Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 Keys to Beating the Nashville Predators
By Paul Taylor
As the Toronto Maple Leafs prepare to take on the Nashville Predators, we look at three factors which could decide the outcome at the Air Canada Centre.
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Give the Toronto Maple Leafs credit – no matter who is on the ice for them, they continue to work hard. For example, it took overtime on Saturday for a Philadelphia Flyers team fighting for the playoffs to beat them.
Regardless, Leafs fans are preparing for a tough final 25 games of the season, hoping their patience will pay off. Next up are the Nashville Predators, who are also battling to qualify for the playoffs.
This will be the second of two games between the sides this season, with Toronto winning the first encounter in a shootout, back in November. We look at three factors, which will help determine if they can take the season series with another victory.
1) The road-warrior Predators
Nashville are on a roll right now, following their win on Monday night in Montreal. The 2-1 shootout victory means they have now earned at least a point in a franchise-record eight consecutive road games.
This represents quite a turnaround for the Predators. Before the current streak, they were 7-11-4 on their travels.
Currently sitting in seventh place in the Western Conference, this could benefit Peter Laviolette’s men if they can qualify for the playoffs. Maybe the one bright spot for Toronto, will be to try and take advantage of this game representing the second of a back-to-back for their opponents.
2) Down to the bare bones
With the trade of Roman Polak and Nick Spaling, the Leafs continued to remove anyone who can get in the way of their quest for 30th place in the standings. (In the process, we may soon have to change the title to these articles, as Toronto is going to struggle to beat anyone at this rate.)
With the team going down this route, there are also other factors helping the cause. This includes the second of a three-game suspension for All-Star Leo Komarov, after he elbowed Ryan McDonagh in the head.
Throw in injuries to the likes of James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak, who were both enjoying fine seasons, and the Leafs are nearly down to the bare bones. Perhaps the main comfort, is that anyone coming in will be looking to prove themselves, and show they can be part of the future in Toronto.
3) Truly a team effort
In some respects, the Predators don’t really have anyone standing out this season. Instead, they have been a team in the true sense of the word, by sharing the points around.
Defenceman Roman Josi leads the way with 42 points, including 31 assists. Meanwhile, Shea Weber will have to be watched when Toronto is on the penalty kill, especially with him standing just one away from the franchise mark of 182 poweplay points.
Finally, the Leafs will also need to keep an eye on James Neal, who leads Nashville with 21 goals this season. The Whitby native often seems to get up for playing his hometown team, as evidenced by 13 points in 16 games against them.
What do you expect from the Leafs against the Predators? Let us know in the comments section below.