Expand / Collapse search
Watch TV
Menu

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

Sports

Leafs, Preds battle in Toronto

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Toronto Maple Leafs hope to avoid posting their longest losing streak of the season on Tuesday night as they play host to the Nashville Predators.

The Leafs are on their fourth two-game slide of the campaign, having had a three-game winning streak snapped with a 2-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night. They then failed to rebound the following night, instead getting blown out 6-2 by the Buffalo Sabres.

David Clarkson and Phil Kessel scored, while Cody Franson had an assist to extend his point streak to seven straight games. He has two goals and seven helpers over that run.

Kessel, meanwhile, is tied for fourth in the NHL with 11 goals and third in points with 22.

However, James Reimer gave up six goals on 35 shots in defeat.

"This wasn't our night," Reimer said.

Jonathan Bernier figures to draw the start in net tonight for the Leafs and is a healthy 8-2-0 in his career versus the Predators with a 1.91 goals against average, .933 save percentage and two shutouts in 10 starts.

Nashville has won four of its past five, picking up a 2-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.

James Neal tallied to tie the game in the second period and Craig Smith had the winning goal with 2:02 left in regulation as he converted a feed from Calle Jarnkrok.

Pekka Rinne stopped 21-of-22 shots for Nashville, which saw head coach Peter Laviolette win his 400th NHL game.

"It was the key to the game to get the puck through," noted Smith. "I think shots on net against them, they were pretty low in the league. We had to make sure to do a pretty good job at staying in front and getting our second chances."

Despite having a franchise rookie-record seven-game point streak end in Saturday's win, forward Filip Forsberg was named the NHL's Third Star for the week on Monday. He had netted seven goals in his previous six games as well.

Rinne is 2-2-0 with a 3.15 GAA and .894 save percentage in five career meetings with the Leafs.

Nashville and Toronto split two encounters last season, with each club picking up a victory on the road.