Montreal Canadiens V. Toronto Maple Leafs: Rivalry Ver. '08-09 Concludes

Out of playoff contention for the fourth straight season, extending their Stanley Cup drought to 42 years, the Toronto Maple Leafs will look to at least earn a moral victory with a win tonight over their rivals, the Montreal Canadiens.

Holding a 3-2 regular season series lead against Montreal, winning both of their last two encounters by 5-2 margins, Toronto could clinch the series with a win tonight at home.

The Canadiens, however, may have found their groove ever since the trio of Alex Tanguay, Saku Koivu and Alex Kovalev were put together by interim coach Bob Gainey.

“We played one time in Carolina early in the year and it didn’t go particularly well,” Tanguay recalled.

The Canadiens have gone 4-0-1 since thhey have been reunited, and the line has produced 12 of Montreal's 21 goals in that span.

They have also helped vault the powerplay to the 17th position, with the Canadiens going 10 for 30 in the past five games.

Jaroslav Halak will get the start again for Toronto as Carey Price will watch the game, while being quarantined with the flu, from his Toronto hotel room.

Coach Bob Gainey's frustration with Andrei Kostitsyn has led to the Belarussian being a healthy scratch tonight, although his eye did look rather puffy after taking a stick in the face on Thursday night.

Mathieu Dandineault will take Kostitsyn's place on the line with Tomas Plekanec and Chris Higgins.

Patrice Brisebois will be on the blue line as well tonight, as Ryan O'Byrne will be a healthy scratch.

Despite having the hot hand, the Canadiens will have to realize that the Maple Leafs like playing the wounded animal role.

The Blue and White have lost three of their last four, but are 15-10-7 in games after a loss.

The Leafs powerplay ranks 10th in the league, but their penalty killing unit is the worst, and they have allowed the most total goals (266) this season.

"We had some guys who basically mailed it in tonight and didn't want to compete," Leafs coach Ron Wilson said after their 8-5 loss Friday to the Philadelphia Flyers. "We knew that they would come hard."

After being down 6-0 to Philadelphia, the Leafs were able to score five goals in a 15:34 span.

Some bright spots as of late, on the Maple Leafs, are ex-Canadien Mikhail Grabovski (10pts in last 6 GP) and Alexei Ponikarovsky (15pts in 9 GP).

Wilson could leave his goaltending decision to the last minute, as the Leafs have allowed 22 goals in the last four games.

In all likelihood, Martin Gerber will get the call.

The Leafs will also be looking to stay out of the bottom of the Northeast division, as they remain one point ahead of the Ottawa Senators.

The Canadiens, meanwhile, could solidify their seventh place standing in the Eastern Conference with a victory tonight, as the New York Rangers already lost this afternoon to Boston.

"We're not looking at where we're at in the standings. We're just looking at winning games," Tanguay said. "Points are crucial, and it's going to be no different for us Saturday in Toronto."