Eurolanche

Preview: Avalanche - Maple Leafs

Season series: The Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche play for the second and final time this season. Phil Kessel's goal 34 seconds into overtime gave Toronto a 3-2 win Oct. 14 at Air Canada Centre. Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov made 37 saves in defeat.

Maple Leafs team scope: Toronto's three-game winning streak ended Tuesday with a 3-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes, during which it was outshot 10-3 in the first period and fell into a 3-0 hole. "I thought we got away from the puck," assistant coach Steve Spott told the Maple Leafs website. "We didn't come out as a five-man unit and that's something we addressed through video [Wednesday] morning, making sure when we do break out we're supporting the puck. That's something we need to address going into Denver." Defenseman Roman Polak (flu) missed practice, but Spott said he should be good to go Thursday. The Maple Leafs are 5-0-0 when scoring first, but 1-5-1 when their opponent scores first.

Avalanche team scope: Colorado is hoping to avoid an 0-3-0 homestand after allowing five unanswered goals Tuesday in a loss to the Vancouver Canucks. The Avalanche have lost three straight, 11 of 14 and are 3-6-5 after starting last season 12-1-0. "I think the core of our team understands that they're not playing up to the standard that they love to play," coach Patrick Roy told the Avalanche website Wednesday. Defenseman Brad Stuart (hamstring) could miss a couple of weeks, according to Roy, which leaves Colorado with six available defensemen including Zach Redmond, who replaces Stuart in the lineup. Goalie Reto Berra will start. Varlamov has faced 35.2 shots per game in seven straight starts. "We'll give [Varlamov] a rest," Roy said. "He certainly deserves it." Colorado has killed 29 straight penalties, its longest stretch in one season since 2001-02 when it killed off 35 straight.

-- by Jon Lane for NHL.com --

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