MacDonald in net for Maple Leafs
Toskala to undergo MRI
Last Updated: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 | 7:01 PM ET
CBC Sports
Joey MacDonald is expected to the be third Toronto goalie to start in early season play when the Maple Leafs face Colorado. (Don Heupel/Associated Press)The Toronto Maple Leafs return to home ice on Tuesday night against the Colorado Avalanche just 24 hours after an embarrassing road loss.
Toronto has been outscored 24-12 in losing their first five games of the season (0-4-1).
The club hopes it reached its nadir on Monday night, a 7-2 pasting at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers.
Jason Blake marked his first goal of the season and Ian White finished with two assists, with the Leafs trailing just 3-2 after two periods. But the Rangers pulled away on four goals on 11 shots in the period.
"We had unfortunately a number of guys who didn't want to take a hit to make a play to get the puck out of our end," coach Ron Wilson said.
Vesa Toskala, who made 26 saves in net against the Rangers, will not play against the Avalanche. He is to undergo an MRI on Tuesday, although the Leafs would not specify the type of injury.
Toskala was shaken up in a collision against New York.
Nova Scotian gets chance in net
Joey MacDonald will become the third Toronto goalie to start a game already this season. The Pictou, N.S., native has started 66 NHL games in his career, most of them last season with the New York Islanders.
James Reimer was at Tuesday morning's practice and is expected to back up MacDonald, with forward Tyler Bozak called up along with Reimer from the American Hockey League.
Bozak impressed for the Leafs in preseason, working effectively with Viktor Stalberg, but was one of the final cuts.
Wilson said after the Rangers loss that Stalberg is expected to return to the lineup against Colorado. The big Swede had his bell rung last week on a hard hit from Ottawa defenceman Anton Volchenkov.
Matt Stajan and Niklas Hagman will be the odd men out to make room for Bozak and Stalberg, Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada has learned.
Only a decent power play is keeping the Maple Leafs from abject failure. Toronto is second worst in the league on the penalty kill, and sixth-worst even strength.
The silver lining is that should Toronto win, they'll put the Islanders in the position of last winless NHL club to start the season.
Colorado has won three of its first five games to start the season (3-1-1), as impressive a start as could be reasonably expected from a team that finished dead last in the Western Conference last season.
First-year coach Joe Sacco is drawing praise for his work, while former Florida netminder Craig Anderson has taken hold of the No. 1 job with relish. His presence may lighten pressure on returning goalie Peter Budaj, who allowed just one goal in his only start this season.
Rookies make their mark
The game at Air Canada Centre will undoubtedly be a thrill for two Ontario teens who have started the season with the Avalanche instead of their junior clubs.
Matt Duchene wasn't a huge surprise to make the cut in Colorado after being selected third overall in the June entry draft, but Ryan O'Reilly's presence wasn't foreseen.
The second-round draft pick born in Clinton, Ont., has impressed the Avalanche with his work ethic and penalty-killing abilities.
"He's so good positionally out there, I think that's why he's been able to do what he's done and have the success he's had so far up here with the team," Duchene said of O'Reilly last week on Hockey Night in Canada Radio.
The pair, who each have two assists through five games, are even rooming together on the road.
Strong start
The Avalanche can send either back to the Ontario Hockey League by the 10-game mark without triggering the first year of their pro contracts — Duchene of Haliburton, Ont., last played with the Brampton Battalion, while O'Reilly suited up for the Erie Otters.
Colorado is off to a strong start in large part due to a power play that is operating a 38 per cent efficiency, second in the league to Calgary. Veteran forwards Milan Hejduk and Marek Svatos each notched power-play goals in a 4-2 win in Boston on Monday.
Forward David Jones, playing his first meaningful game since Jan. 27, scored the winner and added an assist.
Anderson finished with 27 saves in net.
Darcy Tucker will play in Toronto for the first time since leaving the Maple Leafs after more than seven seasons in 2008.
Tucker has two goals and an assist in five games after a miserable 2008-09 season that included his father's serious illness.
