Leafs' Hutchinson to open playoffs as backup goalie

Michael Hutchinson will serve as the Toronto Maple Leafs' backup netminder for at least the next 10 days while Garret Sparks works with the club's goalie coaches, head coach Mike Babcock said Friday, as relayed by The Athletic's James Mirtle.

Sparks, who was chosen as Toronto's backup ahead of Curtis McElhinney at the start of the year, has struggled mightily of late. The 25-year-old lost four of his last five outings and owns a .902 save percentage across 20 appearances this season.

Mike Babcock cautions reading too much into Garret Sparks' hiatus: "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, let's go through the process here. He won a Calder Cup for the organization last year, it's important we treat him right and help him get his game to the level he should be at"

- Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) April 5, 2019

Hutchinson was acquired by the Maple Leafs for a fifth-round pick in late December after the team ran into injury problems. He made five starts, winning two of them with a .914 save clip, before being was sent to the AHL's Toronto Marlies, where he made 23 starts and went 14-5-1.

The Maple Leafs will wrap up their regular season on Saturday in Montreal, where starter Frederik Andersen is expected to be between the pipes. The club will then head to Boston for the start of its first-round playoff series.

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