Given the depth of the Toronto Maple Leafs' struggles, it's somewhat surprising they still have an outside shot at a wild-card spot.

The New Jersey Devils are five points behind the Leafs, but they look like the team that's more eager to make a playoff push.

The Leafs return from the All-Star break looking to snap a six-game losing streak when they visit a Devils club that's earned points in five of seven Wednesday night.

Toronto (22-23-3) scored more than one goal for the first time in six games last Wednesday but lost 4-3 at Ottawa. The Leafs trailed 3-0 after the first period in suffering their 14th defeat in 17 contests - all the losses coming in regulation.

That's left them 10 points out of the second wild-card spot with three teams to pass.

"We just have to keep trying to move forward," said center Nazem Kadri, who scored for the second straight game. "That's really all we can do is try and stay positive. We just have to play with that desperation through 60 minutes instead of 40 or 45."

Toronto held a 40-26 shot advantage over the Senators - 17-6 in the third period - but exceeded the two-goal mark for just the second time in 10 contests.

The Leafs haven't been much better defensively, allowing 3.10 goals per game to rank near the bottom of the league, and they'll be without defenseman Dion Phaneuf on a week-to-week basis due to injury.

"We'll definitely miss our captain," Kadri told the team's official website. "He also logs a lot of minutes against (opponents') top guys so that's definitely a big hole to fill."

Toronto has gone 5-10-3 without Phaneuf since he joined the Leafs in January 2010. They have a .517 winning percentage in the 359 games he's played.

Toronto will get forwards Leo Komarov and Peter Holland back in the lineup for tonight's contest. Joffrey Lupul (lower body), Stephane Robidas (upper body) and Dion Phaneuf (hand) will all sit out.

The Leafs will start with Korbinian Holzer in Phaneuf's place on the top pairing with Cody Franson, but head coach Peter Horachek said he may try others in that spot as well.

Jonathan Bernier gets the start between the pipes for tonight's contest.

New Jersey (17-22-8) would need to pass six teams to capture the final wild-card berth, but the Devils have certainly appeared more motivated than the Leafs of late. New Jersey defeated San Jose 5-2 on Jan. 19 to complete a 2-1-0 California road trip, giving it a 4-2-1 mark in the past seven.

Cory Schneider made 34 saves and five players scored for the Devils, who went 4 for 9 on the power play during the three-game swing.

"We can feel good about ourselves," Schneider said. "We just have to capture this and realize this is what we have to do night in and night out."

New Jersey, near the bottom of the NHL with 2.23 goals per game, has scored four or more three times in the past seven contests. It's likely to get more help offensively Wednesday from second-leading scorer Jaromir Jagr and Tuomo Ruutu, who both missed the last three games before the break due to the flu.

"You go in feeling good but you can't feel too good," general manager and interim co-coach Lou Lamoriello said. "You just have to realize what you did to have success and take that from the game and just pick it up when you get back."

New Jersey has won the last two meetings with Toronto and is 2-0-2 in the past four. The Devils took the first matchup of the season 5-3 on the road Dec. 4, getting goals from five players and 29 saves from Schneider.

Those last four meetings represent all of Schneider's career starts against the Leafs, and he's posted a 1.93 goals-against average.

Wednesday's Projected Lines vs. Devils:

Forward
Komarov - Kadri - Kessel
van Riemsdyk - Bozak - Clarkson
Winnik - Holland - Santorelli
Booth - Smith - Panik

Defence
Holzer - Franson
Rielly - Polak
Gardiner - Granberg

 

Game Notes:

NJ is 1-0-0 vs TOR this season, winning in TOR
TOR has gone 3-1-0 past 4 games in NJ (lost last)

Devils:
4-2-1 past 7 games, 4GF or more in 4 of the games, 5/16 on PP
Havlat (2G, 1A) 3 game PT streak

Maple Leafs:
lost 6 straight, outscored 20-5, 2/18 on PP
Kadri (2G) has scored in back to back games