What is there to say about the Penguins? They are a very good hockey team, they won the Stanley Cup in June. The still have some of the best players in the league.

The Toronto Maple Leafs would like to be the Pittsburgh Penguins, but aren't there yet.  Their very good players are young, but have lots and lots of talent. They won’t win the Stanley Cup next June, but they should get the chance to play for it next season.

Penguins @ Maple Leafs
7:00PM - Air Canada Centre
Watch: CBC, Game Centre Live
Listen: TSN1050, Sportsnet590
SBN Rival: Pensburgh

The Maple Leafs announced yesterday that Martin Marincin will be out 4-6 weeks, setting up a chance for a rare Frank Corrado sighting, if he’s lucky.

The Leafs are in the middle of a five game home stand where they’ve lost 3-1 to the lowly Colorado Avalanche, and have back to back blown lead shootout losses to the Sharks and Coyotes. They will play Anaheim at home on Monday, and then have a four game road trip around Christmas break before the Centennial Classic on January 1st.

Jhonas Enroth is back as the back up goalie while Antoine Bibeau gets some games in with the Marlies.

The Penguins are coming to Toronto after three games at home that saw them destroy Arizona 7-0, squeak past the Bruins 4-3 in overtime and lose to the Kings last night 1-0 in overtime.

The Penguins have their strong forwards intact, but have lost Kris Letang for the next little while, so the Leafs can take advantage of a tired Pens defence who are also missing a key player.

A quick stats shot and some line ups for you will complete this brief preview. I’m off to shovel some snow now.

PittsburghToronto
20-7-411-11-7
1st8th
1st15th
1st26th
108/88 = +2083/90 = -7
20.5% - 10th19.1% - 14th
77.8% - 26th83.5% - 9th
Sidney Crosby - 21Auston Matthews - 14
Evgeni Malkin - 33 Sidney Crosby - 33Auston Mathews - 23
Matt Murray - .937sv%Frederik Andersen - .916sv%

Toronto Maple Leafs

Leo Komarov - Nazem Kadri - Connor Brown
James van Riemsdyk - Tyler Bozak - Mitchell Marner
Zach Hyman - Auston Matthews - William Nylander
Matt Martin - Ben Smith - Nikita Soshnikov

Morgan Rielly - Nikita Zaitsev
Jake Gardiner - Connor Carrick
Matt Hunwick - Roman Polak

Frederik Andersen
Jhonas Enroth

Pittsburgh Penguins

Conor Sheary - Sidney Crosby - Patric Hornqvist
Carl Hagelin - Evgeni Malkin - Phil Kessel
Chris Kunitz - Nick Bonino - Bryan Rust
Scott Wilson - Matt Cullen - Tom Kuhnhackl

Olli Maatta - Trevor Daley
Brian Dumoulin - Derrick Pouliot
Ian Cole - Justin Schultz

Matt Murray
Marc-Andre Fleury