The Toronto Maple Leafs hope to rebound from one of their worst efforts of the season, as they face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. The Leafs were thoroughly outplayed and dominated in a 4-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday in the opening game of a brief two game jaunt to the Sunshine State.
The game marks the second time that the Leafs and Lightning have met in over a week, after not facing each other through the first 55 games of the regular season.
Tampa Bay became the epicenter of the hockey universe over the last 24 hours, as the news emanated late Tuesday afternoon that Lightning star Steven Stamkos has not been medically cleared to play and will be unable to participate in the 2014 Sochi Olympics starting next week, but his spot on Team Canada will be taken by line mate Martin St. Louis.
Team doctors performed a CT scan on Stamkos leg and discovered that the broken tibia had not completely healed. Prior to that disappointing diagnosis, the Markham, ON native was hoping to make his return against his hometown Leafs.
“Going into the meeting, I was probably expecting to play tonight, based on how I was feeling.… Stamkos said to the media Thursday morning. “When you are dealing with a bone, you can never be 100% until you see it on the CT scan. If anything, I wish maybe we would have done that a little earlier, so I did not have my hopes as high as I did going into the meeting.…
Tampa has lost three of their last four games and with a regulation victory, Toronto could vault ahead of the third place Montreal Canadiens and within one point of the Lightning in the race for an automatic Atlantic Division playoff spot.
Ben Bishop will make his 11th straight start for Tampa, while Toronto will stick with Jonathan Bernier, after a 44 save effort against the Panthers on Tuesday.
“It’s a big two points and were in a position to chase this hockey club that we’re playing tonight and I’m sure they’re looking at it to put more distance between us and them.… Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said after the club’s optional skate in Tampa Thursday morning.
Team captain Dion Phaneuf is expected to be in the lineup after suffering an unspecified injury from a Sean Bergenheim check late in the first period on Tuesday. Phaneuf returned early in the second and played the rest of the game, but saw a season low 18:26 of ice time.
Nazem Kadri continues to be one of the reasons for the Leafs recent success, providing much needed secondary scoring to take some of the weight off the top line of Phil Kessel, Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk. Kadri had two goals in the 3-2 victory over Tampa on January 28 and has 15 points(4G, 11A) in the last 10 games.
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According to Sportsnet’s Matt Brown, the Leafs are expected to start contract talks with center Dave Bolland’s representatives over the Olympic break.
The two-time Stanley Cup winner is likely not going to return for the two remaining games before the hiatus for Sochi with his surgically repaired ankle tendon giving him difficulty, but could be ready when the Leafs play on Long Island on February 27.
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