Maple Leafs at Penguins preview
Kaskisuo to make NHL debut in goal for Toronto; Jarry could start for Pittsburgh
by Wes Crosby / NHL.com Independent Correspondent
MAPLE LEAFS (9-8-4) at PENGUINS (10-7-2)
7 p.m. ET; NHLN, CBC, SN360, SNO, SNW, SNP, ATTSN-PT, NHL.TV
The Game
Goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo will make his NHL debut for the Toronto Maple Leafs when they look to end a season-long four-game winless streak, against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday.
The 26-year-old, recalled from Toronto of the American Hockey League on Tuesday, will play after Frederik Andersen made 30 saves in a 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Friday. Kaskisuo was 6-1-1 with a 2.13 goals-against average and .928 save percentage in eight AHL games this season.
The Maple Leafs are 0-3-1 in their past four games after winning their previous three.
The Penguins are winless in two straight games (0-1-1) after going 4-1-1 in their previous six. They lost 2-1 at the New Jersey Devils on Friday.
Goalie Tristan Jarry could make his fourth start this season after Matt Murray made 19 saves against the Devils. Jarry is 1-3-0 with a 2.25 GAA and .929 save percentage in five games (three starts).
Players to watch
Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in a six-game point streak.
Penguins center Evgeni Malkin has one assist in the past two games with center Sidney Crosby injured (core muscle surgery). He has averaged 1.32 points per game in 122 games with Crosby out of the lineup.
They said it
"It's a matter of pulling together and digging in. We've got to find a way to just make ourselves a step better and get ourselves a win so we can get back on track." -- Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock
"We're cutting down on the quality and the quantity of scoring chances against significantly, and we're generating a fair amount. So all we can do ... is control the process." -- Penguins coach Mike Sullivan
Maple Leafs projected lineup
Andreas Johnsson -- Auston Matthews -- William Nylander
Zach Hyman -- John Tavares -- Kasperi Kapanen
Ilya Mikheyev -- Jason Spezza -- Dmytro Timashov
Nic Petan -- Nicholas Shore -- Frederik Gauthier
Morgan Rielly -- Cody Ceci
Jake Muzzin -- Tyson Barrie
Travis Dermott -- Justin Holl
Kasimir Kaskisuo
Frederik Andersen
Scratched: Martin Marincin
Injured: Alexander Kerfoot (dental fractures), Mitchell Marner (ankle), Trevor Moore (shoulder)
Penguins projected lineup
Jake Guentzel -- Evgeni Malkin -- Bryan Rust
Dominik Kahun -- Jared McCann -- Dominik Simon
Alex Galchenyuk -- Teddy Blueger -- Sam Lafferty
Zach Aston-Reese -- Joseph Blandisi -- Brandon Tanev
Brian Dumoulin -- John Marino
Marcus Pettersson -- Justin Schultz
Jack Johnson -- Juuso Riikola
Tristan Jarry
Matt Murray
Scratched: Chad Ruhwedel
Injured: Sidney Crosby (core muscle surgery), Nick Bjugstad (lower body), Kris Letang (lower body), Patric Hornqvist (lower body)
Status report
Moore did not travel with the Maple Leafs after sustaining a shoulder injury in the first period Friday. ... Blandisi was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis Saturday. He could enter the lineup with Bjugstad unlikely to play after being injured Friday.
Stat pack
Tavares is two assists from 400 in the NHL. He has five points (two goals, three assists) in a three-game point streak. … McCann needs one point to reach 100 in the NHL. He has six points (two goals, four assists) in his past five games.