The Maple Leafs held a media availability at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on Saturday.

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After missing Friday’s game in Washington due to an illness, William Nylander is good to go for Saturday’s game in Pittsburgh.

“Obviously, Willy’s a guy that we need,” said coach Craig Berube. “He’s been very good for us.”

Nylander also missed Thursday’s practice for what the team called a maintenance day.

Will the Leafs need to monitor Nylander’s minutes?

“He said to me he feels good,” Berube said. “We’ll just play it by ear.”

Nylander leads the Leafs with 31 points in 20 games this season.

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Max Domi will draw back into the lineup after sitting as a healthy scratch for the first time in his Leafs career on Friday.

“It’s more about pace with him and just getting more involved in the game,” Berube said. “Like, physical, getting to the net, skating with the puck, attacking, hanging onto the pucks, all that stuff.”

Berube met with Domi in Columbus earlier this week where the coach let the veteran forward know that he planned to sit him down as part of a reset.

“Hopefully we get a good response here tonight,” said Berube.

Dakota Joshua, who was a healthy scratch on Wednesday for the first time with the Leafs, earned a positive review after his return to the lineup on Friday.

“I liked Joshua,” Berube said. “I thought Dak was engaged. He was physical. I thought he was a pretty good player.”

Joshua will remain in the lineup on Saturday.

Calle Jarnkrok and Matias Maccelli will be healthy scratches in Pittsburgh.

Like Joshua, Maccelli sat out the game in Columbus. He earned mixed reviews for his performance in Washington.

“Maccelli did some good things with the puck at times,” Berube said after Friday’s loss. “Other times, he didn’t. He didn’t get pucks out enough, and things like that.”

Domi may draw back in for Leafs after ‘reset’ scratch; Maccelli gets mixed review Max Domi sat as a healthy scratch for the first time in his Leafs career on Friday. Craig Berube said the move was designed to give the slumping forward a reset. The coach liked how Dakota Joshua responded to being a scratch on Wednesday, but the review was mixed for Matias Maccelli.

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After making six straight starts, Joseph Woll gets a night off on Saturday as Dennis Hildeby makes his first start since Nov. 13.

“He’s a stud,” Woll said. “I see him every day in practice and he works his butt off. He’s a special goalie. Obviously, he’s a big guy [6-foot-7]. He moves like a small guy. He’s unbelievable.”

Hildeby is 0-2-1 with a .906 save percentage this season. Three of his five appearances have come in relief.

“He’s been really good in practice,” said Berube. “He hasn’t played for a while, but he’s practised really well and gotten a lot of work with [goalie coach Curtis] Sanford, which is good. His work ethic is high right now, so it’s been good.”

Leafs waste another wonderful Woll effort; ‘stud’ Hildeby projects to play in Pittsburgh Joseph Woll continued to look locked in despite taking the loss for the Leafs on Friday. Toronto is expected to turn to rookie Dennis Hildeby on Saturday in Pittsburgh. “He’s a stud,” said Woll. “He’s a special goalie. Obviously, he’s a big guy. He moves like a small guy. He’s unbelievable.”

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The Leafs will look to tighten up defensively after some costly breakdowns in Washington on Friday night.

“We just kind of got lost in some coverage at times,” said captain Auston Matthews. “They’re a team that really moves the puck East to West. I’m not sure we’ve played a team that’s moved it like that, that really likes to find seams and change the sides and stuff like that. I thought we just got caught a little bit sometimes maybe puck watching and they got some high-end skill and they made some good plays.”

Toronto ranks 29th in goals against per game this season (3.63).

“The biggest thing for me in D-Zone right now is killing plays,” said Berube. “We’re just a little light in that department. We’re not quick enough and not heavy and physical enough, whether it’s your stick battles or just being physical. Kill plays quick so we can get the puck and get going the other way. I thought we let them come out of scrums too much with the puck, and then we get extended D-Zone time.”

Defenceman Simon Benoit will miss Saturday’s game in order to attend a family funeral. Philippe Myers draws back in and will play for the first time since Nov. 15.

Matthews sees too much puck watching as Leafs can’t seam to track Capitals attack Defensive breakdowns cost the Leafs, who were outshot again on Friday in Washington. “I’m not sure we played a team that’s moved it like that,” said captain Auston Matthews. “That really likes to find seams and change the sides, and I thought we just got caught a little bit sometimes maybe puck watching.”

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The Leafs felt they produced enough good looks to win on Friday night, but they struggled to beat Logan Thompson, who denied breakaway chances from John Tavares and Scott Laughton in the third period.

“We got to finish,” said Berube.

Thompson robbed winger Matthew Knies on a slot chance in the final minute.

“I felt like [John] Carlson was taking away his blocker side a little bit, so I felt like I had one side to shoot on,” Knies said. “I should have tried to bury it low … We’ll move forward. You know, have a short memory.”

Leafs fail to finish on Thompson; Knies needs to ‘have a short memory’ Craig Berube blamed a lack of finish for Friday’s loss. The Leafs had plenty of Grade A looks on Capitals goalie Logan Thompson, including a Matthew Knies shot from the slot in the final minutes. “I should have tried to bury it low,” Knies said. “We’ll move forward and have a short memory.”

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The Leafs are hoping to draw some penalties on Saturday after failing to generate even one power-play opportunity in Washington.

“I don’t think it’s on us,” said Berube. “We worked and competed and had good O-zone time. That’s the way it goes sometimes. I don’t know what to say about it.”

The Leafs are 25th in penalties drawn this season.

Berube on Leafs getting no power plays against Caps: ‘I don’t think it’s on us’ The Leafs did not get a power-play chance during Friday’s game against the Capitals. “I don’t think it’s on us,” said coach Craig Berube. “We worked and competed and had good O-zone time. That’s the way it goes sometimes. I don’t know what to say about it.” Toronto is tied for 25th in penalties drawn this season.