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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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The Maple Leafs and Senators skated at the Air Canada Centre ahead of tonight's game.  

* Dion Phaneuf was caught off guard on Friday when he found out Clarke MacArthur, his cousin and long-time teammate, would be unable to play again this season. "I'm obviously very close with him, have been for a long time, he's my best friend in the game," Phaneuf said. "When I heard that news, it was very upsetting and, from talking with him he's extremely disappointed." Before linking up in Ottawa, Phaneuf and MacArthur were also teammates in Toronto and on Canada's national junior team before that. "He's a huge part of our team," Phaneuf said. "It's a tough situation and I just hope he can recover." The 31-year-old MacArthur has suffered a series of concussions playing just four games over the last two seasons. "I could downplay it and lie to you, but I won't," said head coach Guy Boucher. "The reality is, I was told last summer if we lose MacArthur we're not making the playoffs. He's such a big part of this team." What's the message to his players? "Is it devastating? Yes. But, does it change our every day (routine) and what we've been doing since the beginning of the year? No and that's what we got to rely on."

* Phaneuf will be playing his second game back in Toronto since last season's blockbuster trade. Is playing against the Leafs starting to feel normal? "It's business," Phaneuf said with a shrug. "It's a big game. They're at where they're at, we're at where we're at and the bottom line is it's going to be a fun game to play in." Phaneuf and Nazem Kadri butted heads at times last week when Toronto beat Ottawa at the Canadian Tire Centre. "It's fun, to be honest with you," Kadri said. "I know Dion pretty well and I like to try to get under his skin sometimes. I know he's a tremendous competitor as well so he's going to do the exact same thing to me. Off ice we're friends and he's great, but on the ice he's not taking it easy on anyone out there so neither should we." Phaneuf broke into a big smile when informed of Kadri's comment. "I enjoy the challenge of any of that. That's the way I've played since I've been in the league. Naz plays hard. I used to battle with him in practice and now we're doing it for real."

* The Leafs and Senators haven't faced off in the playoffs since 2004 when Mitch Marner was just six-years-old. As a result, the Toronto native doesn't have many vivid memories of the provincial rivalry, but the rookie does remember what those games felt like. "It was always an exciting game to watch and you never knew, really, what could happen at the end of the game and I think that was the most exciting thing about it," Marner said. Toronto and Ottawa enter Saturday's game in playoff positions and separated by just two points. Players on both sides are excited by the prospect of a renewed rivalry. "It's incredible how it has built from when I came here four years ago to where it is now with both teams coming up a little bit," said Bobby Ryan. "Every time you play them, especially coming here, you know you're in for a good building, you know you're in for a great atmosphere and I enjoy every second of it, I really do." The teams have split two games so far this season and Kadri noted there is a sense of anticipation ahead of the third instalment. "It's great to have a buzz around games like these especially in the dog days of January, just being able to play for something instead of constantly being a spoiler so it's definitely a nice feeling," the Leafs centre said.

* The flu bug continues to be a factor for the Senators. Mark Borowiecki, who missed Thursday's win in Columbus, was forced to leave the ice early at the morning skate. "He's still not feeling too good. I'll keep it open until after warm-up, but right now it looks like (Fredrik) Claesson is in," Boucher said. The whiteboard in Ottawa's dressing room featured reminders to stay hydrated and wash your hands often. "We're doing well," said Ryan. "The day off helped. Guys got some rest and recovered a little bit."

* Mike Babcock confirmed that Martin Marincin will return to the Leafs lineup tonight. The lanky defenceman has missed the last 17 games with a lower-body injury. "I just want him to be himself, but do it every day so we can count on him," Toronto's head coach said.

* Boucher raved about the contribution winger Tom Pyatt has made this season. "I've had him many times before so, I'll be honest, I wanted him again," the Senators coach said. "He's one of those relentless guys who's first on the puck and tremendous on the penalty kill. He was on Montreal's No. 1 penalty kill when we signed him in Tampa. I had him in the Spengler Cup with Team Canada and it was the same. He's just one of those guys that can fill many holes, because he can skate and does all the little things. He's the perfect soldier basically and with the speed that he has he can be used on all lines and that's what we needed with the absence of MacArthur right off the bat, him and [Ryan] Dzingel have been able to fill the holes MacArthur has left ... it has helped us survive until now." Pyatt and linemates Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Mike Hoffman did a good job slowing down Auston Matthews and Toronto's top line last Saturday.

* Lines at Leafs morning skate:

Hyman-Matthews-Brown
Komarov-Kadri-Nylander
van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Marner
Martin-Gauthier-Soshnikov
Leivo

Gardiner-Carrick
Marincin-Zaitsev
Hunwick-Polak
Corrado

Andersen starts

* Lines at Senators morning skate:

Dzingel-Turris-Ryan
Hoffman-Pageau-Pyatt
Smith-Brassard-Stone
Kelly-Lazar-Neil
Bailey

Methot-Karlsson
Phaneuf-Ceci
Borowiecki-Wideman
Claesson

Condon starts