7 p.m. at Air Canada Centre
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
TV: CSN, CBC, NHL Network
RADIO: 94 WIP
LEAFS BLOG: Pension Plan Puppets
While things are suddenly going for the Philadelphia Flyers lately — goaltending issues no longer apparent, five straight wins in spite of a rash of injuries — it’s the complete opposite for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
First, general manager Brian Burke opted not to make a change at the trade deadline. Then just five days later, when it became clear something had to be done to stop a tailspin, Burke fired head coach Ron Wilson. Under new boss Randy Carlyle, things have not changed much, at least in terms of results. The Leafs are still losing. The playoffs are growing ever more distant.
In their last 14 games, Toronto has won just two. One of those wins came in overtime, too. They’re 2-11-1 over that stretch. That is just absurdly bad. Piling on, the Leafs learned earlier this week that they’ve lost Joffrey Lupul potentially until the end of the season. He’s one of their top scorers and his injury won’t exactly going to help the playoff chase.
This is the team the Flyers face Saturday night on national television as they go for their fifth straight win.
It seems as though Jakub Voracek, Kimmo Timonen, Andrej Meszaros and Pavel Kubina are all likely still out tonight in Toronto. The Leafs are without Lupul for certain and could also miss tough guy Mike Brown, forward Colby Armstong and defenseman Cody Franson.
Tonight’s game is on NHL Network around the country but CSN locally. In Canada, you can catch the action on CBC. Hoooooray Don Cherry. Game thread at 5.
