Maple Leafs at Blues
THE STORY: Don't let the record fool you: the Toronto Maple Leafs have concerns as they head into St. Louis on Thursday for a rare date with the Blues. A hot start has taken a backseat during back-to-back home losses in which the Maple Leafs have been outscored 12-1. With starting netminder James Reimer still on the shelf with concussion symptoms, the tandem of Jonas Gustavsson and Ben Scrivens simply hasn't been good enough. That hasn't been a problem at all in St. Louis, where second-stringer Brian Elliott is actually pushing starter Jaroslav Halak for the No. 1 role. The recent play of both netminders has given Blues fans reason for optimism. So, too, has the hiring of Ken Hitchcock, who guided the club to a 3-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in his St. Louis coaching debut. Thursday marks the second of a five-game homestand for the Blues, who can climb over the .500 mark with a win.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TSN, Fox Sports Midwest
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (9-5-1): The goaltending has taken serious heat over the past two losses, but other players on the roster are accepting their share of blame. "The littlest screw-up is in the net, and sometimes it goes in waves," said forward Clarke MacArthur, who was a minus-5 in the combined routs. "It's a bump in the road we need to fix. We can't put it on the goalies. We have to score to win." As of Wednesday night, coach Ron Wilson hadn't decided who would start in goal Thursday.
ABOUT THE BLUES (7-7-0): Two performances stood out in Hitchcock's coaching debut. Halak turned aside all 29 shots he faced to rebound from a rough beginning to the season, while Chris Stewart's power-play goal ended a 10-game drought. The man advantage goal was just the fourth for the Blues in 41 opportunities, the worst success rate in the NHL. Hitchcock should make St. Louis a stronger team, particularly in the special teams department - an area in which the Blues need the most help.
OVERTIME:
1. The teams last faced off Jan. 6 in St. Louis. Toronto won that encounter 6-5 in a shootout after squandering a 5-2 lead in the third period.
2. NHL scoring leader Phil Kessel has been rather ordinary away from Toronto, scoring just two goals and five assists in seven road games. He has 15 points in eight home outings.