Home cooking was just what the doctor ordered for the Maple Leafs in Game 3, when, after getting dominated for 120 minutes of hockey, Toronto scored a victory at Air Canada Centre against the Boston Bruins on Monday, drawing their series deficit to within 2-1.
The Maple Leafs will have a chance to even up the best-of-seven first-round series on Thursday when they again play host to the Bruins, but they'll do so still without the services of a regular forward.
Leo Komarov (lower-body) won't be available for Toronto in Game 4, head coach Mike Babcock announced after morning skate Wednesday.
Komarov was injured during Game 2 when he was in an awkward collision with the Bruins Kevan Miller. Komarov skated in to throw a check on the Bruins defenseman, pulled up, and Miller made contact with Komarov's left leg. Komarov missed Game 3, Toronto's lone victory of the series.
Missing both Komarov and Nazem Kadri (serving the third of a three-game suspension Wednesday) Toronto is expected to go with the same lineup it used on Monday, adding forward Andreas Johnsson and Dominic Moore.
#TMLTalk lineup at practice
— Dave McCarthy (@DaveAMcCarthy) April 18, 2018
Hyman - Matthews - Nylander
Marleau - Plekanec - Marner
JVR - Bozak - Brown
Johnsson - Moore - Kapanen
Martin, Leivo, Kadri
—
Rielly - Hainsey
Gardiner - Zaitsev
Dermott - Polak
Carrick
—
Andersen
McElhinney#NHLBruins #NHL
It's unclear if or when Komarov would be available to return in the first round. He also missed seven games in March due to a knee injury, though it's unclear if this most recent injury is related.