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Toronto Maple Leafs Easily Crush the Predators in Nashville

By James Tanner

May 12, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) works out prior to game six of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
May 12, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) works out prior to game six of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The second half of a back-to-back was no problem for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who played an even better game than they did the night before.

After deserving to beat the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday Night, and getting screwed on a random bounce to end the game, the Toronto Maple Leafs destroyed the Predators on Sunday, dealing them a vicious blow in their late-season attempt to make the playoffs.

The score made the game seem close, but that is only because Nashville’s goalie had an amazing game.

This game was not close at all, and the Leafs could have won by eight goals and still felt like they probably should have gotten a few more.  This easily could have been their best game of the entire season.

Toronto Maple Leafs Have One of Their Better Games

The Leafs finished the night with 60% puck-possession. (naturalstattrick.com).

They had 61% of the shots.

They out-chanced Nashville 26-8 (71%) and dangerous chances were 13-4 (76%) in Toronto’s favour.

That is a straight-up beat-down.

Jarnkrok, Matthews and Marner posted an excepted-goals rating of 99% while Jake McCabe easily had his best game as a Leaf.

After absolutely crushing Carolina, despite losing, it was nice to see the Toronto Maple Leafs come back with another destructive and cohesive game.

Let’s not forget to mention John Tavares, who has lived up to every single penny of his contract and is fast becoming the greatest Captain in Toronto Maple Leafs history – or at least the post expansion history, which is all anyone should really care about at this point anyways.

Tavares has 349 points in 352 games since joining the Toronto Maple Leafs and is 32nd on the all time scoring list for the team.  He will for sure pass Red Kelly and Busher Jackson before the season ends, and has a shot of passing Nazem Kadri in close to 200 less games.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are now up to 97 points, and will clinch a playoff spot this week. They are fifth overall in the NHL, but play in the toughest division, making them easily the second best team in the league after Boston, a team that is not better than they are, just luckier.

Next. 5 Reasons to Be Excited for the Playoffs. dark

Next up for the Leafs are the Panthers on Wednesday night.  The Leafs beat them last week, but they are in the midst of a great playoff run as they try to overcome their slow start to the season and make up for the fact that they replaced their President’s Trophy winning coach with one of teh worst coaches in the NHL.

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