Maple Leafs at Bruins
The Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to overtake Boston for third place in the Atlantic Division and have a chance to inch closer when they visit the Bruins on Saturday night. The Maple Leafs trail Boston by three points with five games in hand, but have dropped three in a row in regulation for the first time this season entering the fifth stop of a season-high six-game road trip.
"Bottom line is we had a good thing going and we have let it slip away here," Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. "Now you to fight hard to get it back." The Maple Leafs have won both matchups with the Bruins by identical 4-1 margins, getting a goal in each victory from Connor Brown and James van Riemsdyk. Boston was unable to keep up with league-best Washington and dropped a 5-3 decision Wednesday to halt a three-game winning streak. The Bruins will be opening a four-game homestand and hope to reverse their season-long struggles at TD Garden (12-12-0).
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC, CITY (Toronto), NESN (Boston), NHL.TV
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (23-17-9): Netminder Frederik Andersen got off to a rocky start in his first season with Toronto, allowing at least four goals in four of his five first games, and he has struggled coming out of the All-Star break. Andersen, who posted consecutive shutouts before the break, was yanked after surrendering three goals on eight shots at Dallas before he was dented for five goals two nights later at St. Louis. Rookie Mitch Marner has scored in back-to-back games to push his team-leading total to 42 points.
ABOUT THE BRUINS (26-22-6): Boston has two major injury concerns after No. 1 center Patrice Bergeron and goaltender Tuukka Rask sat out Friday's practice as a result of injuries sustained against Washington. Bergeron took a slap shot off the inside of his right knee and is listed as day-to-day, while the Bruins called Rask's absence a maintenance day after he felt something pop in his groin but remained in the game. Despite a December loss to Toronto, Rask is 15-4-2 with a 1.93 goals-against average versus the Maple Leafs.
OVERTIME
1. Bruins F Brad Marchand has six goals and three assists during a four-game point streak.
2. Andersen has won all six career meetings versus the Bruins while sporting a superb 1.32 goals-against average.
3. Boston is 5-for-13 on the power play over the past four games.