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Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are scheduled then offers insight and analysis to help predict who will be victorious in head-to-head matchups. Today we are looking at the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs versus the Nashville Predators. Be sure to check out more NHL Predictions as the 2024-25 season continues.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Nashville Predators
Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
TV: CBC, Sportsnet, FDSNSO
Tonight the Toronto Maple Leafs (42-24–3) make their only trip of the season to Tennessee to play the Nashville Predators (25–35-8). The Maple Leafs won the only other meeting of the season between these two teams 3-2 in December. Will Toronto collect another two points tonight or will Nashville return the favour?
The Maple Leafs are having a good week. After beating the Colorado Avalanche and New York Rangers in a back-to-back, they have now won three in a row since Monday. This has put them in a tie for the top of the Atlantic Division. The biggest positive over this stretch might be that Auston Matthews has started to find the back of the net with more regularity. He has three goals during the three game winning streak.
Not to be outdone the Maple Leafs second line put on a show in New York. The line with Bobby McMann and William Nylander centred by John Tavares had three goals and seven points in the 4-2 win. Toronto’s power play has also gotten hot over this stretch going 4/5 this week. Joseph Woll, the expected starter, will hope for continued success tonight as he looks to help the Leafs stretch their win streak to four.
With only 14 games remaining Nashville’s season hasn’t gone as expected, to say the least. One of the few positives is the performance the Predators are putting on at home. They have won 17 games at Bridgestone Arena compared to only 8 on the road. Expect an inspired effort from Nashville on home ice tonight after their head coach Andrew Brunette called out the team following their fourth straight loss against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night.
Another positive for the Predators has been their top-10 ranked penalty kill. They will need to rely on their shorthanded units to shutdown a hot Maple Leafs power play tonight. That would certainly help make expected starter Juuse Saros’ night easier if they can do so. He is 2-3-0 against Toronto in his career never allowing more than three goals against in a game. On the offensive side the Pred’s are last in goals for a game. Tonight would be a good night to give Saros some run support. Maybe Steven Stamkos can provide that against his hometown team. He scored their only goal in the game against the Ducks.
These teams are streaking in opposite directions. On paper it would favour the Maple Leafs extending both their winning streak and the Predators losing streak. To do so Toronto’s top-six forwards and power play will need to have another good showing. For Nashville, playing on home ice should help and Saros will give them a chance. The question will be whether or not they can score enough against Woll who has won three straight starts himself.
Prediction: Maple Leafs win 4-1
With the Maple Leafs heavily favoured in this game a same game parlay including Toronto on the moneyline, under 5.5 total goals, and an Auston Matthews anytime goal has odds of +525.
Main Photo Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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Justin lives by the eat, sleep, hockey motto. Having grown up watching Hockey Night in Canada he has long been a Toronto Maple Leafs Fan. Maybe one day he will see them hoist the Stanley Cup.
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