The Toronto Maple Leafs will go far in determining whether they will remain within range of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, with six games in the next nine days beginning with a visit to TD Garden on Saturday to face the division rival Boston Bruins.
Toronto returns on Sunday to start a five-game home stand against the Colorado Avalanche. They play San Jose, Arizona, Pittsburgh and Anaheim at Air Canada Center before making room for the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships.
To maintain a realistic pursuit of a playoff spot in the East, the Leafs will need win most of the games during their home stand (Toronto is 8-4-0 at home), before playing eight of their next 10 games on the road.
In spite of some progress shown from their rookie crop and veterans Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak playing well, the Leafs are 2-5-1 in their last 8 games and have fallen 10 points behind Philadelphia and Washington for the two wild card spots.
Third place in the Atlantic Division is more within range, as Toronto is seven points behind Boston with three games in hand.
The two clubs meet for the first time since the 4-1 Leafs victory in the centennial home opener on October 15. Toronto scored three times in the first period on the Bruins, who were without starting goalie Tuukka Rask and All-Star center Patrice Bergeron.
Both will be in the lineup on Saturday for the Bruins, who are looking to rebound from a 4-2 home loss to the last place Avalanche on Thursday. Boston is 9-1-3 in their last 13 games against Toronto at TD Garden.
Rask has always played well against the club that drafted him in 2005(15-3-2 career record, 1.87 GAA and .935 save percentage) and Bergeron has made it a habit of stepping up his game against the Leafs, with 52 points (20 goals, 32 assists) in 57 games.
Leafs head coach Mike Babcock will have a difficult time getting the matchups he wants without the last change, but will likely try to get Nazem Kadri and Leo Komarov matched up with the Bruins top line of Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak.
Pastrnak and Marchand are tied for the team lead with 24 points and the 20-year-old Czech is tied with Sidney Crosby for the NHL scoring lead with 18 goals.
According to Leafs TV’s Paul Hendrick, William Nylander will move up from the fourth line to play right wing with Kadri and Komarov, while Nikita Soshnikov moves down to play with Matt Martin and Ben Smith.
Martin Marincin returns to the lineup after missing the 3-2 loss to Minnesota on Wednesday with the flu.
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Karri Ramo is not enjoying much success in his first outings with the Toronto Marlies. The 30-year-old Finn was signed to a professional tryout contract earlier this week and saw his first game action in nearly 10 months, a 33-save performance in a 3-2 loss to Utica on Wednesday.
Despite being outshot 13-4, Providence strikes first thanks to Jake Debrusk. Ramo let in a similar goal in his first start vs. Utica. pic.twitter.com/LrCKGzV9JE
— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) December 10, 2016
Ramo got the start in Providence on Friday and struggled, allowing four goals on 22 Bruins shots in a 5-3 loss.
Peter Cehlarik buries a juicy rebound and the Marlies are down 2-0. pic.twitter.com/NZaerXqWnc
— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) December 10, 2016
It is expected that Frederik Andersen will get the bulk of the work for the Leafs during their home stand, with backup Antoine Bibeau possibly getting the start in the second of back-to-back games against the Avalanche on Sunday.
The window for Ramo to prove himself ready may be small. The Leafs play a pair of back-to-backs on the road (COL & AZ on 12/22 & 23, FL & TB on 12/28 & 29). If Bibeau is not used on Sunday and Ramo is not ready to face NHL shooters, it is possible that Jhonas Enroth could be recalled.
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Jeremy Bracco extended his ridiculous point streak to 26 games with this OT winner last night. Perfectly placed shot. pic.twitter.com/4nrJyOn7hN
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) December 10, 2016
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Listen to myself and Russ Cohen on Friday’s edition of “Off the Post…
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