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The Toronto Maple Leafs begin a difficult stretch of their December schedule with back-to-back weekend contests against clubs led by Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby, who finished first and second in voting for the Hart Trophy last season.
Toronto faces a challenging five games in seven nights beginning Saturday against Crosby and the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
The Penguins (16-11-3) have been able to win games in spite of injuries and decreased depth from the team that won consecutive Stanley Cup victories over San Jose and Nashville, with former Leaf Phil Kessel leading the club with 35 points (14 goals and 21 assists)
Pittsburgh will not have goaltender Matt Murray and defenseman Justin Schultz in the lineup on Saturday and forward Tom Kuhnhackl’s status is unknown after being injured in a 4-3 overtime win against the Islanders on Thursday.
Rookie Tristan Jarry (5-1-2, 2.39 GAA and .923 save percentage) has filled in admirably since Murray’s injury, going 3-1 and the 22-year-old is expected to get the start vs. Toronto.
Defenseman Morgan Rielly did not practice in Toronto on Friday before the club left for Pittsburgh, but according to
TSN’s Kristen Shilton , the top pairing blueliner is taking part in Saturday’s morning skate.
The Leafs are expected to go with Frederik Andersen in goal against the Penguins and backup Curtis McElhinney against the Oilers on Sunday.
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The Toronto Marlies lead the American Hockey League with a 19-5-0 record and won their ninth in last 10 games in Laval on Friday, but lost starting goalie Garret Sparks in the first period.
Sparks, who leads the AHL with an 11-3-0 record and 1.68 GAA, was replaced by Calvin Pickard, who stopped all 18 shots in a 3-1 win over the Rockets.
“It’s early, but (Sparks) says he tweaked something on that play, so we made a change and put (Pickard) in and he was excellent for us.” Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe said.
The 24-year-old Elmhurst, IL native has endured a series of groin injuries in his professional career, including one during his stint with the Leafs in December 2015 and another that kept him from playing in the Calder Cup Playoffs last season.
The Marlies have not indicated the type or the extent of the injury to Sparks, but the club has recalled goalie Cal Heeter from the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL to backup Pickard, who will start in the second of back-to-back games against Laval on Saturday afternoon.
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