The game between the Atlantic Division leading Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs could be referred to as an episode of CSI Boston, as Toronto returns to the scene of the crime; Boston’s TD Garden for the second time since their three goal collapse in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals last May.
While the match between the two clubs will have an undercurrent of emotional residue from that hard fought first round playoff matchup, the primary focus for the Leafs will be getting two points for a win, as they are in the midst of a tight race for a playoff spot.
The Bruins are 29-14-2 on the season, two points ahead of the surprisingly resilient Tampa Bay Lightning and three points in front of arch-rival Montreal and attempting to adjust to life without top pairing defenseman Dennis Seidenberg, who is out for the year with a knee injury.
Boston is returning home after going 1-2 on a week-long three game California road trip. Center Patrice Bergeron did not participate in the morning skate on Tuesday, but the Team Canada selection will suit up according to CSN’s Joe Haggerty.
Tuukka Rask is expected to start for Boston, who registered his fifth shutout of the season in a 1-0 victory in San Jose Sunday night.
Toronto recalled center Peter Holland from the AHL Toronto Marlies and demoted winger Jerry D’Amigo on Monday, a move that looks to have been necessitated by veteran David Clarkson suffering the ill effects of the flu that ran rampant through the club on the weekend. Head coach Randy Carlyle indicated that Clarkson spend most of the night vomiting and that he will be a game time decision.
Winger Carter Ashton took Clarkson’s spot on the checking line with Nikolai Kulemin and Jay McClement this morning, while Holland skated with enforcers Frazer McLaren and Colton Orr. The Leafs coach indicated last week that playing the offensively skilled Holland on an energy line was not preferable.
Holland has played 22 games with Toronto since the trade with Anaheim in mid-November. The Leafs would have to surrender a 2nd round pick in either 2014 or 2015 if Holland plays 25 games. With the news that injured center Dave Bolland will begin skating later this week and possibly return before the Olympic break, it might be a sign that Holland’s return to the big club may last only until Clarkson is healthy enough to return.
Jonathan Bernier, who made 36 saves in the 3-2 victory over New Jersey that ended the Leafs four game losing streak, will get the start in Boston. James Reimer was one of a number of Toronto players that were sick over the weekend and may be ready to start tomorrow in the second of back-to-back games against the Buffalo Sabres at the ACC.
One thing that the Leafs should not have a problem with Tuesday night is getting motivated, something that has been quite elusive through the first 47 games this season. When asked whether his club was as hard to play against as they were last season, Carlyle was quite definitive.
“Nowhere near.… the Leafs coach said over the weekend.
“We’ve been scratching our heads and trying to figure out why and that’s one thing we’ve really tried to put at the forefront the last three weeks to a month. Our compete level has to go to a level where we’re satisfied.…
“When we do it(playing with a necessary compete level), we can play effective hockey and give ourselves a chance to win and when we don’t do it, we’re receiving the game…..we’re standing around. I would say, that’s the biggest mystery for the coaching staff is that we’ve been able to prove that when we’ve done it we’ve been effective and then for whatever reason we’re not doing it.…
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Leafs prospect Connor Brown continues to have an impressive year with the Erie Otters of the OHL and was named the league’s player of the week for the second time this season. The 19-year-old Brown, selected 156th overall by Toronto in the 2012 Entry Draft, scored 12 points(four goals, eight assists) in three games for the week ending January 12th.
The Etobicoke, ON native is the Otters team captain and leads the OHL in scoring with 28 goals and 60 assists in 43 games and signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs in November.
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