Lightning goalie Antero Niittymaki stopped 39 of 40 shots against the Maple Leafs in a Nov. 3 game at Toronto. (Abelimages/Getty Images)

Memo to Phil Kessel: Remember to keep your head up, and go blocker-side on Antero Niittymaki.

The Tampa Bay goalie robbed Kessel on 10 shots, including at least once with his glove hand, during the Maple Leafs speedster's NHL season debut on Nov. 3, a 2-1 Lightning win in overtime at Toronto.

Kessel, who went on to score six times in his next nine starts, will be looking to find the net when the two Eastern Conference clubs battle in Florida on Wednesday night (7 p.m. ET).

Niittymaki will get the call and will attempt to duplicate his 40-save performance against the Maple Leafs, who threw 61 pucks Dwayne Roloson's way on Monday in Toronto, only to lose 4-3 in extra time to the New York Islanders.

Toronto, which has dropped six of its past seven games, is averaging 34.7 shots on goal this season to lead the NHL.

"We're averaging 35 shots, so we have to stick with [the game plan] and score. I know we will," Leafs head coach Ron Wilson said.

Beating Niittymaki, though, probably won't be easy.

In 11 games this season, the 29-year-old Finn boasts a 6-1-3 record, leads the league with a .936 save percentage and is second with a 2.02 goals-against average.

"Things are going well. It's a fresh start for me," Niittymaki, who spent the previous four seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, told reporters.

"Every time you go out there, you don't want to think about winning or losing, especially not losing. You just go out and play the 60 minutes and see what happens."

Save of the season?

It seems to work for Niittymaki, who many would consider Tampa Bay's most valuable player through the first quarter of the season. He is unbeaten in regulation in his last seven starts (4-0-3) and is 2-3-0 with a 2.59 GAA in his career against the Leafs.

He turned in what Lightning beat writer Damian Cristodero said was maybe the save of the season in Sunday's 4-3 OT win over Atlanta with a left-leg split save on Thrashers rookie forward Evander Kane in the third period.

Niittymaki will face a hungry group of Maple Leafs shooters, led by the 22-year-old Kessel. His 12 shots against the Islanders were the most by a Maple Leafs player since Sergio Momesso matched that total on Oct. 17, 1995, against San Jose.

The unofficial Toronto record in a single game is the 15 shots Dave Andreychuk counted against Winnipeg on March 23, 1993.

Despite their 61 shots, the Maple Leafs' downfall on Monday was a turnover by defenceman Ian White in his own zone in OT that Josh Bailey made count for the winning goal against netminder Jonas Gustavsson, who will start Wednesday in place of the injured Vesa Toskala.

Toskala tweaked his groin versus the Islanders, who beat the Finnish goalie three times on three shots in the second period.

Toronto also will be without centre John Mitchell, who reportedly strained a knee ligament against New York and could be sidelined for up to six weeks.

Goaltender Joey MacDonald and rookie left-winger Christian Hanson were recalled Monday from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League to fill in.

Tampa Bay defenceman Mattias Ohlund has missed four games with a foot injury but could be back in the lineup.

Leafs fans best remember him for his thundering bodycheck on Kessel, who suffered a small cut in his mouth in that Nov. 3 contest.

The 9-5-7 Lightning are 5-0-4 at the St. Pete Times Forum this season.