a hit that slammed the head of Flyers winger Tye Mcginn into the dasher board behind the net , but Scrivens was equal to the task, making 20 second period saves.
The New Jersey born van Riemsdyk provided the coup de grace to his former team, as Phil Kessel’s pass sprung the lanky winger, who maneuvered past a flat footed Luke Schenn and backhanded the puck past Flyers backup Brian Boucher. Mcginn’s second of the season in the final minute of the game rounded out the scoring.
Following the game, Carlyle was careful with his words, but indicated that Reimer’s injury did not appear to be serious.
“We don’t think it’s that serious at this point.” Carlyle said. “(He) shouldn’t miss any extended period of time.”
Reimer will be examined by team physicians on Tuesday to more accurately gauge the severity of the injury, but he is likely to be placed on injured reserve, so that Jussi Rynnas can be recalled to back up Scrivens.
Any further addressing of the goaltending situation will depend on how long Reimer is out.
The Leafs have nine games remaining in February and the Leafs will likely go with Scrivens in most or all of them, as the 25 year old Rynnas has only two NHL games under his belt and has played inconsistently with the Marlies after taking over Scrivens starting role when the NHL lockout ended.
If the initial diagnosis is inaccurate and Reimer's absence is long term, Nonis may have to search for a veteran free agent to backup Scrivens, but the name that comes up will not be Luongo.
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