Hurricanes at Maple Leafs preview

HURRICANES (43-29-7) at MAPLE LEAFS (46-26-7)
7:30p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN4, FS-CR, NHL.TV

The Hurricanes, who are 1-3-0 in their past four games after going 6-2-0 in their previous eight, trail the Pittsburgh Penguins by four points for third place in the Metropolitan Division and the Columbus Blue Jackets by one point for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the East. Carolina is one point ahead of the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card. Each team has two games remaining after Tuesday. Carolina hasn't qualified for the playoffs since 2008-09.
Goalie Petr Mrazek, who is 9-2-0 with a 1.81 goals-against average, a .940 save percentage and two shutouts in his past 11 games, will start for the Hurricanes.
Garret Sparks will start in goal for the Maple Leafs, who clinched a playoff berth with a 2-1 win at the New York Islanders on Monday. Toronto trails the Boston Bruins by four points for second in the Atlantic Division. Each team has two games remaining after Tuesday; they will play in the Eastern Conference First Round when the playoffs begin next week.

Players to watch

Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho has five points, all assists, in his past 11 games after he had 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in his previous 13.
Maple Leafs center John Tavares has eight points (six goals, two assists) in his past six games. His 46 goals and 87 points this season are NHL career highs.

They said it

"You have to have that inner belief that the guys in the dressing room can get it done and get to the next level. We're playing meaningful games late in the season, which is obviously something we've wanted." -- Hurricanes captain Justin Williams
"We'll have a big challenge. This team is coming in here looking to do the same thing we did last night, which is to put themselves in real close and a much better position. This will be a real good test for us and to get us playing in a mode that we're going to have to play in a week because this team will be bringing everything they've got." -- Maple Leafs defenseman Ron Hainsey

Hurricanes projected lineup

Nino Niederreiter -- Sebastian Aho -- Justin Williams
Andrei Svechnikov -- Jordan Staal -- Teuvo Teravainen
Micheal Ferland -- Lucas Wallmark -- Jordan Martinook
Brock McGinn -- Greg McKegg -- Warren Foegele
Jaccob Slavin -- Dougie Hamilton
Brett Pesce -- Justin Faulk
Haydn Fleury -- Trevor van Riemsdyk
Petr Mrazek
Curtis McElhinney
Scratched: Saku Maenalanen
Injured: Calvin de Haan (upper body)

Maple Leafs projected lineup

Kasperi Kapanen -- Auston Matthews -- William Nylander
Zach Hyman -- John Tavares -- Mitchell Marner
Patrick Marleau -- Nazem Kadri -- Connor Brown
Tyler Ennis -- Frederik Gauthier -- Trevor Moore
Morgan Rielly -- Ron Hainsey
Jake Muzzin -- Nikita Zaitsev
Calle Rosen
-- Travis Dermott
Frederik Andersen
Garret Sparks
Scratched: Tyler Ennis, Nic Petan, Igor Ozhiganov, Justin Holl, Martin Marincin
Injured:Jake Gardiner (back), Andreas Johnsson (illness)

Status report

Fleury was recalled from Charlotte of the American Hockey League on Monday. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said de Haan will not be available for the rest of the regular season. … Toronto coach Mike Babcock said several players will be game-time decisions because of illness.

Stat pack

Williams has three assists in his past four games. … Marner has seven points (one goal, six assists) in his past six games.