Maple Leafs Have Injury Problems

Toronto could be without Joe Nieuwendyk and Mats Sundin for Game 5 of their first-round series tonight against Ottawa.

“I don’t know what the chances are. Neither one is 100% at this point so we’ll have to see,” Toronto Coach Pat Quinn said Thursday. “All I know is that both are still under evaluation. Both are questionable, I would say.”

Nieuwendyk, who did not play in the Maple Leafs’ 4-1 loss in Ottawa on Wednesday, is suffering from a sore back. Sundin left in the third period with a left leg injury. Both players skipped practice Thursday.

Asked if there were any chance he’d play, Nieuwendyk said: “Absolutely. I feel better. We’ll see how it goes.”

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Dallas signed Minnesota Duluth forward Junior Lessard, who won the Hobey Baker Award last week as the best Division I player. Lessard, who agreed to a one-year contract, was not drafted.