The Leafs look to bounce back after a disastrous couple of games .  They’ll need a solid effort with significant improvement on the back-end – especially with the surging Flyers in town.

Line-up changes of note …. Rosehill is in for Stalberg and Toskala is back in replacing Gustavsson.

Projected Lines vs. Flyers

Forwards:
Kulemin Bozak Kessel
Ponikarovsky Stajan Hagman
Blake Mitchell Stempniak
Rosehill Mayers Orr

Defencemen:

Gunnarson Beauchemin
Kaberle White
Exelby Schenn

Goaltenders:
Toskala
Gustavsson

LT

College of Sports Media Game of the Night:

Coming off a huge win in Montreal on Tuesday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs continue their road trip as their in Columbus tonight to take on the Blue Jackets. It will be the only meeting between the two teams this season. Last year this one-time-a-year affair was played in Toronto and Columbus earned a 4-3 shootout win. Goaltender Jonas Gustavsson will not be available for tonight’s tilt. He left Tuesday game with an accelerated heart beat. Joey MacDonald will get the call. MacDonald came in against the Habs in the second period and preserved the shut out. Matt Stajan had another strong game. He notched his eighth goal of the season. In the last ten games he’s scored five and added five assists. Phil Kessel continues to impress. Against the Canadiens he had a couple of helpers and has 13 points in the last 14 games. Columbus got off to a got start at home, but have struggled as of late. They only one once in their last seven. The answer to their recent woes lies between the pipes. Steve Mason has struggled this season and over his last eight games has only won twice. Rick Nash continues to lead the Blue Jackets offensively. He has 15 goals and 14 assists already this season.

Jonas Gustavsson will get the back to back start as the Leafs try to avoid completely erasing the gains they made prior to last nights Sabres game.

The only line-up change has Jeff Finger in for the inured Carl Gunnarson.

Projected Lines vs. Canadiens

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Can the boys make it three in a row?  A nice streak and getting to .500 before Christmas would be fantastic considering how the season started.

Mike Komisarek is back in the line-up…Hard-luck Finger finds his usual seat in the team box along side Exelby and Wallin.  Toskala is feeling better but needs more hard practices before Wilson will put him back in.

Projected Lines vs. Sabres

Forwards
Ponikarovsky Stajan Kessel
Blake Grabovski Hagman
Kulemin Primeau Stempniak
Hanson Mayers Orr

Defense
Kaberle Komisarek
Gunnarson Beauchemin
White Schenn

Goalie
Gustavsson
Macdonald

LT

Can the Leafs top their 61 shot effort against the Islanders?  My guess is that their goal is to win on the scoreboard versus shot total.

While no official line-up was posted; we know that Christian Hanson is up and in the line-up for John Mitchell and Jamal Mayers will slide into the 4th line center slot leaving Wallin in the press box once again.  Joey Macdonald will back up Gustavsson with Toskala out for 2 games or so.

Projected Lines vs. Lightning

Forwards
Ponikarovsky Stajan Kessel
Hanson Grabovski Hagman
Blake Primeau Stempniak
Kulemin Mayers Orr

Defense
Kaberle Gunnarson
Beauchemin White
Exelby Schenn

Goalie
Gustavsson
Macdonald

LT

Tavares is coming to town!  Let’s see if the Leafs can do to him what they did to Ovechkin on Saturday night.

It looks like Finger’s lower body injury will keep him out of the line-up…Exelby is in.   Is the Wallin project over?  He’ll sit again…Mayers remains in the line up.  Vesa gets the start…some media have reported that the goal is for him to play 2/3 of the games from here on out.  Let’s see if he can earn / reach that goal.

Here’s hoping for a mini streak to begin.

Projected Lines vs. Islanders

Forwards
Ponikarovsky Stajan Kessel
Blake Grabovski Hagman
Kulemin Mitchell Stempniak
Mayers Primeau Orr

Defense
Kaberle Gunnarson
Beauchemin White
Exelby Schenn

Goalie
Toskala
Gustavsson

LT

Looks like Wilson is going to go with his #2 who was the #1 goalie tonight.  Some had suggested that Wilson might want to play Toskala more on the road until he gets his confidence back…So perhaps that’s all this is.  Or he is simply playing the hotter goalie as Tosk did show signs of life last week.

The line-up looks the same as the one that was put on the ice on Saturday.  Primeau is still out and White will play despite missing practice due to a personal issue. 

I hope we see some bang and crash versus the odd fight from the 4th line….Can’t figure out why that’s not the way they come out – We need an energy line early…not a fight line.

Projected Lines vs. Senators

LT

The headline for tonights game is….the debut of Phil Kessel as a Maple Leaf.  Let’s trust that the medical staff took a cautious approach and Phil is in no danger of re-injuring his wing.  I for one will not be looking for #81 to net a hatrick tonight….I’ll be looking to see some speed and perhaps him getting a few chances to wipe the rust off.

Other than moving Tlusty down to make room for Kessel – no other line up changes.  Finger, Mayers and Rosehill get their reserved seats in the press box.

It is expected that Wilson will put his new #1 goalie back in cage…Gustavsson will get the start.

Line Up

Forwards
Blake Stajan Kessel
Ponikarovsky Grabovski Kulemin
Hagman Mitchell Stempniak
Primeau Wallin Orr

Defense
Kaberle Komisarek
Beauchemin White
Exelby Schenn

Goalie
Gustavsson
Toskala

I’ll be in section 320 enjoying the game.  In addition to seeing Kessel’s return, it will be fun to watch a couple of first rounders….Hedman and Stamkos.

LT

What can I say other than…Is tonight the night?  Will the boys win one for Burke in his old stomping ground?  The Ducks aren’t exactly taking the NHL by storm this season but every team is a tough opponent for the Blue & White these days.

The notable move tonight is the return of Jonas Gustavsson who will get the start.  He hasn’t seen a lot of NHL rubber yet this year – let’s hope he’s ready.  Also noteworthy is the reduction in muscle in the line-up as both Mayers and Rosehill sit.  Finger takes his -6 to the press box again as he seems to be in a platoon situation with Garnet Exelby.

Tonights expected line-up…

Forwards

LT

After a full week off and the “reset button” pushed, the Leafs look to get win #1 on the road against Roberto Luongo and the Canucks.  Tonight starts the first of 7 games against teams that combined, have a winning percentage of 41%.  Definitely a different level of competition than their first 7 games who combined for a winning percentage of over 60% including the hottest teams in the league.

Tonights Leafs Line-Up

Forwards
Ponikarovsky Grabovski Blake
Stalberg Stajan Hagman
Mitchell Wallin Stempniak
Mayers Primeau Orr

Defence
Kaberle Komisarek
Beauchemin White
Exelby Schenn

Goalies
MacDonald
Reimer

LT