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The Toronto Maple Leafs continue their busy week with their third game in four nights against the St. Louis Blues at Scotiabank Arena. The Leafs will be starting their third different goaltender in that three-game set, as Joseph Woll returns after two weeks on injured reserve to face his hometown club.
"(Joseph has) been progressing in the right direction for some time now, and we kind of had this date picked out that he would get this start," Leafs head coach Craig Berube said. "It's just basically making sure he's ready, comfortable, everybody's on board with him (being) ready to go and this (game) is where we picked."
The Leafs sent goalie Dennis Hildeby down to the AHL Marlies in order to activate Woll, and the club will be looking to bounce back from their worst performance of the young season; a 6-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, against Berube’s former club.
Berube confirmed the lower-body injury to forward Max Pacioretty was not of a serious nature and said that the veteran was “day-to-day”. A surprise at the morning skate was center Fraser Minten, who has been out injured since the prospect games in Montreal with a high-ankle sprain.
“(Fraser’s) really come a long way and has been working hard,” Berube said. “He’s been good, obviously it was hard on him because (of) getting hurt in a rookie game and that early in camp and not be able to participate in the main camp, it was difficult for him.”
With Pacioretty out, it is expected that David Kampf will be re-inserted on the fourth line between Steven Lorentz and Ryan Reaves and that Pontus Holmberg will shift back up into a third-line role with John Tavares and Nick Robertson.
Jordan Binnington will go for St. Louis, who will be without center Robert Thomas, who suffered a fractured ankle and will be out at least six weeks.