The Toronto Maple Leafs must seize on their home ice advantage against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night, as the club remains in a tight race for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Of their 18 remaining regular season games, Toronto has eight games at Air Canada Center(where they have a record of 21-11-1) and 10 games on the road, where they are .500 and have blown third period leads in every game since the Olympic break.
After their match on Saturday, the Leafs will play their next five games on the road over the next ten days, including playing the three California-based Western Conference powers(Anaheim, San Jose and Los Angeles) in the span of four days, followed by games against Washington and Detroit.
Toronto had their seven game home winning streak broken in a 2-1 loss to Columbus on Monday and hope to rebound against the Flyers, who have won seven of their last eight games and trail the Leafs by only two points in the standings.
While the Leafs did not make any roster changes at the trade deadline, the Flyers added defenseman Andrew MacDonald from the New York Islanders for two draft picks and minor leaguer Matt Mangene.
The Leafs enter the game slightly battered. Defenseman Dion Phaneuf missed an optional skate and team practice the last two days, but took to the ice at the ACC Saturday morning in preparation for Saturday’s game.
"He's got some bumps and bruises." Carlyle said at the Mastercard Center on Friday. "We feel it's in his best interest for him not to skate today."
Winger David Clarkson left the morning skate early on and his status for Saturday night is in question due to a pulled muscle. Center Dave Bolland and winger Colton Orr will also be scratched but Carlyle indicates that both should get back into the lineup at some point during the club’s long road trip.
Goaltender Steve Mason, who has found a home as a Flyer after struggling for four years in Columbus, will start for Philadelphia, while Jonathan Bernier will start for Toronto.
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Prospect Watch
Leafs 2013 first rounder Frederik Gauthier has found his scoring touch with the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic. The 18-year-old center had just eight goals through mid-February, but has scored 10 goals and four assists in the last 10 games. In 50 games, Gauthier has 18 goals and 30 assists.
Fabrice Herzog, Toronto’s 5th rounder(142nd overall) scored five points(2 G, 3 A) in a 7-2 Quebec win over Shewinigan Friday night. The 18-year-old Swiss import has four goals in the last three games and 31 goals in his rookie season for the Ramparts.
2012 sixth rounders Connor Brown and Ryan Rupert also had great night on Friday. OHL leading scorer Brown had three assists in a 6-1 Erie Otters win over Windsor, while Rupert(who has yet to be signed by the Leafs) had two goals and two assists for London in their 10-5 thrashing of Kitchener.
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