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Maple Leafs At Hurricanes: Game Day Preview

By Bob Wage

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The Carolina Hurricanes, (12-20-6) will play their third game in four nights tonight as they take on the Toronto Maple Leafs, (18-14-4) at the RBC. The Canes have earned points in five of their last seven games and have won two of their last three.

It looks like Patrick Dwyer will remain out tonight, meaning that Zac Dalpe will once again be in the lineup. Dalpe will be slotted on the same line with Eric Staal and Jiri Tlusty. According to CH.com, the lines should start out as follows:

  • Tlusty, Staal, Dalpe
  • Ruutu, Jokinen, Ponikarovsky
  • Bowman, Sutter, LaRose
  • Stewart, Brent, Nodl
  • Gleason, McBain
  • Harrison, Faulk
  • Allen, Spacek

Cam Ward will be back in net for the Canes. He will face James Reimer for Toronto. Reimer is 3-0-0 career against Carolina.

GP MIN W L EGA GA GAA SA SV SV% SO
2011 - Cam Ward 32 1824 12 14 97 3.19 954 857 .898 1

GP MIN W L EGA GA GAA SA SV SV% SO
2011 - James Reimer 15 836 7 3 41 2.94 413 372 .901 1


The Leafs are led by Phil Kessel, who has been among the league leaders for goals scored much of the season. Joffrey Lupul is right behind him and is surprisingly scoring at over a point a game clip.

GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG GTG SOG PCT
2011 - Phil Kessel 36 20 22 42 2 10 4 0 3 134

GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG GTG SOG PCT
2011 - Joffrey Lupul 36 16 23 39 5 36 5 0 2 106



According to the Globe and Mail, look for these lines from the Leafs:

Joffrey Lupul-Tyler Bozak-Phil Kessel

Clarke MacArthur-Tim Connolly-Nazem Kadri

Matt Frattin-Mikhail Grabovski-Nikolai Kulemin

Darryl Boyce-Dave Steckel-Joey Crabb

Keith Aulie-Dion Phaneuf

Jake Gardiner-Luke Schenn

Carl Gunnarsson-Cody Franson

Pension Plan Puppets will have even more about the Buds.

These teams have split decisions so far this season, with both teams winning respectively at home. Tuomo Ruutu has a six game point streak in play, (5G 2A). Tim Gleason, Tim Brent, and Alexei Ponikarovsky each have points in two straight.

The game will be televised locally by FS Carolinas with a pregame show at 6:30. We will also have our open thread ready to go at 6:30.