New York, NY (My Sportsbook) - Expected to have one of their top guns back in the lineup, the New York Rangers hope to snap a two-game losing streak tonight when they welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs to Madison Square Garden.

Right wing Pavel Bure, who suffered a knee injury during the preseason, has missed the first three games of the season because of a bout with strep throat. He is slated to take his spot on the team's top line alongside Eric Lindros and Petr Nedved.

Without Bure the Blueshirts opened the season with an impressive 4-1 victory in Carolina, but proceeded to drop the next two games, against Montreal and in Pittsburgh. Saturday against the Penguins, playing without a suspended Lindros as well, New York suffered a 6-0 pounding at the hands of Mario Lemieux and Co.

Goaltender Mike Richter was expecting a night off but backup Dan Blackburn suffered a dislocated ring finger during warmups and could not go. Richter was touched for all six goals on 28 shots. He is expected to get the night off and yield to Blackburn, who experienced no problems with his injury during practice Monday.

New York plays five of its next six games at MSG, as it opens a four-game homestand after Thursday's game in Buffalo.

Toronto, meanwhile, has also lost two in a row after beginning the year with a 6-0 clubbing of the Penguins. The Leafs dropped a 2-1 home decision to Ottawa on Saturday, and were topped 5-4 by Pittsburgh on Monday.

The top line of Mats Sundin, Alexander Mogilny and Darcy Tucker continued its torrid start with a combined three goals and three assists against the Penguins, but Pittsburgh's top unit -- led by Lemieux and Aleksey Morozov -- was equal to the task.

Trevor Kidd suffered the loss by allowing five goals on 22 shots, including Lemieux's game-winner with 2:18 remaining. Kidd started in place of Ed Belfour, who is sidelined with an infected finger.

Sundin's power-play goal midway through the second period put the Leafs ahead 2-1 and was the 400th tally of his National Hockey League career. Sundin and Mogilny so far share the team lead with three goals each, while Sundin and Tucker (1g, 5a) pace the club with six points apiece.

Toronto plays two of its next three games on the road before staying home for a seven-game set.

The Maple Leafs took three of four from the Rangers last season and have won seven of the last nine meetings overall. Toronto has won two straight, and four of five, at MSG.