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Sports

Maple Leafs aim to rebound versus Lightning

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to bounce back tonight after losing the first game of a road trip, as they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning at St. Pete Times Forum.

Toronto ended a three-game losing streak with Saturday's impressive 7-1 victory over visiting Washington, but the Leafs were unable to post a win when they began a four-game swing the next day at Carolina. Jeff Skinner netted the game-winner with just under seven minutes left in regulation to lift the Hurricanes to the 3-2 win.

The loss was the fourth in five games for Toronto, which is just 2-5-1 over its last eight trips to the ice. The Leafs also fell to 5-5-0 as the visiting team this season.

Phil Kessel recorded both goals for Toronto on Sunday, bringing his NHL- leading total to 16 markers. Kessel, who has four goals in his last four games, is also tops in the league with 29 points.

Ben Scrivens took the loss despite stopping 38 shots. With No. 1 goaltender James Reimer still sidelined with head and neck injuries, Jonas Gustavsson could get the call tonight. Scrivens is 2-4-1 since Reimer was injured on Oct. 22 and Gustavsson has compiled a 5-3-0 mark over that span.

Leafs forward Clarke MacArthur could be back tonight after missing the last three games with an upper body ailment. Fellow forward Mike Brown is questionable after sitting out the last three games with an undisclosed injury.

The Lightning, meanwhile, have lost three of their last four games and they had a six-game home winning streak snapped Saturday against New Jersey. Ryan Carter notched a goal and an assist to lead the Devils to a 4-2 decision and drop Tampa to 6-2-0 as the host this year.

Martin St. Louis and Ryan Shannon both scored for the Lightning, while Dwayne Roloson made 20 saves in defeat. Roloson, who was a big part of Tampa's run to last year's Eastern Conference finals, is just 6-5-1 with a 3.16 goals-against average this season.

"It's frustrating," said Roloson. "I thought we played well for the whole game."

This evening's contest is the finale of a three-game homestand for Tampa, which will visit the rival Florida Panthers on Friday to open a home-and-home series.

The Lightning won all four meetings against Toronto last season and Tampa has taken five of six and six of eight overall in the series. The Maple Leafs have lost three straight and six of their last eight tilts at the Forum.