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Panthers-Maple Leafs Preview

Oct 25, 2010 - 4:14 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Florida (3-3-0) at Toronto (4-2-1), 7:00 p.m. EDT

Just more than a week ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs were perhaps the biggest surprise of the young season. Losing three in a row since has tempered those sentiments.

The Maple Leafs will try to re-establish themselves offensively when they face the Florida Panthers at Air Canada Centre on Tuesday night.

Toronto (4-2-1) opened with a four-game winning streak, showing promise after finishing with an Eastern Conference-low 74 points in 2009-10.

The Maple Leafs, though, have totaled four goals in dropping their last three after scoring 16 times during the 4-0 start.

Toronto's sudden offensive struggles were on display Saturday, when they were outshot 40-14 in a 5-2 loss at Philadelphia.

"We turned the pucks over in the offensive zone, 2-on-1s, and they buried us in the third period," coach Ron Wilson said. "It's inexcusable."

More balanced production could be the key to the Leafs getting back on track.

Phil Kessel and Clarke MacArthur each have a team-high six of Toronto's 20 goals. Tim Brent has two, making him the only other Leafs player with more than one.

Kessel and MacArthur continued their strong starts with a goal apiece against the Flyers. However, Kessel has scored in just one of his last six games against Florida (3-3-0) with Toronto and Boston, with the right wing getting two goals in a 6-4 win at Florida on Nov. 27.

MacArthur has two goals in his last three games against the Panthers, both coming with Buffalo.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 35 saves Saturday and should be back in net Tuesday. He's lost his last two starts with a 3.41 goals-against average after winning his first three with a 1.98 GAA.

Giguere lost in his most recent two meetings with Florida, posting a 3.08 GAA.

The Maple Leafs have gone 2-4-2 in their last eight against Florida - 1-3-1 at home. The clubs split four matchups last season with each winning once at home and on the road.

The Panthers are playing well after a slow start, winning three of four going into a three-game trip through eastern Canada.

Florida bounced back from a 4-1 loss to Dallas on Thursday by beating the New York Islanders 4-3 two days later.

David Booth and Radek Dvorak, tied for the team lead with three goals each, have played key roles during Florida's surge. The duo has six goals and three assists over the last four games, with all the scoring coming in the three victories.

Booth is working to put a difficult season behind him. Two concussions limited him to 28 games in 2009-10, when he had eight goals and eight assists after posting career highs of 31 and 29 in 2008-09.

The left wing has three goals and five assists in seven games against Toronto. He scored twice against Giguere in a 4-1 win at Air Canada Centre on March 23.