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Matthews "getting close, (but) won't play today"; Leafs vs. Canadiens |
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The Toronto Maple Leafs look to extend their club record home winning streak to 12 games against the Montreal Canadiens at Air Canada Centre on Saturday, but will have to do it without goaltender Frederik Andersen, winger Leo Komarov, defenseman Nikita Zaitsev and center Auston Matthews.
The Leafs bested the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 at Key Bank Center on Thursday with backup Curtis McElhinney between the pipes, as Andersen did not travel with the club after Dallas winger Alex Radulov fell on top of him in the first period on Wednesday and eventually caused the Leafs goaltender to leave the game.
McElhinney made 13 saves in relief of Andersen in the shootout win over the Stars, another 38 stops in the victory over Buffalo (which gives him a 6-0-1 record in his last seven games) and the veteran netminder will go for the Leafs against Montreal.
Komarov left Thursday’s game after colliding with William Nylander in the second period and did not return to the game. The veteran winger had an MRI on Friday to determine if there is any damage to his knee/thigh area and he is considered day-to-day, but did not skate on Saturday.
Zaitsev missed his third game in a row on Thursday with the flu. Both he and Andersen skated at Air Canada Centre prior to the rest of the club, but Babcock did not offer any timetable for their return.
Matthews skated with teammates on Saturday and was not wearing a non-contact jersey for the first time since being injured on February 22, but the 20-year-old did not take line rushes during the morning skate and will sit out his ninth straight game with a shoulder injury.
“Matthews looks like he’s getting close, (but) won’t play today.” Babcock said.
Toronto have three days between the game against Montreal and their next game and it is possible that Matthews will make his return in Tampa Bay on Tuesday or even in Nashville on Thursday.
With the absence of Komarov, the Leafs juggled their lines combinations except for the James van Riemsdyk-Tyler Bozak-Connor Brown line (which scored three times in Buffalo). Matt Martin and Josh Leivo joined Matthews as extra forwards, while veteran Dominic Moore skated on the wing with former Hab Tomas Plekanec and Kasperi Kapanen. Mitch Marner resumed his spot on the line with Patrick Marleau and Nazem Kadri and rookie Andreas Johnsson skated on left wing with William Nylander and Zach Hyman.
Rookie Charlie Lindgren is expected to get the start in goal for Montreal.
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Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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