by MICHAEL GRANGE , Breaking News from globeandmail.com

ABSTRACT

Rookie goalie starts for Toronto in a battle of the NHL s two worst teams

Jeff Finger is back in the lineup and Jonas Gustavsson will remain in goal tonight when the Toronto Maple Leafs face the Carolina Hurricanes in a battle of the NHL's two worst teams.

Leafs head coach Ron Wilson gave the nod to Finger, dropping Garnet Exelby on defence. Finger has been a healthy scratch for the past six games and has only played four games this season.

Wilson and Finger seemed in agreement about what he's expected to provide.

"Just do what he did for us at time last year," said Wilson. "Move pucks quickly, clear the front of the net, keep it simple."

Said Finger: "If I keep it simple I should be okay."

Gustavsson, the Swedish rookie net minder will makes his fifth start in Toronto's last six games. The Leafs play the Detroit Red Wings at the Air Canada Centre Saturday night. Last week Wilson gave Vesa Toskala the start on the second game of the back-to-back set but made no commitment about that today.

The Leafs are a veritable dynasty of late compared to the Hurricanes, who are winless in 10 games and have failed to earn even a point in their past four.

Toronto has won just one game this season but have a point in their last five

"We're actually right on the cusp of winning some games, we've had five or six great games in a row where we just haven't found a way to win," said Wilson. "If dot enough eyes and cross enough tees we'll be where we need to be."

The Hurricanes will be without Eric Staal but both Ray Whitney and Tuomo Ruutu skated in the morning and will be game-time decisions.

Both teams have struggled considerably to score goals this season, ranking last and dead-last in the Eastern Conference so far, prompting Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice to suggest he wouldn't be surprised if some fire wagon Hockey broke out and the teams racked up a 9-8 game.

Said Wilson: "We've been playing much better defensively so I don't see the game going in that direction, but if he's willing to give up eight or nine goals we'll take that right now. He hasn't watched us play much if he thinks were capable of scoring eight or nine goals."

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