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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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* Steven Stamkos skated again with his teammates on Thursday morning, but won't be able to play against the Maple Leafs and likely won't return to Tampa Bay's lineup in the regular season. "Yeah, it's probably not looking that good," the Lightning captain told a big media scrum in his hometown. "I mean, it has been frustrating, obviously, when you have to deal with a major injury. I've been unfortunate the last couple years having dealt with a few too many. It's frustrating from an individual perspective. I want to be out there helping my team especially at this (time of) year, but it just doesn't feel right." 

Stamkos tore the lateral meniscus in his right knee in a game on Nov. 15. "There was no setback. Everything still progressed. But it wasn't a minor procedure. This is pretty major and there are a lot of working parts when it comes to the knee with having the tissue heal, scar tissue. Things that are kind of behind the scenes that have been tough. We've been working hard, just hasn't been there yet." Stamkos has been inspired by how his teammates rallied to make these last few games of the season meaningful. 

"No one gave up in that room," Stamkos said. "It was a long-shot, but no one had that mindset. We went on that stretch and put ourselves in a position where, technically, we're still alive here. You win tonight and you put some pressure on some other teams."

* The injury-ravaged Lightning's prospects are looking bleak. Tyler Johnson has struggled in two games since returning from a lower-body injury. He is officially a game-time decision, but Jon Cooper didn't sound optimistic. "Give Johnson a lot of credit, he's been trying to game it out," the coach said. "But the Boston game, he ran into a couple tough situations. We need him feeling better than he was in the Boston game or he won't be able to go. I know he has been fighting it."

The Lightning have recalled Cory Conacher and Michael Bournival from the AHL and may have up to six forwards in the lineup on Thursday who started the season in Syracuse. "It's kind of been the story of the last two and a half months," Cooper said. "Every time their backs have been pushed against the wall, they've found a way. Tonight we're clearly up against the wall. I don't know how the result is going to be, but we'll get one helluva an effort from our guys." Gabriel Dumont, who missed Tuesday's game for the birth of his child, was not at Tampa's morning skate, but is expected back in the lineup on Thursday. 

* Toronto wasn't happy with its performance in a 4-1 loss to the first-place Capitals on Tuesday. But this season, they have been very good at bouncing back from such outings. The Leafs are 9-2-2 in the game after losing by three or more goals. "It's a really important game," said rookie Auston Matthews, who had his nine game point streak snapped against Washington. "I mean, they've been playing pretty well. They've kept in it, they've given themselves a chance so it's a good opportunity for us tonight to make a statement ... definitely a big one for us. Definitely a game we look at as a must-win." 

The Leafs do not want to tempt fate. If Toronto loses at home to the Lightning on Thursday then their playoff cushion could be down to one point by the time they take to the ice against Pittsburgh on Saturday night. Meanwhile, the Lightning play at Montreal on Friday night. "It's important," said defenceman Connor Carrick. "We want to know. You like certainty. In a game with so much uncertainty, you want as much certainty as you can get. We want to clinch as soon as possible."

* In 2013, the Leafs officially secured a playoff berth following a win in Ottawa on the second last Saturday of the season. So, Thursday night has the potential to be a special moment, especially for the veteran players who have suffered through some tough campaigns in Toronto. "It's an exciting opportunity," said Nazem Kadri. "I mean, this has been long-awaited and we've worked all season to get to this opportunity. The fans, the city, the guys in this dressing room deserve it." 

A win against the Lightning and the Leafs will make the playoffs in an 82-game season for the first time since 2003-04. Kadri has been soaking up the atmosphere in the centre of the hockey universe since returning from a road trip earlier in the week. "It's electric," he said. "It's exciting. It gives you glimpses from when we were in the playoffs last with just the buzz around the city. We have some loyal fans, some educated fans so they deserve something like this and what better way to bring it to them ... It's fun to walk around and mingle with the fans and see the excitement on their faces."

* Brian Boyle left Tuesday's game against the Capitals with an upper-body injury courtesy a big hit from Tom Wilson. The centre participated in Toronto's morning skate on Thursday and said he expects to play against Tampa Bay. Boyle was asked if the opportunity to eliminate his old team was meaningful. "What do you think?" he said with a laugh. "Well, I just think it's time to close it out, it's time to punch our ticket and it's a good opportunity for us tonight."

Boyle was acquired at the deadline to help a young team navigate a high-pressure playoff race. The veteran of 100 playoff games since 2011 was asked if a team needs to acquire a killer instinct down the stretch. "That’s just overblown," he said. "Killer instinct, come on. It's a great opportunity. We should be really excited about this. I think it's been six months of work for these guys. Me coming in here, I've been working — whether it be with this team or not – for the same thing all year too and trying to get better as a player. It's a long-term goal. It takes a lot of work, a lot of hard nights sometimes and a few disappointments. When you get to this opportunity, you've done so many good things, you better believe in yourself. I think we do."

 

* Lines at Leafs morning skate:

 

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander

Komarov-Kadri-Brown

van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Marner

Martin-Boyle-Kapanen

Leivo, Smith

 

Gardiner-Zaitsev

Rielly-Carrick

Hunwick-Polak

Marincin-Marchenko

 

Andersen 

McElhinney