Adam Williams presents his prediction for the NHL match.
A powerful surge by the Toronto Maple Leafs has lifted the Canadian club to the top of the Atlantic Division. The Leafs have won 8 of their last 10 games, with six of those victories coming in regulation time. On the night of Thursday, they host the struggling Nashville Predators that need to contemplate significant changes.
Toronto Maple Leafs
As the Maple Leafs continue to rack up victories, they are gaining confidence and stabilising their play. In November, only the Minnesota Wild allowed fewer goals per game than the Leafs, who averaged 2.52. With Joseph Woll back in form, the hosts now boast two equally capable goaltenders competing fiercely for the starting spot. Auston Matthews, having recovered from injury, is poised to break into the top scorers' list. He provided two assists against the Tampa Bay Lightning (5:3) and scored in the net against the Chicago Blackhawks (4:1).
Nashville Predators
The Predators head into their Canadian tour as the second-to-last team in the Western Conference. The longer their crisis period drags on, the harder it is to pinpoint the reasons. Issues may stem from work ethics within the organisation, a lack of effort and persistence among players, as lamented by Steven Stamkos, or poor coaching—or most likely, a combination of all these factors. Regardless, the result on the ice is dismal. Over the weekend, the Predators lost to the Minnesota Wild (2:3 OT) and for the 16th time this season, they failed to score more than three goals. Their average scoring rate is just 2.32 goals per game—the lowest in the league.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Nashville Predators Prediction
The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently at the height of their powers, while the Nashville Predators' depressive stretch shows no signs of ending. The Predators have managed just one away win while suffering eight losses over the past month. The Maple Leafs should step up and claim the victory.
