Tampa Bay (4-4-4) at Toronto (1-7-4)

  • Game info: 7:30 pm EST Tue Nov 3, 2009
  • TV: RSNO

By JEFF MEZYDLO, STATS Senior Writer Nov 3, 12:56 am EST

Preview | Box Score | Recap | Highlights

Phil Kessel’s(notes) return to the ice can’t come soon enough for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The 22-year-old star could make his much-anticipated Toronto debut earlier than expected Tuesday night when the struggling Maple Leafs host the Tampa Bay Lightning.

It’s been more than five months since Kessel saw NHL action and two since Toronto (1-7-4) acquired him by sending a pair of first-round picks and a second-rounder to Boston in September. Though it seemed Kessel’s recovery from offseason shoulder surgery would keep him out until around Thanksgiving, he could be ready as early as Tuesday.

According to the Maple Leafs’ official Web site, Kessel skated again Monday, and if cleared by doctors he could return to the ice for the first time since finishing with a career highs of 36 goals and 24 assists last season.

“I’m pretty excited,” Kessel told the team’s official Web site. “Six months is a long time.”

The Maple Leafs, whose six points are the fewest in the NHL, could certainly use Kessel as they try to find a spark. Toronto is averaging 2.5 goals per contest, and at 0-4-1 is the only team without a home win.

Kessel, though, hopes the Maple Leaf fan base won’t expect him to be the savior for a struggling franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2003-04. He signed a five-year, $27 million deal with the Maple Leafs after totaling 66 goals in three seasons with the Bruins.

“They have to temper their expectations,” said Kessel, who has six goals and four assists in 11 career games against Tampa Bay. “I’m going to do what ever I can to help the team win.”

Though Toronto is looking to end a three-game losing streak, it’s earned at least one point in four straight contests. That still won’t satisfy coach Ron Wilson after the Maple Leafs lost 5-4 in a shootout at Montreal on Saturday to conclude a 1-1-3 road trip.

“I could throw out all the cliches, but we still have to find a way to win,” Wilson said. “Which cliche do you want? We never say die, blah, blah blah? We still need to win.”

Their inability to win hasn’t been because of the effort from defenseman Tomas Kaberle(notes), who had a goal and three assists against the Canadiens. Kaberle, the team leader with 17 points, had two goals and 11 assists on the five-game trip.

After missing five games with a knee injury, Toronto’s Vesa Toskala(notes) made 35 saves Saturday to fall to 0-2-2 with a 5.13 goals-against average. Toskala is 2-2-1 with a 2.65 GAA against Tampa Bay, but he could give way to Jonas Gustavsson(notes), who’s 1-2-2 with a 3.22 GAA this season.

Though Toronto went 1-3-0 and dropped both home games against Tampa Bay last season, the Lightning (4-4-4) are 0-4-1 on the road after falling 6-2 at Philadelphia on Monday.

Steven Stamkos(notes) and Jeff Halpern(notes) scored for Tampa Bay, which has been outscored 25-8 on the road.

“I’m not saying that we’re letting this slide, but I think the guys in this room are more than capable of handling it,” Halpern said.

After scoring 23 goals as a rookie last season, Stamkos is among the league leaders with 11 through the first month of play. He has two goals and two assists versus the Maple Leafs.

Mike Smith(notes) fell to 2-3-3 with a 3.64 GAA after allowing five goals on 18 shots Monday. Though Smith is 2-0-0 with a 1.97 GAA against Toronto, backup Antero Niittymaki(notes) could be in net Tuesday after giving up a goal on 13 shots in relief Monday.

Niittymaki is 2-1-1 with a 2.17 GAA on the season, but he’s 1-3-0 with a 2.54 GAA versus Toronto.

Updated Nov 3, 12:56 am EST
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Team Comparison

Team G W L OTL Pts Standings GF GA Road/Home
Tampa Bay 21 9 5 7 25 2nd, Southeast 56 63 4-5-3 Road
Toronto 22 4 11 7 15 5th, Northeast 57 82 2-6-3 Home

Injuries

No Injuries

Mike Van Ryn D, Tim Brent C, Mike Komisarek D, John Mitchell C, Vesa Toskala G

Notes

Tampa Bay finished the season 1-14-1 when allowing five or more goals. ... The Lightning dropped the season series with the Thrashers, 1-4-1, and are now 19-27-10 against Atlanta all-time. ... Rookie C Steven Stamkos scored Saturday, giving him 23 goals and 23 assists on the season. ... Tampa Bay finished the season on a nine-game losing streak.

