GAME DAY: Maple Leafs can pounce on disappointing Predators

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WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m.

TV: Sportsnet/CBC

RADIO: TSN 1050

ODDS

Toronto – 150, Nashville + 130

THE BUZZ

Toronto, winners of its past three, could be back in first place in the Atlantic Division after this, taking on the third-worst team in the Western Conference, while Florida has a stiff road test against Washington … In Nashville’s last game, Steven Stamkos scored, assisted by Jonathan Marchessault and Filip Forsberg. But as seen by the ensuing 4-1 loss to Anaheim, there’s been too little of that this year. The hoped for Stamkos effect and last year’s summer changes have been unable to move the Preds out of last place in league offence … Goalie Joseph Woll will be looking for his 25th win, with a shot at topping Ilya Samsonov’s 27 for the most by a Leaf the past three seasons … Woll’s .908 save percentage ranks him 12th in the NHL.

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THE NEWS

Nashville coach Andrew Brunette acknowledged that being close to 20 points out of the playoffs is making the final month hellish on his team, but is not letting up on them. “It’s challenging,” he told Sportsnet this week. “We’ve got a lot of guys that haven’t been in this situation, our veteran guys, for a while. Mentally it’s a drain, but they’re going to be here a long time, or they have a long time on their contracts. For them, it’s important that they’re supposed to be our leaders. They have to set an example, so our young guys see that we never want to be here again. But when we are here, we have to handle ourselves with a bit more professionalism than we are right now” … The Leafs had Friday off after beating the Rangers 4-3 in New York on Thursday and topping the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 at home the night before … Toronto winger William Nylander, who reached 600 points in that win, became the fastest active Swedish player to that mark, in 672 games, beating the Preds’ Forsberg (694).

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THE QUOTE

“An older guy on a back-to-back … he does all the little things right and he has a knack to score.” — Toronto coach Craig Berube on alternate captain John Tavares reaching 1,100 career points in New York.

THE POLL

Who is your favourite former Leaf/Predator?

1. Steve Sullivan
2. Tom Fitzgerald
3. Wade Belak
4. Cody Franson

THE PROJECTED LEAFS LINEUP

Matthew Knies – Auston Matthews – Mitch Marner

Bobby McMann – John Tavares – William Nylander

Pontus Holmberg – Max Domi – Nick Robertson

Scott Laughton – David Kampf – Steven Lorentz

Defence

Jake McCabe – Chris Tanev

Morgan Rielly – Brandon Carlo

Simon Benoit – Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Goal

Joseph Woll

Anthony Stolarz

INJURIES

Toronto

LW Max Pacioretty (lower body), D Jani Hakanpaa (knee).

Nashville

D Roman Josi (upper body), D Adam Wilsby (upper body), D Jeremy Lauzon (lower body).

THE PREDICTION

5-3 Toronto, this one harder than it looks.

lhornby@postmedia.com

X: @sunhornby

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