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Leafs head into Christmas on winning note

Dec. 23: Leafs 5 at Islanders 3

Defenceman Carl Gunnarsson gets his first goal of the year
Leafs scorers: MacArthur (10), Kadri (2), Gunnarsson (1), Crabb (6), Lupul (16)
Islanders scorers: Okposo (6), Nielsen (5), Tavares (11)
Links: Box Score | Discussion boards

Forward lines:Lupul-Bozak-Kessel, Kulemin-Grabovski-Frattin, MacArthur-Connolly-Kadri, Crabb-Steckel-Boyce
Defence pairings: Phaneuf-Aulie, Gardiner-Franson, Gunnarsson-Schenn
Goaltenders: Reimer (Win, 60:00 minutes played, 30 saves, 3 GA), Gustavsson (0:00)

Notes
Defenceman John-Michael Liles was a scratch due to a neck injury suffered in Thursday’s game against Buffalo following a hit from Paul Gaustad. Ron Wilson says he expects Liles to play on Tuesday against Florida…Nazem Kadri scored his second goal in as many games since being recalled from the Marlies…Goaltender James Reimer earned his first road win of the year…The highlight goal of the evening came on a 2-on-1 between Joey Crabb and Tyler Bozak, who played give-and-go for a shorthanded tally to put the Leafs up 4-2…Phil Kessel’s assist on Joffrey Lupul’s empty net goal moved him to within two points of Claude Giroux, who sits atop the NHL’s scoring race with 43 points…The Islanders’ John Tavares scored just his 3rd goal in the last 22 games.

Feliz Naz-vidad

Dec. 22: Leafs 3 vs. Sabres 2

Nazem Kadri scores the game-winning goal
Leafs scorers: Steckel (6), Kessel (20), Kadri (1)
Sabres scorers: Pominville (11), Roy (8)
Links: Box Score | Discussion boards

Forward lines:Lupul-Bozak-Kessel, Kulemin-Grabovski-Frattin, MacArthur-Connolly-Kadri, Crabb-Steckel-Boyce
Defence pairings: Gunnarsson-Phaneuf, Liles-Franson, Aulie-Schenn
Goaltenders: Reimer (Win, 60:00 minutes played, 40 saves, 2 GA), Gustavsson (0:00)

Recap:
Christmas came early for Nazem Kadri this year. And the 2009 first-round draft pick returned the giving for the hometown fans at Air Canada Centre.

One day after being recalled from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL, Kadri scored his first goal of the year, firing the puck over the glove of Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller. The goal at 5:52 of the third period held up as the game-winner in a 3-2 Leafs victory.

Nazem Kadri recalled

The Maple Leafs have recalled Nazem Kadri from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.

In 22 games this year, Kadri has registered 8 goals and 14 assists, and was named Reebok AHL Player of the Month for November. Kadri earned one assist in 3 games played with the Maple Leafs to start the 2011-12 season before being assigned to the Marlies.

At Leafs practice on Wednesday morning Kadri skated on a line with Tim Connolly and Clarke MacArthur.

The recall comes as a result of an upper body injury to Leafs forward Phillipe Dupuis, who has been placed on injured reserve.

Leafs recall Darryl Boyce

Leafs presdient and general manager Brian Burke announced Tuesday that the hockey club has recalled forward Darryl Boyce from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.

Boyce, 27, has appeared in 22 games with the Marlies this season, collecting 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) with 22 penalty minutes. The 6-0, 200-pound native of Summerside, P.E.I. registered 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) and 33 penalty minutes in 46 games with the Maple Leafs in 2010-11.

The Maple Leafs also placed Colby Armstrong on injured reserve with a concussion and he is out indefinitely. Armstrong suffered the injury Saturday against Vancouver.

Reimer steals a point for Leafs

Dec. 19: Leafs 2 vs. Kings 3 (SO)

Reimer has his best game since return from injury
Leafs scorers: Liles (4), Frattin (4)
Kings scorers: Williams (5), Brown (7), shootout winner – Brown
Links: Box Score | Discussion boards

Forward lines:Lupul-Connolly-Kessel, MacArthur-Grabovski-Kulemin, Crabb-Bozak-Frattin, Orr-Dupuis-Rosehill
Defence pairings: Gunnarsson-Phaneuf, Gardiner-Franson, Liles-Schenn
Goaltenders: Reimer (Shootout loss, 65:00 minutes played, 40 saves, 2 GA), Gustavsson (0:00)

Recap:
In James Reimer’s first five starts since returning from a head injury, the Leafs netminder posted a subpar 1-3-1 record leaving fans to ponder whether he has fully recovered.

Any such doubts have at least subsided, if not disappeared, as a result of “Optimus Reim’s” 40-save performance against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night. Despite an eventual 3-2 shootout loss, the Leafs salvaged the point only by way of the sensational play of Reimer who bailed his team out in many instances, particularly in the second period when the Leafs were outshot 16-4.

Colby Armstrong has a concussion; out indefinitely

At the conclusion of Monday’s 3-2 shootout loss to Los Angeles, Leafs head coach Ron Wilson stated that winger Colby Armstrong will be out of the lineup indefinitely with a concussion. The injury was suffered in Toronto’s loss to Vancouver on Saturday night.

Wilson said: “In the game the other night he hit Ryan Kesler. Later on this afternoon – he didn’t tell the trainers or the doctors yesterday that he had his bell rung. So 2 – 3:30, somewhere in there, he was nauseated, blurry vision, so he’s got a concussion. We didn’t know that until later in the afternoon. So, he’s going to be out however long he needs to be out. It took us all by complete shock, because we didn’t know he had his bell rung the other night, he kind of kept that from us. He skated this morning and actually felt ok, but was nauseous afterwards.”

Due to various injuries, Armstrong has missed 56 of the Leafs’ 115 games since signing with the team in July 2010 as a free agent.