Gameday 2009-2010 – Maple Leafs at Sabres

Paul Gaustad returns to the ice tonight, as the Maple Leafs drop by the arena for a 7:30pm game tonight, and it’s none too soon. The league’s faceoff king is needed desperately as the percentages have been slipping game by game since he went out. It’s also a good opportunity for Brian Burke and Ron Wilson to scout Goose for the Olympics. Kaleta is out, too, despite the fact that extent of his injury was doubted.

This is not the same Leafs team that started the year, as Mike Harrington pointed out there. Kessel is playing well, but they are still struggling defensively. Luke Schenn was benched a few games, but I don’t know that it made a difference, as the most recent Leafs game was a 6-3 loss to the Coyotes.

Everything has already been said about the Sabres’ embarrassment against Ottawa, if you need a good point of view on the hit on Kaleta, go here. Heather had it well in hand. As for tonight? Hopefully everyone is over the food poisoning and comes to play.