Hurricanes at Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t had much luck at home so far this season. That trend continued on Saturday after dropping a 1-0 decision to Boston to fall to 1-3-0 at the Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs will have a chance to improve on that record when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. Goaltender James Reimer started the last two home games for Toronto, allowing a total of three goals on 56 shots, but key cogs of the Maple Leafs' offense remained cold. Phil Kessel remains without his first goal of the season despite firing a team-high 36 shots, while captain Dion Phaneuf has one assist and is a team-worst minus-6 thus far.
Carolina started its six-game road trip with a 5-3 loss in Philadelphia on Saturday. Goaltender Dan Ellis, who stopped 30 shots for a shutout in his second start of the season on Friday, was pulled after allowing four goals on 12 shots against the Flyers. Cam Ward relieved Ellis, stopping 11 of 12 the rest of the way. Ward has a 4.05 goals-against average in five starts this season, leaving the Hurricanes with nowhere to turn to solve their goaltending situation. Scoring depth is also an issue for Carolina. Beyond captain Eric Staal’s six goals and five from Jeff Skinner, Patrick Dwyer (two) is the only other Hurricanes player to score more than once this season.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Carolinas, Sportsnet Ontario
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (3-4-0): Jordan Staal has six assists and 20 hits, but no goals on 18 shots. Eric Staal’s team-leading nine points have all come in the last five games, including a three-game goal streak. Carolina is 4-for-36 on the power play and has allowed 10 power-play goals on 33 opportunities. Alexander Semin, who has five points and is plus-7 this season, has 20 points in 18 career games against Toronto. Semin has one goal on 31 shots.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (4-4-0): Nazem Kadri leads the team with seven points and has four points in as many home games this season. Kadri has found great chemistry with injury call-up Matt Frattin, who has four goals and two assists in five games. Phaneuf has a team-leading 20 hits, while defenseman Mike Kostka leads the team with 14 blocked shots, but also is minus-6. Offseason acquisition James van Riemsdyk has four goals thus far.
OVERTIME
1. The Hurricanes are 6-1-1 in their last eight games in Toronto.
2. The Maple Leafs are 2-for-22 on the power play in their last five games. Carolina is 3-for-25.
3. Carolina D Joni Pitkanen leads the team with 26:17 average time on ice. Pitkanen has four points and is plus-7.