Bruins In Need Of Two In Toronto

Is tonight the night Phil Kessel finally scores a goal against his former club?

For all five of the meetings between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs in 2009-10, the focus has been on Bruin-turned-Leaf Phil Kessel. Now, with five games left in their season, the Boston Bruins and fans could care less about #81 because tonight it’s all about the dire two points on the line. After falling to the Florida Panthers at home on Thursday, the Bruins blew yet another chance to widen a lead in their quest towards clinching a playoff berth and find themselves back on the fringe of being in or out.

And with the Thrashers taking the Penguins to overtime today and gaining a crucial point in their chase for a season that lasts longer than 82 games, the B’s backs are right back against the wall.

Fortunately in the case of the Bruins, they’ll be taking to the ice tonight against the Eastern Conference worst Toronto Maple Leafs. That being said, these Leafs haven’t been the same Leafs NHL fans saw repeatedly stumble in the first leg of the 2009-10 season. Since the Olympic break, the Leafs boast a 10-5-2 record and find themselves on the cusp of leaving the basement of the East, their ultimate goal in an attempt to somewhat salvage a season where they traded their first round pick (projected 2nd overall as of right now) to the Boston Bruins.

Trying to effectively play the role of spoiler tonight in their 40th game of the season at the Air Canada Centre, the Leafs will turn to Jonas Gustavsson to shut the door on the reeling Boston offense, which has just one goal in their last 125 minutes of play. The Bruins will counter with former Maple Leaf property and key cog of the Andrew Raycroft to Toronto deal, Tuukka Rask. The Finnish rookie, who saw his season goals-against-average dip down under two (1.99) in Thursday’s loss, will look for his third win in four tries against the Maple Leafs.

Tonight’s contest will also mark the NHL debut of Andrew Bodnarchuk. Boston’s fifth round selection from the 2006 Draft has 15 points in 70 games this season for the Providence Bruins and will be filling in for Mark Stuart, who returned to Boston with cellulitis in his hand.

YouTube Video of the Game

In the last meeting between these two clubs, a Dennis Wideman gaffe in the attacking zone and successful take-out of own-goalie Tim Thomas from Michael Ryder gave Nikolai Kulemin a wide open net, giving the Leafs their first overtime win of the season. Tonight, Thomas will be on the bench while Ryder has been demoted down to Boston’s fourth line.

Players to Watch & Stats to Note

* Seven of Mark Recchi’s 41 points on the season have come against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

* Miroslav Satan has no points in his last five contests with seven shots on goal.

* Bruins defensemen Dennis Seidenberg was a minus in Boston’s last game, his first minus rating since being traded to Boston.

* Former Bruin Phil Kessel has zero goals, one point and is a -4 in five games against Boston.

* Jonas Gustavsson is 2-0-0 in his career against the Bruins with a 1.45 goals against average.

* NHL09 cover-boy Dion Phaneuf has seven points in 22 games since donning the blue and white.

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