Update - 6:30pm - James Reimer gets the start for Toronto.
The Maple Leafs face another hurdle in a December full of challenges, as they play Atlantic Division rival Ottawa on Saturday night and the Boston Bruins at Air Canada Center on Sunday.
The only previous contest between the combatants in the Battle of Ontario was a wild 5-4 Toronto victory on October 5 where the Leafs rallied from a two goal second period deficit and won on the strength of two shootout goals from Mason Raymond and Tyler Bozak. That night was peculiar because James Reimer, who normally performs brilliantly on Saturday nights, allowed four goals on 21 shots before being pulled in favor of Jonathan Bernier.
Tonight’s contest is Toronto’s first visit to the recently renamed Canadian Tire Center in Kanata, ON, where the Senators have a dismal 4-8-2 record this season.
Toronto did not take a morning skate on Saturday to give an indication of who will start in goal, but it is expected that head coach Randy Carlyle will follow his normal pattern of splitting duties in back-to-back games. Jonathan Bernier was stellar in a 48 save effort against Dallas on Thursday, but Reimer has fantastic career numbers in Ottawa(6-0, 0.84 GAA, 2 SO & ,987 save %) that could give a leg up on starting Saturday, with Bernier facing the Bruins in an unusual Sunday night home game.
Craig Anderson, who is 2-3-0 in his last five starts with a goals against average of 4.01 will be between the pipes for the slumping Senators, who have lost seven of their last ten games.
Toronto’s lineup has been a river of constant change with injuries and ineffective performances so far this season and Carlyle continues to search for players who can perform consistently and be trusted with more responsibilities. With injuries to Dave Bolland, Tyler Bozak and Joffrey Lupul, the Leafs coach has heaped more ice time on top liners James van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel(who both played 20+ minutes against Dallas) and relied more on veterans Jay McClement, career minor-leaguer Trevor Smith and Mason Raymond, while giving newcomers like Peter Holland and the recently recalled Carter Ashton and Jerry D’Amigo scant minutes.
The blueline appears to be the area that will get a shuffle on Saturday, as veteran John-Michael Llies was recalled from the AHL Toronto Marlies and practiced with Mark Fraser on Friday, while Paul Ranger played with Morgan Rielly. Liles was previously recalled during the Leafs Western Canada road swing in late October, but did not play once in two weeks before being returned to the AHL.
Carlyle may be at the point where he has had to reevaluate the construct of his defensive corps. The top pairing of Dion Phaneuf and Carl Gunnarsson draw the primary shutdown assignment and see the most ice time every night. Jake Gardiner and Cody Franson normally play over 20 minutes in spite of their deficiencies in their own zone and the bottom pairing has continually been a disaster waiting to happen this season, as the pairing of Fraser and Paul Ranger on Thursday.
For all the promise and potential of rookie Morgan Rielly, Leafs management is keenly aware that he leads the club with a -11 plus/minus and has a lot to learn about playing in the NHL. If Liles or Ranger suit up in Ottawa instead of Rielly, that will make two straight games that the 19-year-old has been a healthy scratch, which increases the chances that the blueliner will be loaned to Team Canada for the upcoming World Juniors.
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