Music: {allcanada} ISLANDERS (13-14-7) at MAPLE LEAFS (19-12-5)

Monday, December 28, 2015

{allcanada} ISLANDERS (13-14-7) at MAPLE LEAFS (19-12-5)

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Tuesday, December 29, 2015

7:00 PM ET

ISLANDERS (13-14-7) at MAPLE LEAFS (19-12-5)

TV: TVA Sports, MSG+ 2, TSN4

Season series: The Toronto Maple Leafs received goals from forwards Tyler Bozak, Michael Grabner and James van Riemsdyk in a 3-1 win against the New York Islanders on Dec. 27 at Barclays Center. Grabner scored his 100th NHL goal against his former team, the Maple Leafs' second goal in a span of 100 seconds, and goalie Jonathan Bernier made 25 saves. Forward Nikolay Kulemin scored for the Islanders and goalie Thomas Greiss made 35 saves.

Islanders team scope: New York has lost four of its past five games since an 8-0-2 stretch from Nov. 27-Dec. 13, so coach Jack Capuano shook up his top-three lines at practice Monday. Anders Lee and Josh Bailey flanked center John Tavares on the first line. Frans Nielsen centered Nikolay Kulemin and Kyle Okposo on the second line, and Mikhail Grabovski centered Brock Nelson and Ryan Strome on the third line. "We don't really think about it too much," Bailey said. "I think no matter what line you're on you still have a job to do. You just show up and essentially play with who you're told and go out and try to do your best." Capuano had no update on goalie Jaroslav Halak (upper body), who did not practice and remains day-to-day. The Islanders' penalty kill is 31-for-31 in the past 14 games. "Our penalty kill is structured," Capuano said. "We know what we need to do. We have to be better at that area too, all areas of our game."

Maple Leafs team scope: Toronto is 12-7-5 since a 1-7-2 start and has won five of its past eight games, but coach Mike Babcock is keeping the run of success in perspective. "As soon as you think things are going good then they're not going very good," he told the Maple Leafs website. "If you live a little bit scared as a coach you're way better off, so that's what I do." Bozak, named the NHL's Third Star for the week ending Dec. 27, was held out of practice to nurse a couple of minor injuries. Bernier will start in goal. He has three wins and a .925 save percentage in his past four starts after going 0-8-3 with an .883 save percentage in his first 11. "Just trying to take baby steps in the right direction and just build on those wins and those positive games," he said. "I just want to keep going in the same direction."

Team Stats