Leafs' Kessel still looking for 1st against Bruins
Bruins without Savard, Chara
Last Updated: Tuesday, March 9, 2010 | 1:19 PM ET
By Chris Iorfida, CBC Sports
Luca Caputi is expected to play his first home game as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. (Charles Krupa/Associated Press)The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, hoping to turn isome of their youthful energy into goals.
Boston has won nine of the last 10 meetings between the clubs, but Toronto's lone win in that span came at Air Canada Centre, site of Tuesday's game.
Jonas Gustavsson made 25 saves for the shutout in a 2-0 win on Dec. 19.
The Leafs have managed two goals in each of four games against the Bruins this season, including a 3-2 shootout loss last week in Boston. Toronto Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel had his best outing against his former team, but is still without a point in four contests against the Bruins this season.
Toronto (20-33-12) split the weekend, winning 2-1 in a shootout on Saturday over Ottawa and losing 3-1 to Philadelphia on Sunday.
Kessel was a key player in the win over the Senators, scoring in regulation and the shootout while being opportunistic on a goal that was ultimately waved off.
Kessel, however, is part of a Toronto power play that isn't getting the job done, despite his presence and that of other skilled players such as Tomas Kaberle and Dion Phaneuf.
The Leafs are 0-for-25 with the man advantage in their last five games.
Against Philadelphia, the Maple Leafs took 33 penalty minutes and allowed a pair of two-man advantages in the first period, with the Flyers converting on the second opportunity.
"If you give them so many opportunities, eventually it's going to bite you in the rear," said winger Luca Caputi. "I feel like we were just looking for a better effort all around."
Caputi, 21, has showed energy since coming over last week in a trade with Pittsburgh.
Fellow young forwards Tyler Bozak and Christian Hanson also had chances on Sunday while combining to win 23 of 31 faceoffs against the Flyers.
The Bruins are clinging to eighth place in the Eastern Conference and arrived in Toronto on Sunday night, licking their wounds from a tough loss to Pittsburgh earlier that day.
Savard out with concussion
Blake Wheeler put the Bruins up in the game but they could not hold the lead. Goalie Tim Thomas made 31 saves, but was screened on a harmless looking shot in the third for the 2-1 loss.
The game has been the talk of the NHL for a different reason — a blindside hit from Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke on Boston centre Marc Savard.
Savard suffered a concussion and is out of the lineup indefinitely with the third significant injury of his season. The team's top playmaker had been in just 41 games this season due to earlier foot and knee injuries.
Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask is back with the team after a minor knee injury, but will likely back up Thomas on Tuesday.
It was revealed after the morning skate that big captain Zdeno Chara would not play due to an undisclosed lower body injury.
The Bruins were prepared for that eventuality, having called up defenceman Jeff Penner from the American Hockey League on Monday. Penner, 22, has yet to appear in an NHL game.
The Maple Leafs begin a three-game homestand, with dates Thursday against Tampa Bay and Saturday with Edmonton in town.
With files from The Associated Press
