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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in with news and notes from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The Maple Leafs and Canadiens (optional) skated at the Air Canada Centre ahead of tonight's game.

- Mitch Marner skated with his teammates on Saturday morning for the first time since sustaining a suspected right shoulder injury on Feb. 15. Marner didn't appear to be in any discomfort during the workout, but wasn't made available to the media afterwards. He filled in as a defenceman serving as the partner for Martin Marincin in line rushes and working on the penalty kill in special teams drills. Despite making progress in his recovery, the rookie winger will sit out a fifth straight game. "He looks to me like he's the best player out there today so I don't know why he's not dressed tonight," said Mike Babcock. The head coach often says that day-to-day injuries usually result in a 10-day absence and Saturday marks 10 days since Marner went hard into the boards in Columbus. On Thursday, Babcock also expressed some frustration with Marner's situation noting that he and the player had a discussion with the medical staff. "We wondered how the science project was going and went back into that room and asked a few questions, but didn't get any good answers," the coach said with a smile.

- Tyler Bozak missed practice on Friday and was absent from Saturday's morning skate with an undisclosed issue. He'll be a game-time decision. If Bozak can't dress then Ben Smith will draw in and likely centre a line with James van Riemsdyk and Connor Brown. 

- The struggling Canadiens are clinging to first place in the Atlantic Division just two points up on the Senators and four points ahead of the Leafs. On Saturday night, the Leafs and Habs will wrap up their season series in Toronto. "It's a good feeling," said defenceman Morgan Rielly. "I mean, this is the most important game between these two teams since I've been here." With Montreal struggling and Ottawa banged up, the Leafs players believe first place is within reach. "Yeah, I mean, why not?" Auston Matthews said. "I think, it's definitely a possibility." The Leafs also have a game in hand on the Canadiens. Alex Galchenyuk doesn't usually check the standings a lot, but admits that on Friday he took a peek. "I'm not going to lie," he said, "I was surprised how close it is and looking at today's game, you know, it's a big game not just because it's the Leafs and Habs, but points-wise it's huge and we got to make sure we find a way."

  
- The Habs have actually won 13 straight games against the Leafs dating back to Jan. 18, 2014. There are only five current Leafs who skated in that game (van Riemsdyk, Bozak, Nazem Kadri, Rielly and Jake Gardiner). But during that incredible streak the Canadiens have never seemed as vulnerable as they do entering Saturday's game. Montreal has been shut out in four of its last eight games. "We just need to bring it tonight," said head coach Claude Julien. "We need to focus on the present not the past and what we're going to do starting tonight. Hopefully we can play to the expectations of this hockey club." Up front, Julien will insert David Desharnais and Sven Andrighetto into the lineup against the Leafs. "Pretty excited," said Desharnais, a healthy scratch in the last six games. "It's pretty hard to be on the side and just watching. Hopefully I can make a difference tonight. I got experience. I know I can put some points on the board and make some plays and make something happen out there. Offensively, for sure, I can contribute." Desharnais has 10 points in 29 games this season.

The list of snakebitten Canadiens is long. Phillip Danault and Artturi Lehkonen haven't scored in 13 games while Tomas Plekanec is goalless in 12 and Brendan Gallagher hasn't bulged the twine in seven outings. "We're not worried about people saying, 'Breaking out of the funk (is important),' and worrying about that stuff," said captain Max Pacioretty, who is goalless in four. "This is an important game. It's a Saturday night in Toronto so you couldn't ask for a better time to try and feel good about ourselves." The Canadiens have produced just 13 goals in 10 games in February. 

- Matthews has inspired Leafs fans with his outstanding play in his rookie season, including a four-goal debut in Ottawa. One fan – Canadian rap artist SVDVM – was even inspired to pen a song about the star centre, which has made waves on social media. "Pretty cool to have your own song named after you," Matthews said with a laugh. "Mitch starts playing the song now when we drive to the rink and he thinks it's hilarious." How did Matthews first hear about the song? "I was just getting tagged a lot and it kind of just showed up a lot on my phone and then a couple of my friends from home and other guys were asking if I saw it so that was kind of the first time I heard about it and now it's a big deal, it's blowing up. Good for those guys. A pretty catchy song, I guess." Is Matthews a rap fan? "Yeah, I'm a pretty big rap guy. Not much genre going on there (with the song) just kind of the same thing over and over again, but, no, it was pretty funny."

Lines at Leafs' morning skate:

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

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

Andersen
McElhinney

Power play units at Leafs morning skate:

Zaitsev
Kadri-Leivo-Brown
JVR

Gardiner
Matthews-Marner-Nylander
Komarov 

Per usual, the Leafs worked on shootout moves against Curtis McElhinney at the end of the morning skate. 

SCORED: Matthews, Nylander 
STOPPED: van Riemsdyk, Kadri, Leivo, Komarov, Soshnikov, Marner (post)

Toronto is 1-7 in shootouts this season.