Maple Leafs at Hurricanes
THE STORY: A struggling month of December has the Toronto Maple Leafs on the verge of dropping out of the top eight spots in the Eastern Conference. A loser of seven of 11 games this month, Toronto will pay a visit to the Carolina Hurricanes in the third of a four-game road trip that will conclude in Winnipeg on New Year's Eve. If the Maple Leafs can tread water for the next two games, the outlook is considerably brighter in 2012, when they play nine of their first 10 games at home – and the only away contest is a short jaunt to Buffalo. Carolina, meanwhile, has been a disaster for most of the season before showing signs of breaking out of its malaise since a 2-1 overtime loss in Toronto on Dec. 13. The Hurricanes have won three of its past four at the RBC Center, beating Vancouver, Ottawa and New Jersey, and will go for their third consecutive home win against the Leafs.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Leafs TV, FSCR
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (18-14-4): James Reimer will be back in goal following an abbreviated start at Florida on Tuesday night, when he was yanked after giving up three goals on eight shots in a 5-3 loss. Reimer has been brilliant in three career starts against the Hurricanes, going 3-0-0 with a 0.66 goals-against average and a shutout. Toronto has surrendered five goals three times in the last six games and has allowed 17 in its last four road contests.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (12-20-6): With reigning Calder Trophy winner Jeff Skinner sidelined since Dec. 9 with a concussion, LW Tuomo Ruutu has stepped up to fill the scoring void with goals in four consecutive games. He has five goals and two assists during a six-game points streak. Ruutu has notched 14 points in 16 career games against the Maple Leafs. LW Jussi Jokinen collected his 18th assist Tuesday. He has 12 points in 12 career games versus Toronto.
OVERTIME:
1. The game pits weakness against weakness. Carolina has the league's worst power play (12.4 percent) and Toronto ranks last on the penalty kill (72.7).
2. The Maple Leafs have been pierced for 10 power-play goals in their last four road games.