(Sports Network) - Vesa Toskala will be in net for the Toronto Maple Leafs as they try to end a three-game slide tonight when they visit the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in another edition of the Battle of Ontario.
The Senators notched a 2-1 win in Toronto on October 6 in the first of six meetings this season between these Northeast Division rivals. The Maple Leafs have still taken three of five and eight of 12 in the series, but Toronto has dropped two of three and five of its last eight games in Ottawa.
The Maple Leafs, who are just 3-10-5 on the season, have lost three in a row since beating Carolina and Detroit on consecutive nights to post their only winning streak of the year.
Toronto saw its last action on Saturday night when it was pounded 5-2 by the Calgary Flames. Jarome Iginla scored a pair of goals to lead the visiting Flames to victory at Air Canada Centre.
Toronto was active offensively in the loss, firing 40 shots on goal, but Miikka Kiprusoff turned aside 38 of them. Francois Beauchemin and Matt Stajan provided the offense for the Leafs.
Jonas Gustavsson took the loss after yielding three goals on five shots in just under 10 minutes of play. Vesa Toskala allowed the final two scores on 17 shots the rest of the way. It's not certain if Toskala or Gustavsson will get the start tonight.
Tonight's test marks the first of two straight on the road for Toronto, which will visit Carolina on Thursday. The Leafs are 2-4-3 as the guest this season.
The Senators come into tonight having dropped two in a row, but were able to get a point in Saturday's 2-1 shootout loss against the visiting New York Rangers. P.A. Parenteau scored the decisive goal in the seventh round of the shootout, as New York Rangers edged Ottawa.
Brian Lee lit the lamp and Brian Elliott stopped 27 shots for the Senators, who have also dropped five of seven.
"(Elliott) played great tonight. It's too bad we couldn't win that one in a shootout for him," Lee said.
The Sens, who are 5-3-3 as the host this year, are playing the second test of a five-game homestand tonight. Ottawa will also welcome Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Washington during the residency.
Carolina Hurricanes at Montreal Canadiens
(Sports Network) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to bounce back tonight with Carey Price between the pipes, as they take on the the Carolina Hurricanes, who will be shooting for consecutive wins when they visit the Bell Centre tonight.
Carey Price was bombarded throughout the Canadiens 2-0 loss to the Nashville predators on Saturday night, but made 53 stops in a game where the Habs were clearly outplayed.
Montreal played Saturday without forward Brian Gionta, who is tied for the team lead with eight goals this season. Gionta is out for tonight's test with a foot injury and will visit the doctor tonight. Glen Metropolit will take his place on the top line with Scott Gomez and Mike Cammalleri.
The Habs will also likely be without defenseman Ryan O'Byrne who suffered a knee injury on October 3 in Montreal's second game of the year. O'Byrne should be ready to return to the ice Friday against Washington.
The Canadiens are 5-5-0 as the host this year and have lost three straight on home ice.Now that a franchise-record losing streak is behind them, the Carolina Hurricanes will shoot for consecutive wins when they visit the Montreal Canadiens, who have dropped three of their last four games.
Now that a franchise-record losing streak is behind them, Carolina continues their attempts to get back on track.
The Hurricanes last won back-to-back games on October 6 and 9 and then proceeded to lose their next 14 games. The drought eclipsed the franchise's previous record losing streak of nine in a row and Carolina also matched the club mark for its longest stretch without a win.
Carolina will also try end a season-long road losing streak as the club is 0-7-2 as the guest. The 'Canes are the only team left in the NHL without a road victory this season.
Michael Leighton will get the start in for the Hurricanes, while Eric Staal, Joni Pitkanen, and Scott Walker have all been ruled out with undisclosed injuries. Aaron Ward and Stephane Yelle are also questionable.
After dropping an overtime decision Friday against the New York Islanders, the Hurricanes edged Minnesota in a shootout on Sunday to end a three-game homestand. Jussi Jokinen recorded the lone score of the shootout, as Carolina blew a pair of three-goal leads but recovered for the 5-4 victory over the Wild at RBC Center.
Jokinen opened the second round with a backhander under the crossbar, then Mikko Koivu for Minnesota and Matt Cullen from Carolina missed their chances. Marek Zidlicky got the last opportunity for the Wild, and Leighton was equal to end the game.
"I like the way we started the game," said Carolina head coach Paul Maurice. "We spent a little more time in our end than we wanted to (in the last half of the game). They came back but our goaltender made good saves in the shootout."
Ray Whitney notched a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes. Brandon Sutter and Joe Corvo added a goal and a helper apiece, while Jokinen also tallied in regulation. Leighton stopped 28 shots for his first win of the season.
Tonight marks the first meeting of the year between the Habs and 'Canes. Carolina took three of four encounters last year and has won five of seven and eight of the last 11 matchups in the series. The Hurricanes have also come out on top in eight out of 12 at the Bell Centre.
Colorado Avalanche vs. Calgary Flames
(Sports Network) - Calgary Flames forward Curtis Glencross is set to return tonight after serving a three-game suspension for a hit on the Rangers' Chris Drury on November 7, and will be skating on the top line as the Flames host the Colorado Avalanche at the Pengrowth Saddledome.
"He's not a 40-goal scorer," head coach Brent Sutter told Calgary's Web site of Glencross. "Curtis brings a certain element to our team that we need as long as he is playing within the confines of his game. He has to go up and down the ice with speed, shoot pucks and get on the forecheck."
The Avalanche posted their club record 10th victory of October the last time they faced the Flames. They haven't celebrated too many wins since.
Once-hot Colorado hopes to get back on the winning path tonight in its second matchup of the season versus Calgary.
The Avalanche's win over the Flames back on October 28th improved the club to 10-1-2, good for the best start in franchise history. However, Northwest Division-leading Colorado is just 2-4-1 since, allowing Calgary to get within one point of first place.
The Avs are coming off Saturday's 8-2 thrashing at the hands of the Canucks, their season-high third straight loss. Matt Hendricks and Marek Svatos both scored in the losing effort.
However, Craig Anderson allowed four goals on 22 shots before getting pulled after two periods. Peter Budaj didn't do much better in relief, yielding another four goals on eight shots.
"[The Canucks] outworked us in all aspects of the game. They got on us early and we can't let that happen. We have to be ready to play, and we weren't and it showed. From top to bottom we have to be better," said Colorado forward Paul Stastny.
Colorado lost despite getting both Milan Hejduk and Tom Preissing back from injury. Hejduk had missed the last two games due to a back ailment, while Preissing was making his season debut after knee surgery.
The Avalanche begin a three-game swing through western Canada tonight, as they visit Edmonton on Wednesday and the Canucks again on Friday. They are 6-3-3 on the road this season.
Anderson made 30 saves in beating the Flames earlier this year, improving to 1-2-0 with a 2.29 goals-against average versus the club.
The win was Colorado's third straight in the series after losing the previous four matchups. The Avalanche also snapped a four-game skid in Calgary.
Flames netminder Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 11-of-14 shots faced in that loss, while Jarome Iginla tallied. Both of those players factored in Saturday's 5-2 win over Toronto, as Kiprusoff made 38 saves and Iginla scored twice. The Calgary forward has seven goals in his last six games.
Dustin Boyd, Eric Nystrom and Jay Bouwmeester also lit the lamp for the Flames, who have won five of six and wrapped a three-game road trip 2-0-1. They play their next two at home, where they are 6-3-0 this season.
Kiprusoff is 16-12-3 with a tie and 2.72 GAA in his career versus the Avs.