Tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET, The Toronto Maple Leafs (9-4-0, 18 points) and the Calgary Flames (5-4-2, 12 points) square off in the first of two meetings this season live from the Scotiabank Saddledome. The game can be live streamed here. Toronto fans can hear all the action on Sportsnet 590 while Calgary fans can access it on CFAC 960.
Toronto enters the game on top of the Atlantic Division and two points above the second place Tampa Bay Lightning while Calgary comes into the contest in sixth place in the Pacific Division; nine points shy of the division leading San Jose Sharks.
The Flames have had some bad news on the injury front as captain Mark Giordano (two goals, seven assists, nine points) is lost for six-to-eight weeks with a broken ankle while Lee Stempniak (4-5-9), who is third in scoring on the team, is sidelined with a broken foot.
"When you feel like you're playing well and contributing and helping the team, it makes it more frustrating," Stempniak told the Flames website. "Hopefully, I don't miss too much time, I can get back on the ice at some point soon, and get out there quicker than expected."
The Maple Leafs rode on the back of a James Reimer shutout in a 4-0 defeat of the Edmonton Oilers Tuesday and will be playing back-to-back games as the team gets right back at it tonight. Reimer was once again under duress as the Leafs tend to give up a lot of shots.
"As a team, I don't think we want to give up 40-plus shots, but having said that, I don't think it was as dangerous as the quantity suggested," Reimer told NHL.com. "Our defense and our whole team did a heck of a job of eliminating second chances. Edmonton played well and came at us, but I thought we protected the house really well."
Reimer is unbeaten on the season at 4-0-0 and his .949 save percentage is second in the league while he's also added a 1.99 goals-against average. Reimer may play in his third game tonight unless the team opts to go with Jonathan Bernier (5-4-0, 2.34 GAA, .930 save percentage).
Between the pipes, Calgary has gone with Joey MacDonald for six of 11 games and he's posted a 3-2-1 record with a 3.01 GAA and a .894 save percentage.
MacDonald will attempt to stop a Maple Leafs lineup that is led by Phil Kessel who is tied for second in the league in points (18), tied for third in the NHL in goals (nine) and has added nine assists. Along with Kessel, Toronto boasts a strong lineup with James van Riemsdyk (six goals and six assists) and Nazem Kadri (five goals and seven assists), who each have 12 points.
Calgary has been led by Jiri Hudler (5-8-13) and Sean Monahan (6-4-10) thus far this season.
A banged up Flames unit will look to continue without two of its stars while the Leafs will hope to expand their lead atop the Atlantic Division when these teams square off tonight in Calgary..
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