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The Toronto Maple Leafs played another incomplete game against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, but came back from an early 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 at Scotiabank Arena, with veteran Jordie Benn scoring the game-winner in his first game in Blue and White.
Auston Matthews and Pierre Engvall also scored and Erik Kallgren made 27 saves for his second victory of the season, putting the Leafs in second place in the Atlantic Division.
Prior to the game, Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe indicated that goalie Matt Murray would not go in the second of back-to-back games, but was on schedule to make his return in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
Benn was inserted in the lineup due to the late scratch of TJ Brodie after taking the pre-game skate. Brodie had played 153 regular season and seven playoff games since signing with Toronto in 2020, but he has been placed on injured reserve with an oblique injury. That means the 32-year-old will miss the next two games against the Penguins and New Jersey, but a return against Buffalo next Saturday will depend on the severity of the injury.
The Leafs recalled forward Pontus Holmberg and defenseman Mac Hollowell from the AHL Marlies on Monday. Holmberg had a goal and assist in a 5-4 overtime loss to Grand Rapids on Friday after being sent down last week. The righty-shooting Hollowell has nine assists in nine AHL games.
The big news was an update on defenseman Jake Muzzin. The veteran blueliner suffered a neck injury against Arizona on October 17 and on Monday the club revealed that the 33-year-old is out indefinitely with a cervical spine injury. The Leafs indicated that Muzzin will be re-evaluated in late February, but Pierre LeBrun of the Athletic believes it is doubtful that Muzzin will return this season.
Coincidentally, late February is just before the NHL Trade Deadline and a prognosis ending Muzzin’s season would allow GM Kyle Dubas the opportunity to use space created by the defenseman’s $5.6 million salary being on LTIR to add some defensive help.
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