Next Game

Toronto Maple Leafs
@ Tampa Bay Lightning


Pre Game: 7:00 p.m., Leafs TV
Broadcast: 7:30 p.m., Sportsnet, AM640, Leafs TV Interactive
Post Game: 10:00 p.m., Leafs TV
Post Video: mapleleafs.com

Thursday, Feb 12, 2009, 7:30 PM EST
St. Pete Times Forum

Complete Coverage >

The Tank for Tavares standings:

Team GP Pts
1 NYI 54 38
2 ATL 56 43
3 OTT 52 46
4 TAM 54 47
5 TOR 54 50
6 STL 53 50

Tonight's a "four point game" in the Hunt for Hedman. Will the Maple Leafs ruin their chances at a good draft pick by beating Tampa? Will Toronto skate out to an early lead and blow it in comical fashion to signal their commitment to losing? Only time will tell!

On the injury front:

Toronto Maple Leafs Injuries

Questionable

Player Injury Type Injury Date
Jonas Frogren knee 02/12/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player Injury Type Injury Date
Tomas Kaberle hand 01/30/2009
Mike Van Ryn knee 02/08/2009

Tampa Bay Lightning Injuries

Questionable

Player Injury Type Injury Date
Paul Ranger other-excused 02/12/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player Injury Type Injury Date
Mike Smith concussion 01/30/2009
Olaf Kolzig biceps 01/27/2009
Andrej Meszaros arm 02/05/2009
Jamie Heward concussion 01/02/2009
Paul Szczechura other-excused 01/14/2009

The Lightning are without Tank Superstars Jamie Heward, Paul Ranger, and Paul "Loose Vowels" Szczechura, while the Leafs are without Kaberle, Van Ryn and Frogren which will surely deplete the defense enough for Lecavalier to go to work.

Who's Hot:

Jason Blake has been ripping it up as of late (9G 9A 18Pts in his last 11GP)

Niklas Hagman (3G 2A 5Pts in his last 4GP)

Luke Schenn (very handsome)

Who's Not:

I don't remember the last time I saw Mikhail Grabovski do anything (1G 2A 3Pts in his last 13GP).

To be honest, despite talk of tanking I have to assume that these two teams would both like to win tonight. Players don't want to lose games, this could be an exciting tilt between two clubs that think they have a shot at skating hard and taking home a win. It could also be a snoozer where two teams think they'll beat up on a team low in the standings and both play sloppy hockey. Let's hope for the former.

Game Coverage