Ascending to an Eastern Conference playoff spot will be near impossible task for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but that optimistic scenario may gain in momentum if they can defeat the Boston Bruins at Air Canada Center on Thursday.
The Bruins were in action on Wednesday and did not aid Toronto’s post-season pursuit, as Tomas Jurco and Gustav Nyquist scored in the third period to give the Detroit Red Wings a 3-2 come-from-behind victory at Joe Louis Arena.
Veteran forward Jarome Iginla did not play in Detroit due to an undisclosed lower body injury and center Patrice Bergeron appeared hobbled after taking an awkward hit on his left knee in the second period.
Goalie Tuukka Rask made 17 saves in the loss and it is likely that backup Chad Johnson will play in Toronto on the second of back-to-back games. Johnson has nearly identical stats to Rask(2.04 GAA, .926 save percentage) and an impressive 17-3-1 record in 24 games, including a victory in Toronto on December 8th with a Bruins squad that was hampered by injuries.
Toronto is expected to stay with the same 11 forward, seven defensemen lineup configuration that broke the eight game losing streak on Tuesday and Jonathan Bernier will make his fifth consecutive start.
Leafs coach Randy Carlyle was fully aware of the challenge ahead and conveyed that message to his club before the morning skate at the ACC Thursday morning.
“Just prepare yourself to play the best game of the year. That’s what our mindset is.… Carlyle said. “We have to play a high level game, we have to have a team commitment to putting pressure and establish our forecheck and execute in the small areas.…
With the results on Wednesday, the odds of the Leafs making the playoffs decreased to 6.9% according to SportsClubStats.com , but that could change dramatically based on what happens with Columbus, who take on the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday.
A Toronto win and a Columbus regulation loss would move the Leafs one point ahead of the Blue Jackets into the second wild card spot, but they would still have the advantage of two games in hand. Columbus will use up one of those games on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks at Nationwide Arena, who have Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane out with injuries, but the Jackets may be short-handed with Nathan Horton day-to-day with a lower body injury.
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The Maple Leafs announced the signing of 2013 third round pick Carter Verhaeghe to a three-year entry level contract on Wednesday. Verhaeghe’s junior season ended on Tuesday as the Niagara Ice Dogs were eliminated by North Bay in the first round of the OHL Playoffs, which frees up the 18-year-old center to join the Toronto Marlies for the rest of the season.
Verhaeghe, selected 82nd overall by the Maple Leafs last June, led the IceDogs in scoring and finished 21st in the OHL with 28 goals and 54 assists in 65 games.
While being available to play immediately, it is not expected that Verhaeghe will see action until the Marlies playoff seeding is determined. Toronto is close to clinching the North Division with a 16 point lead over the Rochester Americans, but trail the reigning Calder Cup Champion Grand Rapids Griffins by six points(with three games in hand)for second spot in the Western Conference.
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Listen to the April 3rd edition of Leaf Buzz with co-host John Restaino:
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