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Kozun Clears Waivers; Leafs Vs Hurricanes |
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Training camp standout Brandon Kozun successfully cleared waivers on Thursday and has been assigned to the AHL Toronto Marlies.
The 24-year-old winger was a victim of the numbers game after returning from a high ankle sprain, as defenseman Roman Polak is expected to be activated in the next few days and forward Carter Ashton's suspension for violation of the league's performance enhancing policy expires on Saturday.
Kozun had one assist in five games prior to his injury on October 17 and saw less than six minutes ice time against Detroit on December 10. The speedy forward may get another chance this season, depending on injuries come into play with the Leafs, as Kozun can be used as a penalty killer and has the skill and speed to play in an offensive role.
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The Maple Leafs hope to continue their winning ways on Thursday, as they take on the Carolina Hurricanes for the first time this season at the PNC Center in Raleigh.
Toronto have won six games in a row, a 10-1-1 record since November 18th and could move into a tie for first place in the Atlantic Division with a win over the Canes, who are currently last in the NHL with an 8-19-3 record(19 pts) under first year coach Bill Peters.
The Hurricanes have been plagued by injuries to key players Jordan & Eric Staal, Alexander Semin, Cam Ward and Jeff Skinner this season and are tied with Buffalo for the least amount of goals scored(62), but have traditionally played tough against Toronto and have ex-Leafs Jay McClement, Jiri Tlusty, John-Michael Liles and Tim Gleason on their roster.
Defenseman Jay Harrison, who played 20 games with the Leafs between 2006-09 was traded by the Canes to Winnipeg on Thursday for a low draft choice.
The younger Staal, Semin, Tlusty and Liles are injured and not expected to play on Thursday.
Ward is expected to get the start and has a 14-9-2 career record against the Leafs, who are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games vs. Carolina and lost two of three contests in 2013-14, including a 6-1 loss in Raleigh on January 9.
The only potential change to Toronto's roster from the lineup is the possible return of Polak, who is a game-time decision for Thursday according to head coach Randy Carlyle after skating with the club prior to the Ducks game on Tuesday.
Jonathan Bernier, who made 40 saves in his fourth straight win against Anaheim, will be in goal for Toronto.
This will be a test for this edition of the Maple Leafs, who traditionally have come up short against teams lower in the standings that they should beat. Thursday's contest is very similar to the game in Buffalo last month, when the last place Sabres took advantage of a sub-par Toronto effort.
If the Leafs put forth similar to that in the last 12 games, they should be carrying a seven-game winning streak into Saturday's game against Philadelphia.
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Ex-Files
Winger Viktor Stalberg was placed on waivers on Thursday. After scoring 18 points in the first year of a four-year, $12 Million deal with Nashville, the former Leafs draft pick has struggled with injuries this season and played just five games with the Predators.
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Former Leafs Lee Stempniak and Joey Crabb are the latest to be caught up in the league's mumps epidemic. Stempniak is with the New York Rangers (who lost Derrick Brassard to the disease this week) and Crabb is currently with the club's AHL affiliate in Hartford.
Both are being isolated from teammates and being tested. Crabb has not been with the New York Rangers this season and may have caught the disease from a player who was exposed while with the parent club.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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