Music: {allcanada} Toronto (13-8-2) at Anaheim (6-12-4)

Saturday, November 26, 2011

{allcanada} Toronto (13-8-2) at Anaheim (6-12-4)

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Toronto (13-8-2) at Anaheim (6-12-4)

TV: RSNO, FSPT

Puck Drop: 9:00 pm EST Sun Nov 27, 2011

Joffrey Lupul (notes) is one reason why the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to play well despite an increasing number of injuries.

Lupul will face one of his former teams Sunday night when the Maple Leafs look to win their third straight and send the Anaheim Ducks to a seventh consecutive loss.

Toronto has a chance to close a four-game road trip with a winning record, even as its depth continues to be challenged. The Maple Leafs (13-8-2) defeated Dallas 4-3 in a shootout Friday for their third win in four tries following a three-game skid.

Lupul scored the only goal in the tiebreaker and Jonas Gustavsson (notes) made 26 saves for his third straight victory.

"It was a good win for us," said Lupul. "We didn't play that well in the second period, we let them back in the game, but we played really well in the third period and it was a hard-fought game right to the end. Tonight it took an effort from everyone, but we got it done."

Defenseman Carl Gunnarsson (notes) and center David Steckel both left with finger injuries in the second period and did not return. Besides missing No. 1 goaltender James Reimer (notes), Toronto is also without defenseman Mike Komisarek (notes) and forwards Colby Armstrong (notes), Mike Brown (notes), Mikhail Grabovski (notes) and Matthew Lombardi (notes).

The Maple Leafs have weathered those injuries thanks in large part to Phil Kessel (notes), who leads the NHL with 16 goals, and Lupul, who is among the league leaders with 27 points.

Lupul was acquired by Toronto in a trade with Anaheim last February. He played his first two seasons with the Ducks, then returned for the 2009-10 season, but was limited by a back injury and subsequent blood infection.

A three-time 20-goal scorer, Lupul has two goals and six assists during a five-game point streak.

The last-place Ducks (6-12-4) lost their sixth straight, giving up four goals in the first half of the third period in a 6-5 defeat to Chicago on Friday.

"I'm very concerned," captain Ryan Getzlaf (notes) said. "It's not something we're willing to accept around here. We've got to change the mentality at the start of every period, treat it like it's zero-zero and learn how to win these kind of games."

Jonas Hiller (notes) has been charged with four losses during the six-game skid, posting a 3.88 goals-against average in his past five appearances. He is 0-2-0 with a 5.50 GAA lifetime against the Maple Leafs.

This is the second six-game skid of the season for the Ducks, who have given up 24 goals during the current slide. They haven't lost seven in a row since dropping eight straight Nov. 3-20, 2005.

"If we had the answer we'd try to correct it," coach Randy Carlyle said. "It's very frustrating and very confusing for everyone involved."

Corey Perry (notes) scored for the third time in four games Friday to extend his point streak to five games. He also had an assist in the loss for his second multipoint game this season. He had seven in his first 22 contests last season on his way to winning the Hart Trophy.

The Ducks have lost their last two games against the Leafs, falling 5-2 at Toronto on Jan. 20.