Music: {allcanada} PANTHERS (33-26-14) at MAPLE LEAFS (27-41-6)

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

{allcanada} PANTHERS (33-26-14) at MAPLE LEAFS (27-41-6)

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca - Ana Ivanovic - Angelina Jolie

Thursday, March 26, 2015

7:30 PM ET

PANTHERS (33-26-14) at MAPLE LEAFS (27-41-6)

TV: FS-F, TSN4

Season series: The Florida Panthers have won two of their three games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, including a 3-2 victory in their previous visit to Air Canada Centre in which goaltender Roberto Luongo made 27 saves and Jimmy Hayes scored the winning goal.

Panthers team scope: Florida can't afford to leave any more points on the table if it hopes to catch the Ottawa Senators for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The Panthers flew to Toronto after seeing a 3-2 third-period lead against the Tampa Bay Lightning turn into a 4-3 loss, keeping them five points out of a playoff berth with nine games remaining. Center Nick Bjugstad, who leads the Panthers with 24 goals, sat out the loss to the Lightning with a lower-body injury and is doubtful for this game, according to the Sun Sentinel.

Maple Leafs team scope: Toronto had a newcomer at practice Wednesday. Forward Casey Bailey, who led the Big Ten conference with 22 goals this season while playing for Penn State, practiced with the Maple Leafs for the first time since signing as a free agent after the Nittany Lions' season ended last weekend. Bailey is expected to make his debut Thursday and remain with the Maple Leafs through the end of the season. "He's coming in with good expectations to learn and get better and see where he is at his level and what he needs to work on," coach Peter Horachek said after practice. "I think those things are all positive things. With us having some guys banged up, there's a good chance he'll play [Thursday]."

Team Stats