(My Sportsbook) - The suddenly-hot
Toronto Maple Leafs will aim for a sixth victory in seven games when they welcome the
Dallas Stars for tonight's interconference matchup at Air Canada Centre.
The Maple Leafs earned their second straight blowout victory Monday evening in Atlanta, as they pounded the Thrashers, 6-2, at Philips Arena. Toronto had earned a 7-3 triumph in its previous outing Saturday in Pittsburgh.
Justin Pogge got the win in his NHL debut and the line of Alexei Ponikarovsky, Matt Stajan and Nik Antropov accounted for nine points to lead the Leafs to the rout in Atlanta.
Pogge, who was recalled from Toronto's AHL affiliate on Sunday, got the start between the pipes with first-stringer Vesa Toskala dealing with a groin pull. A third-round choice in the 2004 NHL Draft, Pogge needed just 19 saves to get the victory but made several key stops with the game still in doubt.
Either Pogge or veteran Curtis Joseph will get the call tonight as Toskala continues to deal with his injury.
Stajan scored twice and assisted on another, Ponikarovsky had a goal and two helpers and Antropov logged three assists for Toronto. Jeremy Williams and Dominic Moore each notched a goal and an assist.
The Leafs are 6-5-4 as the host this season and have won three of their last four contests at the ACC.
Meanwhile, the Stars had a chance at their first three-game winning streak of the season thwarted Saturday in Ottawa. Jason Smith scored with 1:30 left in overtime to lift the Senators past Dallas, 5-4, at Scotiabank Place. The goal was the first point recorded by Smith this season.
Dallas killed off a power play awarded to Ottawa just 27 seconds into the extra frame, a notable feat considering the Senators had gone 3-for-5 on the man-advantage in regulation. However, Smith beat Marty Turco from in close just over a minute after the power play had ended.
Matt Niskanen and Brad Richards each recorded a goal and an assist for the Stars, who came into the game riding just their second two-game win streak of the season. Turco turned aside 28 shots in the loss.
The Stars are just 6-9-2 as the visiting team this year and have lost three straight road tests.
Dallas has won two in a row against the Leafs and is 4-1 with a tie over the last six encounters between the clubs. The Stars last played in Toronto on December 10, 2005 and earned a 2-1 decision in that test.