Leafs' depth will be tested against tough Bruins squad Saturday

The Maple Leafs received some unfortunate news Friday when it was announced centre Auston Matthews would be out of the lineup on a day-to-day basis after suffering an upper body injury late in Thursday's 4-3 shootout win over the New York Islanders. But the depth Leafs management has developed in recent years means Matthews' absence will be an opportunity for another team member to contribute, and there are no shortage of players interested in making the most of such a chance.

"It's really important," Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said after practice Friday, as the team prepares to host the Boston Bruins Saturday. "I think it's a real opportunity. Auston's going to be out for a bit anyway, and so it's an opportunity to see (winger) Willie (Nylander) or (forward Patrick) Marleau or whoever's going to play in the middle, and then someone else gets an opportunity (on the wing) and see how they do. And then, if not, we've got more guys in the Marlies that are dying for an opportunity, too. So we'll just sort it out as we go."
"We've got guys that can step in and play bigger roles and play more minutes," added defenceman Morgan Rielly. "Depth is a big part of this team and that will be put to the test, but we've got lots of guys that can really step in and play well for us."
The Leafs will be seeking to avenge a 4-1 loss to the Bruins Feb. 3 in Boston - one of only two Buds losses in their past 14 games, but a defeat that left a bitter taste in Toronto's collective mouth. The Bruins are both an Atlantic Division and Original Six rival, and beyond the history between the two clubs, there's the matter of the playoff standings race: The Leafs currently sit a single point behind Boston for second place in the Atlantic (although the Bruins have five games in hand), and a victory Saturday at Air Canada Centre would move them within three points of the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning (who've played two fewer games than Toronto has).
Needless to say, Saturday's tilt will be a high-stakes clash, and the Leafs intend to assert themselves as being a different squad than the one that lost to the Bruins nearly a month ago.
"We'd like to bounce back from the way we played last time," winger Connor Brown said. I think it's going to be a tight checking game, it's going to be a playoff-type game, and we feel like we've been playing well and we're up for the task."
The Leafs and Bruins have posted 8-2-0 records in their past 10 games, and although Toronto has won eight in a row at home, Boston has an impressive 18-6-4 road record. They're a veteran, deep group with an elite goaltender in Tuukka Rask, but the Buds have received spectacular netminding from Frederik Andersen and also have depth that is the envy of many NHL franchises, so this showdown promises to be a must-watch.
"They've got lots of speed, they're physical, they're able to use it very well," Rielly said of the Bruins. "They like getting pucks in and going after (it) and playing off the cycle, so we've got to be aware of that. And as D-men, we've got to be able to break the puck out fast and limit their opportunities offensively."
After Saturday's game, Toronto will have a day off before travelling to Tampa Bay to take on the Lightning Monday. The Bolts are 20-6-1 at home, so the challenge there will be considerable, but the Leafs are focused for now on a familiar foe. And if they can emerge victorious Saturday and extend their win streak to four games, they'll go into the match with the Lightning with even more confidence than they possess already.
"We've got an opportunity here in the next two games to make up some ground," Rielly said. "We understand the importance of these games coming down the stretch. We want to win just as bad as anybody else, and these guys are playing well and they're making a push, and we have to match that. So tomorrow night is very important, and it's crucial that we come forth with a good effort and we play better than we did last time against these guys."