Leafs (4-1-1) at Philly (2-3-1)
The Leafs have something to prove this game. After a 4-0-0 start, the Leafs have lost the last two games: An overtime loss to the Islanders which the Leafs dominated from start to finish but could not pull out the W; and a regulation to the Rangers in which the Leafs looked more like the team from last year than the team that began the season with the franchise’s best start in almost two decades. Which team will show up?
Storylines:
Tyler Bozak was benched for almost the entire 3rd Period on Thursday against the Rangers. Expect a big rebound game from Ron Wilson’s top Center.
Mike Richards has not yet scored a goal this season, posting only 3 assists in the first 6 games.
Phil Kessel and Clark McArthur have scored 10 of Toronto’s 18 goals.
Dan Carcillo has been a healthy scratch for 2 consecutive games.
Both teams’ PP units have struggled. The Flyers are 2 for 27 and the Leafs are 4 for 28
Historically:
The Leafs have fallen to the Flyers in each of their last 4 visits to the Wells Fargo Center getting outscored 21-9 in that span.
In his last 9 games against the Leafs, Mike Richards has put up 6 goals and 2 assists. Look for the Flyers captain to break his goal-scoring drought tonight.
With a win tonight, Toronto will have won its first 3 road games of the season for the first time since the 1993-1994 season.
Starting Goaltenders:
J.S. Giguere (3-0-1, 0.911 SV%, 1.96 GAA)
Brian Boucher (0-1-1, 0.898 SV%, 2.49 GAA)
Injury Report:
Toronto
None
Philadelphia
Ian Laperriere: Out Indefinitely (concussion)
Michael Leighton: Out Indefinitely (back injury)
Matt Walker: Out Indefinitely (hip injury)
Ville Leino: Day-to-Day (charley horse)
Standings:
TOR: 6 GP, 4-1-1, 9 Points (1st in Northeast, 3rd in Conference)
PHI: 6 GP, 2-3-1, 5 Points (4th in Atlantic, 11th in Conference)
Home/Away Record
TOR on Road: 2-0-0
PHI at Home: 1-3-0
Stats:
Toronto
G/G: 3.0 (7th)
GA: 2.2 (3rd)
PP%: 14.29 (16th)
PK%: 90.00 (7th)
SOG/G: 28.17 (24th)
SA/G: 24.5 (1st in the NHL)
Average Goal Differential: 0.83
Philadelphia
G/G: 2.2 (28th)
GA: 2.8 (18th)
PP%: 7.41 (26th)
PK%: 88.57 (10th)
SOG/G: 32.17 (8th)
SA/G: 26.83 (5th)
Average Goal Differential: -0.67
Comparables
Leafs Road Scoring: 4.00 (2nd)
Flyers Home GA: 3.25 (19th)
Flyers Home Scoring: 2.25 (24th)
Leafs Road GA: 3.00 (16th)
Leafs Road PP: 20% (9th)
Flyers Home PK: 90.48% (10th)
Flyers Home PP: 5.56% (25th)
Leafs Road PK: 87.50% (8th)
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