GDT: Leafs vs. Rangers (7 p.m., CBC)

by Mislav Jantoljak on March 24, 2012 in Game Day - 849 Comments

Photo Credit: CBC.ca

The Maple Leafs are hosting the New York Rangers in what is their fourth and final meeting this year. Surprisingly, our boys have a positive record against the Rangers this season.

The Leafs have won the last two games against the New York outfit, having outscored them by a 8-7 margin. The Rangers managed one win, a shutout victory (3-0) on January 14th when they visited the ACC.

QUOTE TO NOTE:

“We’re a hockey club that is still trying to find our way,” Carlyle said. “We have got to string some consistency together. I wouldn’t say tonight is a tape that we’re going to frame or anything.”

WHO TO WATCH:

New York’s captain and winger Ryan Callahan has three points in his last three games and is playing well after a short pause because of injury. Callahan is enjoying his best ever season having scored a career high 27 goals.

Marian Gaborik could be playing better a this time of the season. The All-Star right wing, who was a minus-3 on Friday, is trying to avoid his first five-game point drought since Dec. 29, 2003-Jan. 5, 2004, with Minnesota. He had three goals and five assists in four games prior to this rough stretch.

Jake Gardiner is looking to impress yet again. Our rookie D-man has collected five points in his last five games.

Phil Kessel was kept off the scoresheet by the Devils, one game after matching his career high of 36 goals set in 2008-09 with Boston.

WHAT TO WATCH:

Both teams are playing their second game in a back-to-back situation, but few teams have been as good at it as the Rangers. New York has a combined record of 16-4-5 in back-to-back games this season, going 8-2-3 (3-1-0 at home, 5-1-3 on the road) in the first game and 8-2-2 (6-0-0 at home, 2-2-2 on the road) in the second.

INJURIES:

The Leafs are missing forwards Lupul, MacArthur, Frattin and Kulemin, while the Rangers will be without defenseman Steve Eminger and forward Mats Zuccarello Aasen.

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