Apr 11, 10:17 pm EDT

C Boyd Devereaux matched his goal output from the rest of the season in the Maple Leafs' final game of the season, notching his second career hat trick. It was the first three-goal effort in more than nine years for the Devereaux, who recorded the first during his rookie season on March 17, 2000. ... With neither the Maple Leafs or Senators qualifying for the postseason, the playoffs will be without a team from Ontario for the first time since 1991-92. ... With LW Niklas Hagman tallying twice on Saturday, the Maple Leafs ended up with five players with 20 or more goals.

Apr 11, 11:28 pm EDT
NHL

13 Comments

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  1. D
    13. Posted by D Wed Nov 4 1:03am EST

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    HAHAHAHAHAHA

    NHL should go like Football in England. Have a division 1, and a division 2. That way the Leafs can play against all the AHL teams, and maybe win a game. I'm pretty sure they might have a chance against Tampa Bay's farm team.
  2. Nwaf A
    12. Posted by Nwaf A Tue Nov 3 11:16pm EST

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    leafs stink. 13 games in and they only won 1 game. woooow bravo leafs.

    you suck. 42 years and counting hahahahahahahahahahahaha.
  3. Kimbo
    11. Posted by Kimbo Tue Nov 3 10:46pm EST

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    hey guys haven't you noticed that every time the leafs get 4-5 goals their goal tending allows 5-6 goals and every time the leafs only allow 2-3 goals their offense gives then 1-2 goals. This is a pattern that needs to stop because they will lose and lose a lot if they can't get their offense and goal tending clicking at the same time.
  4. Kimbo
    10. Posted by Kimbo Tue Nov 3 10:22pm EST

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    hey kessel got 10 shots today and toronto still only managed 1 goal. It looks like even with kessel toronto still has no offense.
  5. Yeddie
    9. Posted by Yeddie Tue Nov 3 10:21pm EST

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    Typical leafs game play well all game let in the stupid crap goal that costs you the game. Jonas Gustavsson what a @#$% goalie. How can you let that easy goal in? What happened to the leafs power play? Oh wait they can only score on the 5vs3. Kessel what a dud 10 SOGs none of them go in. Well the positive thing about leafs tonight was that they didn't let in any power play goals in oh and the fact they let in only 2 goals lol.
  6. Yeddie
    8. Posted by Yeddie Tue Nov 3 9:59pm EST

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    Kessel= Dud
  7. Kimbo
    7. Posted by Kimbo Tue Nov 3 9:06pm EST

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    toronto is showing a lot of grit. I love how when kessel got totally destroyed, the toronto players all stood up from him and said they weren't going to let tampa pick on their players anymore. toronto is staring to become worth watching.
  8. Shawnaldo
    6. Posted by Shawnaldo Tue Nov 3 6:31pm EST

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    Tampa 0-4-1 on the road, Toronto 0-4-1 at home. Either way, someone's getting a monkey off their backs. Hopefully home town advantage counts for something tonight. Should be a good game. GO LEAFS GO!!!!
  9. Drunk
    5. Posted by Drunk Tue Nov 3 4:33pm EST

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    Report: Niittymaki & Gustavsson in net tonight
  10. spook
    4. Posted by spook Tue Nov 3 4:21pm EST

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    Where is Walter Poddubny?
  11. GoodIdea
    3. Posted by GoodIdea Tue Nov 3 3:04pm EST

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    Tempering expectations... ACTIVATED!
  12. Scott G
    2. Posted by Scott G Tue Nov 3 2:36pm EST

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    no matter how bad toronto are, and ithey are bad, they can score more then 1 off smith
  13. Ray L
    1. Posted by Ray L Tue Nov 3 11:33am EST

    Report Abuse

    Tampa Win 4-1
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