TORONTO – Goaltender Garret Sparks and forward Nick Spaling could be out for some time after injuries suffered in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 5-4 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks.
Sparks left the game with a lower-body injury and Spaling an upper-body injury in the first period Thursday night.
When asked if the players were day-to-day, Babcock replied that it “doesn’t look like it to me.”
“It looks like they’re long term,” Babcock said.
READ MORE: Leafs blow lead, lose in overtime to Sharks
Sparks was making his fifth start of the season and his NHL career in a significant decision by Babcock to give him the nod over the struggling Jonathan Bernier.
The 22-year-old stopped 13 of the first 15 shots he faced against San Jose and exited after giving up a power-play goal to Patrick Marleau.
Bernier replaced Sparks 11:32 into the first period and allowed three goals on 27 shots.
Toronto is already without James Reimer, who has missed seven of the past eight games with a groin injury. The team could call up Antoine Bibeau for its next game Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings.
Spaling suffered his injury off a faceoff in the game’s first minute and never returned.
“It’s always tough when you go down a couple guys, but we had guys step up and play some extra time on the ice,” forward Michael Grabner said.
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