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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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The Maple Leafs (optional) and Vancouver Canucks skated on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena. 

Jack Campbell will start for the first time since allowing five goals on 25 shots and being pulled last Saturday.

"He's had enough time here from the last game to clear his head and the way this league works and the way the games come at you, you do forget about games pretty quickly," coach Sheldon Keefe said. "I know I certainly have."

Campbell looked so shaky in his last start in Detroit that Keefe felt compelled to remove him from the game even with the Leafs leading 7-5 in the third period.

"Soupy's a gamer," said left winger Michael Bunting. "He's looking forward to getting back in the net and proving he is a great goaltender. We have all the faith in the world in him and are behind him."

The Leafs didn't provide much support to Petr Mrazek on Wednesday during a listless loss to the lowly Buffalo Sabres. In the third period, fans showered Mrazek with some Bronx cheers following easy saves. 

During an All-Star calibre first half of the season Campbell, who's nicknamed "Soupy," was serenaded with cheers of "Soooup" after saves. Saturday will be Campbell's first game in front of a full Scotiabank Arena since December. 

"The last time Jack played in front of our fans, he was outstanding and the fans learned to appreciate that and acknowledge that and they were a big part of that," Keefe pointed out. "I'm sure they're going to welcome him back in the building nicely tonight. It's a good chance for him to get back rolling."

Mrazek started consecutive games for the first time as a Leaf this week, which allowed Campbell to spend time working out the kinks in his game with goalie coach Steve Briere. 

"A little more time for Jack to settle and clear his head and just get back to his game and the foundation and fundamentals and all those kind of things," noted Keefe.

When he looks down the ice on Saturday, Campbell will see one of the league's hottest goalies. Thatcher Demko has posted a .927 save percentage in 24 games since Bruce Boudreau took over behind the Canucks bench in early December.  

"He gives you belief, there's no doubt," Boudreau said. "He's been outstanding. When he's normal you go, 'Oh what's wrong with him,' but most nights he's been incredibly good."

When the Leafs faced the Canucks on Feb. 12, Demko stopped 51 of 53 shots to help Vancouver steal two points.

"When you know your goalie is not going to let in soft ones then you feel much more comfortable doing what you do," Boudreau said.

Per NaturalStatTrick.com, the Canucks lead the NHL in five-on-five save percentage (.932) while the Leafs rank 28th (.911).

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The Leafs lacked energy on Wednesday night, but that shouldn't be a problem on Saturday. Wayne Simmonds, one of the team's most energetic players, will be suiting up in game No. 1,000.

"Obviously, there's off nights and that's just hockey," said Bunting. "We just have to have a short memory from last game and move on. It's Hockey Night in Canada. Saturday night. Wayne's 1,000th game. These are games that you wake up for and you are excited for so there's no excuse tonight. I'm sure we'll be bringing it." 

Leafs players are wearing special "Wayne Train" shirts around the rink to commemorate the milestone. 

"The guys did a vote on the design and pretty much it was unanimous that it was this one," Bunting said. "It's awesome. It turned out great." 

"The guys are excited for him," said Keefe. "Certainly there's a little more buzz around the locker room this morning."

Simmonds, a 33-year-old native of Scarborough, Ont., will have friends and family in attendance on Saturday. 

"It's been a long journey," Simmonds told reporters on Friday. "It's pretty cool, definitely."

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It's also a big night for Nick Robertson, who will start on the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander. What will a good game look like for the 20-year-old rookie? 

"When the puck comes to him he makes a good play with it and puts the puck in good spots whether that's in the hands of his teammates or putting it on the net or putting it in a place where the guys can get it back and stay on offence," Keefe said. "And then hold up his end of the bargain competitively and defensively."

Robertson has started on the fourth line in the three games he's played since being recalled from the American Hockey League. 

Tavares has gone 14 games without a goal. He has been a minus player in eight of those games, including on Wednesday. Is Keefe sensing frustration? 

"We've had that sense through this, but I think he's over it now," the coach said. "He's got a pretty good perspective here, when I've talked to him, of just focusing on doing little things well, making sure his line is good defensively and trying to make plays when it's on his stick and not overthinking it and trying to force offence or force shots." 

Tavares is averaging 2.2 shots per game during this dry spell. He averaged 3.4 shots in the 39 previous games this season. 

"The amount of looks and shots he's had is not way off from where he's been throughout his career," Keefe said. "It's just the puck hasn’t gone in in quite a while so just stick with it."

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Boudreau, who suited up for the Leafs during his playing days, is always excited to coach in Toronto. 

"It's a pretty cool place," he said. "It's home so it's always good to come here and get all the tweets from your friends about how you're going to lose."

While the teasing is good-natured, Boudreau admits it's based in fact these days. Toronto is among the top teams in the NHL while Vancouver is scrambling just to stay in the playoff race. 

"No one expects us to win tonight," he said. "They come at you in waves. The way they can move the puck and the talent they have up front ... you better be prepared to defend."

Both Leafs goals against the Canucks on Feb. 12 came via the power play. The Canucks rank dead last in penalty-kill percentage this season while Toronto owns the top-ranked power play.

"If you take three, four, five penalties against the Leafs, you're going to lose," Boudreau stated bluntly. "They're that good."

Toronto has failed to score on 13 power-play chances over the last seven games, but Boudreau isn't reading too much into that.  

"Everyone knows the numbers in the last seven games but teams have been taking one or two [penalties] and that's what you have to do against this team," he said. "So, you got to check with your legs. You can't be lazy. If you're lazy, you're going to get beat."   

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With the trade deadline looming on March 21, speculation about who might be shipped out of Vancouver is growing louder and louder. 

"The media thinks every Canucks player is getting traded," Boudreau said, "but, honest to God's truth, we haven't had one word said about it. Not one player has come up to me."

Leafs assistant general manager Laurence Gilman recently scouted a pair of Canucks games. 

"We're told he was largely there to watch J.T. Miller," TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reported earlier this week. 

Miller is currently riding an eight-game point streak, which started against the Leafs last month. 

"Competitive guy," said Keefe. "Versatile offensively. Can score from distance. Can score on the rush. Can score in the offensive zone. Can deflect and tip pucks around the net. He's a versatile guy. Power play, penalty kill, faceoffs, he does a lot of things for them." 

Miller leads the Canucks in goals (21) and points (61). 

"He's a threat any time he's on the ice," said Bunting. "He's having an unbelievable year. You got to get on top of him and not give him a lot of space because he can shoot it and he can make a lot of plays."

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Right winger Ondrej Kase will miss a third straight game with an upper-body injury. 

"He's going to get some tests today," said Keefe. "He's not skating today. He got through practice yesterday and felt good, but not in a position where he was going to play tonight so they'll use the time to get a little more of a sense of what's happening."  

Left-shot defenceman Rasmus Sandin will miss Saturday's game due to illness. 

"He's still not feeling well so he's not in the building," Keefe confirmed. 

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Projected Leafs lines for Saturday's game: 

Bunting - Matthews - Marner 
Robertson - Tavares - Nylander
Mikheyev - Kampf - Engvall
Kerfoot - Spezza - Simmonds 

Rielly - Liljegren 
Brodie - Holl
Dermott - Lyubushkin

Campbell starts 

Projected Canucks lines for Saturday's game: 

Pearson - Miller - Boeser
Höglander - Pettersson - Garland 
Podkolzin - Horvat - Chiasson
Highmore - Lammikko - Motte

Hughes - Schenn 
Ekman-Larsson - Myers
Hunt - Hamonic 

Demko starts