GDT: Primer #7, Leafs at Red Wings (7:30 p.m., Leafs TV)

by Alec Brownscombe on September 30, 2011 in Game Day - 569 Comments

Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

With Tim Connolly sitting out the final two preseason games and Tyler Bozak still on the shelf, the Leafs are looking a little thin at center ice for tonight in Detroit. It looks like we won’t get a peek at the full projected opening night lineup before the preseason concludes.

Indications are that Matthew Lombardi could skate in his first game since October, 2010 in tomorrow night’s game against Detroit back in Toronto. Tonight’s lineups courtesy of LeafsFacts after the jump:

Dupuis and Boyce will get big opportunities centering the Kessel/Lupul and Armstrong/Frattin lines respectively and it could be a decisive game in determining who gets the fourth line center’s spot for opening night.

Mike Brown will return to the lineup tonight to make his preseason debut after his recovery from June groin surgery put him out of the lineup a little longer than expected. He’ll play with Mike Zigomanis and Colton Orr.

Jonas Gustavsson will play the full 60 tonight. Fan confidence in Gustavsson is not at its highest but his .903 save percentage in preseason isn’t all too bad despite a few goals which trigged memories of the 2010-11 Monster (overactive and panicky in the crease). In a continuing a theme from 2010-11, Gustavsson’s appearances seem to coincide with poor overall team performances.

Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m. on Leafs TV.

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