Maple Leafs' Sparks, Spaling out 'long term' after injuries Thursday
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Garret Sparks' start Thursday was a short one.
Sparks was replaced by Jonathan Bernier after playing 11:32 against the San Jose Sharks. After allowing his second goal, he left the crease due to a reported lower-body injury, and didn't return, according to TSN's Jonas Siegel.
Sparks was flexing his left leg after the goal.
— Jonas Siegel (@jonasTSN1050) December 18, 2015
After Thursday's game, which Toronto lost 5-4 in overtime, head coach Mike Babcock said Sparks and Nick Spaling will be out for a while.
#Leafs head coach Mike Babcock confirms that Nick Spaling (upper body) and Garret Sparks (lower body) will be out long-term. #TMLtalk
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) December 18, 2015
Spaling was hurt early in the first period Thursday, leaving after his first shift with an upper-body injury.
Sparks was making his fifth career start. He came into Thursday's game with a 3-1 record and a .921 save percentage.
Toronto's already without James Reimer, who is recovering from a groin injury, and the team doesn't have much faith in Bernier after his struggles so far this season - but he's the man in the Leafs' crease, for now. He'll start Saturday against Los Angeles.