The Toronto Maple Leafs, one of many hottest groups within the NHL, get an opportunity to shake off a uncommon latest loss once they go to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night time.
Toronto had gained three in a row and 10 of 12 to take excessive spot within the Atlantic Division earlier than the momentum was halted in a 3-1 dwelling loss to the Washington Capitals on Friday.
The Penguins additionally skilled a downturn on Friday, as a 4-2 loss to the host New York Rangers ended Pittsburgh’s season-high four-game successful streak.
The Maple Leafs had gained 5 consecutive dwelling video games earlier than the Capitals arrived and set a franchise report with their eighth straight highway victory.
The sport was tied 1-1 earlier than Washington’s Connor McMichael scored at 9:51 of the third interval, and Aliaksei Protas added an empty-net purpose within the last minute.
“As an alternative of simply going the opposite method with the puck, we introduced it again an excessive amount of tonight,” Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube stated. “It began from the primary interval on for the entire sport. That finally bit us and price us. We did not play a north sport, we did not play quick tonight. They had been the higher crew. They deserved to win.”
The Capitals stored Toronto’s Auston Matthews off the scoresheet. The Maple Leafs’ captain missed 9 video games with an upper-body harm earlier than returning to attain a purpose in opposition to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, then added two objectives in opposition to the Nashville Predators on Wednesday.
Toronto proper winger Mitch Marner had his eight-game level streak finish in opposition to the Capitals. He produced 5 objectives and 11 assists within the streak.
Marner averages at the very least a degree a sport in opposition to 24 of the 32 groups within the NHL, together with the Penguins. He has 22 factors (5 objectives, 17 assists) in 21 video games vs. Pittsburgh.
Just like the Maple Leafs, the Penguins stumbled within the third interval on Friday. The Rangers’ Reilly Smith scored the tiebreaking purpose at 9:53 of the third, and Vincent Trocheck added an insurance coverage tally at 18:22.
Alex Nedeljkovic made 28 saves in opposition to New York, so Tristan Jarry is predicted to start out in purpose versus the Maple Leafs.
Jarry is 5-3-0 in his profession in opposition to Toronto with a .909 save proportion and a pair of.86 goals-against common. He final confronted the Maple Leafs on Dec. 16, 2023, when he allowed 4 objectives on 14 pictures earlier than he was lifted within the second interval of the 7-0 loss.
Blake Lizotte scored the primary purpose of the sport in opposition to the Rangers to proceed his stable first marketing campaign with the Penguins. He has 5 objectives in 12 video games after scoring seven in 62 video games with the Los Angeles Kings final season.
Philip Tomasino additionally scored his third purpose in 5 video games for Pittsburgh since he was acquired from the Predators on Nov. 25 for a fourth-round decide within the 2027 NHL Draft.
Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan will log his 700th sport with the franchise on Saturday. He’ll turn out to be the twenty first individual to educate at the very least 700 video games for one NHL crew.
“I’m so privileged to have the chance to educate right here in Pittsburgh,” stated Sullivan, who beforehand coached the Boston Bruins for 2 seasons. “It is a first-class group. Been by means of a few possession teams. Each teams carry such first-class management to what we do right here.”
–Discipline Stage Media
