Maple Leafs at Lightning
THE STORY: The Toronto Maple Leafs found themselves on the ice in Carolina just over 19 hours after they defeated the Washington Capitals at the Air Canada Centre. That quick turnaround spelled doom for the visitors, who dropped a narrow decision to the Hurricanes. Toronto has had a full day to recover and will try to get back in the win column Tuesday as it travels to Tampa Bay for a date with the Lightning. The Maple Leafs have dropped four of their last five games and find themselves slipping closer to the .500 mark after opening the season on a tear. The Lightning have endured their own share of recent struggles, coming into Tuesday's contest with only one win in their last four games. Tampa Bay is perilously close to dropping into the cellar in the Southeast Division, one point ahead of basement co-owners Winnipeg and Carolina.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, RIS, Rogers Sportsnet Ontario, SunSports
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (11-8-2): Toronto has more than a half-dozen regulars still on the shelf, but one of the walking wounded may be returning Tuesday. Forward Clarke MacArthur is optimistic he'll be in the lineup against the Lightning after missing the previous three games with an upper-body injury. The news isn't as rosy for center Matthew Lombardi, who is recovering from a reported dislocated shoulder that may require major surgery.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (9-8-2): The defense and goaltending that allowed the Lightning to rise to the top of the division last season has abandoned them in 2011-12. Tampa Bay is allowing just over three goals per game, and isn't getting any consistency from the goaltending tandem of Dwayne Roloson and Mathieu Garon. Roloson, who will likely start Tuesday, is 6-7-0 with a 2.30 goals against average in 14 career games against the Leafs.
OVERTIME:
1. Tampa Bay has only one regulation loss in its last 15 games against Toronto (11-1-3) since dropping six straight in the head-to-head series.
2. NHL scoring leader Phil Kessel has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in 19 games against Tampa, but only one assist in four games as a Maple Leaf.
3. Tampa Bay superstar Steven Stamkos has points in 11 of his last 14 games.