Thursday at the Air Canada Centre, the New York Rangers take on the surprising Toronto Maple Leafs in a battle of NHL Original Six teams.

The Maple Leafs won their first four games before dropping their first of the season Monday, while the Rangers have stumbled out of the gate at 1-2-1.

Rash of injuries to key players in the team’s first few games is one reason for New York’s sluggish start. Forward Chris Drury is out indefinitely with a finger injury, forward Vaclav Prospal also is out indefinitely with a knee injury and leading scorer Marian Gaborik is expected to miss at least three weeks with a shoulder injury.

In the past 10 head-to-head, the Rangers are 5-1-0-4, including going 3-3 in four meetings last seasons. But, so far this season the Maple Leafs won the one meeting, beating the Rangers 4-3 last Friday.

In a 3-1 setback against the Colorado Avalanche, New York dropped its third-straight game Monday. -125 home favorites had been the Rangers.

On Monday, Toronto lost 2-1 to the visiting New York Islanders, as -180 home favorites in various hockey odds.