The Toronto Maple Leafs hope to win their second straight game over Florida-based clubs this week, as they face the Florida Panthers at Air Canada Center on Thursday night.
The Leafs have won four games in a row on home ice, but have had difficulty in the past winning games over teams lower in the standings. Florida is 14th in the Eastern Conference with 49 points, but have played over .500 hockey(18-16-3) under interim coach Peter Horacek, who replaced the fired Kevin Dineen in early November.
“As a coach, you think you should win every game at home.… “If you look at teams that are winning championships and winning division titles and going deep into the playoffs, that they have a home record that they have a little bit of an edge when the opposition comes in, they know that this is tough place to play.…
The Panthers took advantage of the Leafs during their pre-Christmas slump, earning a 3-1 victory in Toronto on December 17.
“I don’t think we are in any position to take anybody lightly.… Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said following the morning skate on Thursday. “They basically outworked us the last time they were in here.…
The Panthers posted wins in three straight road games (Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Detroit) before being thrashed 6-2 in Boston Tuesday night, in former Conn Smythe winner Tim Thomas’s return to the TD Garden. The veteran netminder will yield the goal to backup Scott Clemmensen against the Leafs, who made 28 saves in the victory at the ACC in December.
Jonathan Bernier gets the start for Toronto after a fine 40 save performance in a 3-2 win over Tampa on Tuesday. Bernier is 8-4-1 in his last 13 starts and is tied for 6th in the NHL with Buffalo’s Ryan Miller with a .926 save percentage.
Defensemen Tim Gleason and winger James van Riemsdyk both took the morning skate at the ACC and are expected to be in lineup after having missed practice on Wednesday. Gleason suffered a shoulder injury late in the third period against Tampa, but an MRI was negative for any damage. Van Riemsdyk missed practice for the second time this week with an undisclosed injury, but did not appear the worse for wear on Tuesday, netting his 21st of the year for the game winner.
On the injury front, the big news was regarding injured center Dave Bolland, who skated with teammates for the fourth day in a row and looks to be improving his chances of returning to the lineup before the February 9th Olympic break.
“I would think that there is a 50/50 chance.… Carlyle said. “He looks like he is moving quite freely out there and for the better part of the skates he doesn’t seem to be affected by it (the ankle laceration).…
The injury has healed but the unpredictable factor is how much pain it will be for the 27-year-old center and whether he can play effectively through it.
Winger David Clarkson had staples removed from his surgically repaired elbow on Tuesday and will possibly have more removed this evening. It is expected that he will travel with the team early next week on a two game road swing through Florida.
Trevor Smith had a setback in his bid to return to the lineup, but the problem is not related to the hand injury that has kept him out five weeks. According to the Leafs coach, the center was injured in a post-practice workout and no time frame was given for his return.
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