Maple Leafs @ Hurricanes

Who will WIN this matchup?

Toronto Maple Leafs (20-9-1)

@ Carolina Hurricanes (13-11-4)

Starting Goalies:

Frederik Andersen (TOR): Unconfirmed

Petr Mrazek (CAR): Unconfirmed

Current odds:

Toronto Maple Leafs: (-135)

Carolina Hurricanes: (+115)

• The Carolina Hurricanes are expected to see the return of leading goal-scorer Micheal Ferland on Tuesday when the team hosts the high-flying Toronto Maple Leafs. Ferland, who has been sidelined four games with a concussion, scored on the power play in what proved to be the winning tally in Carolina’s 5-2 victory versus Toronto on Nov. 21. The Hurricanes scored only five goals during a 1-3-1 stretch before locating their offense Friday in a 4-1 triumph at Anaheim to conclude a three-game road trip.

• Toronto’s second-ranked offense has little issue scoring goals this season, however the Maple Leafs have been rather generous of late after surrendering 11 in the back-to-back losses that followed a five-game winning streak.

• Connor Brown will assume Zach Hyman’s spot on the line with John Tavares (team-leading 18 goals) and Mitch Marner (club-best 34 assists, 40 points) with Hyman serving the first contest of a two-game suspension for his actions against defenseman Charlie McAvoy in Saturday’s 6-3 setback to Boston. “I think he is going well (despite his stats),” Babcock said of the 24-year-old Brown, via TSN. “His job is to be real solid defensively and penalty kill for us and I actually think he’s been good.” Tavares, who is slated to play his 700th NHL game Tuesday, scored in the first encounter with Carolina.

• Scott Darling was summoned from Charlotte of the American Hockey League with fellow goaltender and former Maple Leaf Curtis McElhinney nursing a lower-body injury. The 29-year-old Darling has struggled to find his place with the Hurricanes since being acquired from Chicago, posting a 15-25-8 mark with a 3.17 goals-against average – including a 2-4-1 record this season. Captain Justin Williams and Sebastian Aho (team-leading 19 assists, 27 points) each scored versus the Ducks and also tallied in the first meeting with the Maple Leafs.

• Toronto C Auston Matthews has collected six goals and four assists during his five-game point streak since returning from a shoulder injury.

• The Hurricanes have recorded at least a point in five of seven encounters (4-2-1) versus Atlantic Division adversaries.

• Toronto D Morgan Rielly has notched an assist in each of the past five contests.