Frederik Andersen to return to Leafs net against Lightning

Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen is slated to return between the pipes Tuesday night per coach Mike Babcock. Andersen’s return comes as the team battles the Atlantic Division-leading Tampa Bay Lightning.

The injury to the Maple Leafs netminder occurred on March 14 against the Dallas Stars. While it is not known for sure what caused his upper-body injury, it was noted that the collision shown above was the only contact-related play where the injury could have developed.

While the Leafs have had to play the past two and a half games without their starting goalie, Curtis McElhinney has performed admirably in his absence. The backup netminder posted a 3-0-0 record with a 1.57 goals-against average, .955 save percentage and a shutout Saturday night against Montreal. His superb ability to manage the crease allowed the Leafs to hold off on rushing their starter back.

Tuesday’s matchup marks the fourth and final matchup between the Lightning and Leafs. Tampa Bay leads the season series holding two wins over Toronto.