GDT: Leafs at Rangers (7 p.m., Leafs TV)

by Alec Brownscombe on December 5, 2011 in Game Day - 654 Comments

Photo: Kathy Kmonicek/Associated Press

From the league’s hottest team to the league’s second hottest team, the Maple Leafs are in New York in hopes of getting back on the winning side of the ledger against the red-hot Rangers after a back to back sweep at the hands of the Boston Bruins last week. With 33 points in just 23 games, the Rangers could easily be tops of the East soon with some points in their games in hand.

The Leafs handed the Rangers one of only five regulation losses this season on October 27, when they earned an ugly 4-1 road win and took advantage of a rather human-looking Henrik Lundqvist on the always shitty Madison Square Garden ice. Jonas Gustavsson earned the W and will get the start tonight, unless Wilson and fellow bully/”local embarrassment” Brian Burke pull another fast one on Damien and Steve.

The always shoddy MSG ice doesn’t lend itself particularly well to the Leafs’ style of play, so it will take another gutsy effort to earn a second win there this season against a Rangers team that has caught fire since their last visit.

The Leafs could really use a win here to put the Boston beatings behind them as soon as possible.

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