Predators Shutout Maple Leafs; Keep Pressure on Jets

The Nashville Predators hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 19th in a matchup of two teams headed in opposite directions in the latter stages of the NHL regular season. Nashville shutout Toronto 3-0, sweeping the two game season series against the Maple Leafs. The Predators beat the Leafs 4-0 on January 7th in Toronto; Pekka Rinne was in goal for Nashville in both games.

Toronto lost for the fourth time in five games. The Leafs were cruising along at 26-10-2 on December 28th; since then they have gone 17-15-4 and are 43-25-6 on the season and in third place in the Atlantic Division with 91 points. They will probably stay in third, and the playoff bid that goes with it, as fourth place Montreal is at 83 points and Boston is ahead of them with 97. But Toronto has to be a little concerned on the direction of things, not to mention disappointed, especially after big things were expected following the off season acquisition of high scoring John Tavares from the Islanders.

Nashville, on the other hand, improved to 42-27-5, 89 points, and remains right behind Central Division leading Winnipeg, just one point back. Winnipeg was idle on the 19th. The Predators have won three straight, and will host Pittsburgh on March 21st before playing at Winnipeg on the 23rd in a very important game.