TORONTO — The Toronto Maple Leafs hope to continue their late-season run by solving their woes at Air Canada Centre tonight.
The Leafs, who begin a home-and-home series with the Boston Bruins, haven't played well enough in their own building this season and that became more apparent when they recently went an impressive 8-0-1 run away from the Air Canada Centre, including a three-game stint on the road with three victories.
The Leafs only have one victory in their past four games at home and the fourth worst home record in the 30-team NHL at 17-15-5 for 39 points. Only the Tampa Bay Lightning (38), Phoenix Coyotes (36) and Los Angeles Kings (33) have plucked fewer points at home this season.
"Because we have been in the same [desperation] mode for some time now, it shouldn't be a factor," Leafs coach Paul Maurice said when asked if he feared a let down at home tonight after wins on Long Island, in Buffalo and Ottawa last week.
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Maurice will have speedy forward Boyd Devereaux back in the lineup after he missed the past month with a knee injury, but still no Mats Sundin (groin) or Nik Antropov (knee).
Antropov, however, has been feeling much better. He hopes to practice with his teammates on Wednesday and return to the lineup when the Leafs travel to Boston for their game on Thursday.
While the Leafs have persevered through their injuries for a 7-3-0 record in their past 10 games, the Bruins have struggled at 2-4-4.
"We have to go out there and play more aggressive," Bruins rookie Milan Lucic said. "We need to play to win and not to lose."
Boston was without defenceman Zdeno Chara, who returned to action two games ago, but now will be without Mark Savard. The 15th leading scorer in the league has a back injury after he was cross-checked from behind by Montreal Canadiens forward Steve Begin last Saturday.
The Bruins have seven games remaining on their regular-season docket (the Leafs have six matches left) and are clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the NHL's Eastern Conference with 84 points. The Washington Capitals are next, two points behind the Bruins and the Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers check in with 81 points, one point in front of the 12th-place Leafs.
This is the seventh of eight meetings between the Bruins and Leafs this season. Boston won the first three matches last fall, while Toronto has beaten the Bruins three times in the past nine weeks.
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