The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled forwards Frederik Gauthier and Josh Leivo from the AHL Toronto Marlies on an emergency basis. The two forwards are expected to be in the lineup as the Leafs take on the Buffalo Sabres at Air Canada Center on Saturday.
Gauthier, Toronto's 2013 first round pick, has five goals and 11 assists in 52 games in his first season with the Marlies, while Leivo, 22, has 14 goals and 26 assists in 45 AHL games and four goals in nine games in an earlier stint with the Leafs.
Both players were not in the lineup for the Marlies 3-2 overtime victory over Lehigh Valley at Ricoh Coliseum on Friday.
Forwards Milan Michalek and Peter Holland were injured in the 4-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday and the emergency recall of Gauthier and Leivo is indicative of both players being unavailable against the Sabres, who won 3-1 over the Ottawa Senators on Friday.
Michalek skated with the club at the morning skate at ACC on Saturday, but Holland was not on the ice. Head coach Mike Babcock indicated that winger Leo Komarov will miss his second straight game with a lower body injury. After three straight starts for Jonathan Bernier, Toronto will go back to rookie Garret Sparks in goal. Buffalo will go with backup Chad Johnson in back-to-back games as starter Robin Lehner is out with a lower body injury.
The Sabres will sit star rookie Jack Eichel against Toronto, who is out with the flu.
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Leafs prospect Dominic Toninato scored two goals in Minnesota-Duluth in a 4-2 upset victory over North Dakota on Friday.
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