While the Ottawa Senators have had trouble closing games recently, its problems pale in comparison to the season-long early game struggles of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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The slumping provincial and Northeast Division rivals meet at Ottawa on Tuesday hoping to find some solutions to their woes.

The Senators (8-6-3) went 1-2-1 in their last four games, getting outscored 6-1 in the third period during that span and blowing leads in three of those contests. Ottawa squandered a 1-0 second-period lead in Saturday's 2-1 loss to the New York Rangers and wasted a power play for the final 1:23 of overtime, then was stymied by Henrik Lundqvist in a seven-round shootout.

"It's frustrating. We need the two points," captain Daniel Alfredsson said. "We take a couple of penalties down the stretch that tire us out and we didn't have the push we wanted to in overtime. We had our chances in the shootout, but it's a bit frustrating we can't win this game."

Brian Elliott made 27 saves and may have earned another start for Ottawa since No. 1 goaltender Pascal Leclaire went 2-3-1 with a 3.55 goals-against average in his last seven games. Leclaire, though, turned aside 26 shots in a 2-1 victory at Toronto on Oct. 6, his first win in three lifetime starts versus the Maple Leafs.

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Last-place Toronto (3-10-5) has lost three straight, and a common theme during its brutal start has been the inability to grab a 1-0 lead. The Leafs have been outscored 23-9 in the first period, allowed the first goal in 16 of 18 games and fallen behind at least 2-0 on 10 occasions - eight times in the opening 20 minutes.

Jonas Gustavsson allowed two goals in the first 1:37 of a 5-2 loss to Calgary on Saturday, and coach Ron Wilson pulled the rookie after he allowed a third goal 9:54 into the game while making just two saves.

"I don't have one," Wilson said when asked for a reason why Toronto has struggled early in games. "I'm sorry."

Vesa Toskala stopped 17 of 19 shots in relief and likely will start Tuesday, in part because of his 6-1-1 mark, 2.23 GAA and two shutouts in his last eight starts against Ottawa. Gustavsson faced the Senators in his first NHL start in the Oct. 6 loss, making 26 saves, and is 3-4-3 with a 3.06 GAA overall.

Maple Leafs right wing Phil Kessel had a three-game goal streak end Saturday, but did extend his point streak to five games with an assist. The 21-year-old, acquired in an offseason deal with Boston, has four goals and three assists in six games after missing the first 12 following shoulder surgery.

TORONTOOTTAWA
Ponikarovsky/Stajan/KesselMichalek/Spezza/Alfredsson

Hagman/Grabovski/BlakeKovalev/Fisher/Foligno

Stempniak/Mitchell/KuleminCheechoo/Winchester/Neil

Mayers/Wallin/OrrRuutu/Kelly/Donovan

Kaberle/FingerPhillips/Picard

Beauchemin/WhiteLee/Carkner

Gunnarsson/SchennKuba/Campoli

Toskala (Monster)Leclaire (Elliott)

Extras: Exelby and PrimeauMISC, INJURIES