Maple Leafs at Panthers preview

MAPLE LEAFS (24-15-6) at PANTHERS (23-16-5)
7 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS, FS-F, NHL.TV

The Maple Leafs are 9-1-2 in their past 12 but are coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 8.
The Panthers, who have alternated wins and losses their past seven games, could be without Sergei Bobrovsky after the goalie left practice early Saturday. Though coach Joel Quenneville said he didn't believe the injury was serious, goalie
Sam Montembeault
was recalled from Springfield of the American Hockey League under emergency conditions.
This is the first of four games this season between the Maple Leafs and Panthers, who play again in Toronto on Feb. 3.

Players to watch

Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews has 20 points (12 goals, eight assists) in his past 11 games.
Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau needs one point to tie Olli Jokinen (419) for most in team history. Huberdeau has 28 points (seven goals, 21 assists) in 18 games since Dec. 3.

They said it

"He's been a good player for a long time. He's on a good stretch here, but his whole time he's been in the League, he's been a dominant player and he's responded well to having more minutes." -- Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe on center Auston Matthews
"Yeah, .500 is not going to get us into the playoffs in the second half. We definitely have to go on a little bit of a run and string a few wins together." -- Panthers center Vincent Trocheck

Maple Leafs projected lineup

Zach Hyman -- Auston Matthews -- Mitchell Marner
Alex Kerfoot -- John Tavares -- William Nylander
Pierre Engvall -- Jason Spezza -- Kasperi Kapanen
Dmytro Timashov --
Adam Brooks
-- Frederik Gauthier
Morgan Rielly -- Tyson Barrie
Martin Marincin -- Cody Ceci
Travis Dermott -- Justin Holl
Frederik Andersen
Michael Hutchinson
Scratched: Mason Marchment
Injured: Andreas Johnsson (leg), Trevor Moore (concussion), Ilya Mikheyev (wrist laceration), Jake Muzzin (foot)

Panthers projected lineup

Jonathan Huberdeau -- Aleksander Barkov -- Evgenii Dadonov
Brett Connolly -- Vincent Trocheck -- Noel Acciari
Frank Vatrano -- Dominic Toninato -- Mike Hoffman
Colton Sceviour -- Brian Boyle -- Jayce Hawryluk
Mike Matheson -- Aaron Ekblad
Keith Yandle -- Josh Brown
Riley Stillman -- Anton Stralman
Chris Driedger
Sam Montembeault
Scratched:Denis Malgin, Mark Pysyk
Injured:MacKenzie Weegar (upper body), Sergei Bobrovsky (undisclosed)

Status report

Neither team held a morning skate. ... Johnsson, who has missed the past 15 games, practiced Saturday. Keefe said there was a possibility the forward could return against the Panthers. … Weegar, a defenseman, is expected to miss his ninth consecutive game. … Boyle is expected to play his 800th NHL game.

Stat pack

Marner has 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 16 games since returning from an ankle injury that sidelined him for 11 games. … Acciari, who didn't score more than 10 goals in any of his first four NHL seasons, has scored 12 in his past 12 games. … Hoffman has six points (three goals, three assists) during a five-game point streak.