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Maple Leafs aim to keep postseason hopes alive versus Islanders

Tue 18th, March 2008

(Sports Network) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to rebound from a costly loss in their quest for the playoffs, as they visit the New York Islanders for tonight's contest at the Nassau Coliseum.

Toronto is 12th in the conference and six points behind Philadelphia for the eighth and final postseason berth in the Eastern Conference.

The Maple Leafs missed out on a chance to make up some ground on one of the teams ahead of them, as they hosted the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. The Sabres, who are one point in back of the Flyers, pounded out a 6-2 victory in Toronto as Jason Pominville and Jochen Hecht each scored a goal and added two assists.

Jiri Tlusty and Ian White scored for Toronto, which had a two-game win streak snapped. Vesa Toskala allowed five goals on 19 shots

Toronto was without Mats Sundin in the loss, as the Leafs captain and leading scorer sat out with a groin strain. Sundin is first on the club with 32 goals and 77 points this season. He is also expected to miss tonight's game, as is center Nik Antropov, who suffered a knee injury in the loss to Buffalo.

Tonight's test also marks the first of three straight games on the road for the Maple Leafs, who are 15-16-5 as the visiting team this year. Toronto has won three straight and five of its last six as the road club.

The Islanders, meanwhile, have just about played themselves out of playoff contention with five straight losses and just two wins in their last 11 contests.

The Isles are 13th out of 15 Eastern Conference teams and nine points out of a playoff spot.

New York's latest setback came Saturday night in Montreal. Jaroslav Halak made 30 saves for his first shutout of the season and the Canadiens rolled to a 3-0 decision over the Isles.

Rick DiPietro made 26 saves in the loss for the Islanders, who have just 13 goals in their last eight contests.

The Isles went 0-4 on a four-game road trip with the loss in Montreal and after tonight's test, New York will head back out on a two-game swing. New York is 17-16-3 as the hosts this year, but have lost four straight at the Coliseum.

New York is 2-1 against the Maple Leafs this season, winning two in a row in the series since an 8-1 thrashing in Toronto on October 11. The Isles have taken five of the last six meetings overall, while Toronto has dropped three in a row, six of seven and 10 of 12 at the Coliseum.

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