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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The Nashville Predators and Leafs skated at Bridgestone Arena ahead of tonight's game.

- After sitting out the last five periods of game action, Frederik Andersen returns to the Leafs lineup on Thursday night in Nashville. "When he's back there making the stops that he makes and playing the puck the way he can, I think his teammates can feel that confidence," said defenceman Morgan Rielly. "It makes us feel that much more comfortable. We all have a lot of confidence in his game and what he can do back there. It lets us be a bit more creative, because we know he's back there helping us out." Andersen has posted a sparkling .938 save percentage in his last 13 games, helping the Leafs surge up the standings. Teammates say his easygoing nature brings calmness to their game. "He's had experience in the playoffs," rookie Mitch Marner noted. "He's been there a lot and that's another reason why we trust him so much. He doesn't feel the pressure, I don't think." Some of that playoff experience came last spring when Andersen started five games for Anaheim against the Predators. He won three, including two at Bridgestone Arena. "It's a fun building," Andersen said with a smile. "The playoffs were unreal last year. For an undercover hockey city it's one of the better ones, I think. The fans are unreal here. They get excited for games and it's always fun." Andersen also stopped 32 of 34 shots in a 6-2 win over Nashville in November. 

Andersen hasn't played a full game since March 22 in Columbus, but rust isn't expected to be an issue in his return. Counting Thursday's morning skate, Andersen has been on the ice with teammates each of the last four days. "Freddie wasn't feeling good there for a couple days and so we had to give him the break," head coach Mike Babcock said. "He still practised so it's not like he lost anything and he's ready to go. He's been real good for us." While the injury was far from ideal, Andersen agreed with the idea that it could make him fresher down the stretch with the Leafs set to play seven games in the next 11 days. "You feel positive," he said. "It's another few days in between games so you always try and stay positive about everything. I'm a glass-half-full guy." Andersen was asked if he'll need to manage the injury moving forward. Will there be pain tolerance issues? "No, I don't think so. I feel pretty good so should be fine." The goalie is grateful he won't have to deal with a barrage of health-related questions moving forward. It wasn't just the media that was curious about his condition. "All family members and friends were texting me separately to see how I was doing," Andersen said with a grin. "It's one of those things where you get a little tired of repeating yourself, but just happy to be back. I think they just need to look at Twitter at what you guys are saying instead. It would've been easier."

- P.K. Subban grew up in Toronto and played most of his career in the Eastern Conference, so he's seen first-hand how much the Leafs have struggled in recent years. With that in mind, the Predators defenceman was asked if family and friends back home have been keeping him posted about the hype in the city regarding this year's team. "There's a lot to be excited for," he said. "I mean, if I'm a Leaf fan, I look at those players, they got great young players on that team and it's promising. I think that the team is headed in the right direction. Whether fans are excited about that, I don't know, but they should be." The Leafs have made the playoffs just once since 2004 and that was in the lockout-shortened 2013 campaign. "Just growing up in Toronto, it's always been about the playoffs and when the Leafs are going to be in the playoffs. Right now they got a young group of guys that are hungry, energetic and want the opportunity to play in the postseason. It seems like every game we play there's some angry bear down the hall that's just waiting for the game." 

- Marner is feeling much better after dealing with a bout of the flu lately. "I didn't seem to have the same energy and any jump on the ice," the 19-year-old admitted. "But it's all coming back to me now and I'm feeling a lot better. It's all about taking care of yourself and getting as much rest as you can." Nashville is the 29th and final road city the Leafs will visit this season. It's the first time Marner has been in the Music City. "A lot of us guys are just enjoying going to all these new cities that we've never seen before and just heard of. It's definitely been fun in that way." Marner is a big country music fan, but didn't really get to soak up the scene with the Leafs only in town one night before the game. He said his buddy Auston Matthews, who car pools with him to home games, doesn't care for that type of music. "I've played it a couple times in the car and he's definitely not a big fan of it," Marner said with a grin. "So, I stay away from that playlist, but the odd time it will come on and get him grinding."

- After sitting out five straight games as a healthy scratch, former Leaf P.A. Parenteau draws back into the Nashville lineup tonight. Anyone in particular he's excited to play against? "I love playing against Mo [Rielly]. I love it. He's one of my good buddies so I can't wait to play against him." 

Predators captain Mike Fisher skated on a regular line during Thursday morning's workout and may be ready to return to the lineup after missing four games with a lower-body injury. 

- Tyler Bozak sat out Toronto's morning skate, but will play tonight. "He just doesn't like practice," Babcock said with a chuckle. "Obviously, we've been, for a bit now, doing our best with our medical team and our sport science guys to figure out the best way to have him play the best he can. He's been real competitive for us, real good for us so we're managing it the best we can."

Lines at Leafs morning skate:

Forwards

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Komarov-Kadri-Brown
van Riemsdyk-Smith^-Marner 
Martin-Boyle-Kapanen
Leivo

^ Placeholder for Bozak 

Defence

Gardiner-Zaitsev
Rielly-Carrick 
Hunwick-Polak
Marincin-Marchenko

Goalies

Andersen
McElhinney