The Bruins make their final visit to Toronto this season on Saturday, and they’ll bring along someone very familiar with the Air Canada Centre.
Defenseman Tomas Kaberle will play against his old team for the first time since coming to Boston in a trade last month following 11-plus seasons with the Leafs. Kaberle’s 878 games rank behind just Tim Horton and Borje Salming among defensemen in Toronto history, and his 83-437-520 totals as a Leaf trail just Salming for total points among defensemen.
The Bruins could get more help on the blue line in this one, as Andrew Ference is expected to return from a lower-body injury that’s kept him out of the last nine games. Ference will skate in warm-ups and be a game-time decision, but barring a last-minute setback he should be set to go. If Ference plays, rookie Steven Kampfer will likely be the odd man out on defense after a rough game in Nashville on Thursday that including a bad holding penalty in overtime that led to Shea Weber‘s power-play game-winner.
Up front, Brad Marchand will serve the second game of his two-game suspension for a hit to the head of Columbus’ R.J. Umberger, so the lines should remain the same as Thursday’s. Michael Ryder moved up alongside Patrice Bergeron and Mark Recchi for that game, with Tyler Seguin, Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley together on the third line.
Tim Thomas was the first goalie off the ice at the optional skate Saturday morning in Toronto, indicating he will get the start after Tuukka Rask played the last two games.
Toronto is expected to have surprising rookie James Reimer back in goal after Jean-Sebastien Giguere took the loss in Thursday’s 4-0 setback to Florida that may have been the final blow to the Leafs’ slim playoff hopes. Reimer is the reason Toronto has any hope at all of reaching the postseason for the first time in seven years, as he’s 14-7-4 with a 2.61 GAA and .921 save percentage since taking over as Toronto’s starter in January.
The Leafs will likely be without defenseman Mike Komisarek, who suffered a lower-body injury against Carolina on Wednesday. He missed Thursday’s game and probably won’t be able to renew his rivalry with Bruins forward Milan Lucic in this one. Former Bruins first-round pick Matt Lashoff has been called up from Toronto’s cross-town AHL affiliate to fill in.
Toronto is also without former Bruins tough guy Colton Orr (concussion) and forward Colby Armstrong (broken foot). Jay Rosehill took over Orr’s duties as enforcer, but has been scratched in eight of the last 10 games.
Projected Bruins lines
Forwards
Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Nathan Horton
Mark Recchi-Patrice Bergeron-Michael Ryder
Rich Peverley-Chris Kelly-Tyler Seguin
Daniel Paille-Greg Campbell-Shawn Thornton
Defense
Zdeno Chara-Johnny Boychuk
Tomas Kaberle- Dennis Seidenberg
Andrew Ference-Adam McQuaid
Goalies
Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask
Scratches: Steven Kampfer, Brad Marchand (suspension), Shane Hnidy (shoulder)
Projected Maple Leafs lines
Forwards
Clarke MacArthur-Mikhail Grabovski-Nikolai Kulemin
Joffrey Lupul-Tyler Bozak-Phil Kessel
Nazem Kadri-Darryl Boyce-Joey Crabb
Fredrik Sjostrom-Tim Brent-Mike Brown
Defense
Dion Phaneuf-Keith Aulie
Luke Schenn-Carl Gunnarsson
Brett Lebda-Matt Lashoff
Goalies
James Reimer
Jean-Sebastien Giguere
Scratches: Jay Rosehill, Jonas Gustavsson, Mike Komisarek (lower body), Colby Armstrog (broken foot), Colton Orr (concussion)
