Deadspin | Leafs, Penguins eye bounce-back performance

[ad_1] Dec 6, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs heart Auston Matthews (34) skates with the puck towards the Washington Capitals in the course of the first interval at Scotiabank Area. Necessary Credit score: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Photos The Toronto Maple Leafs, one of many hottest groups within the NHL, get an opportunity to shake off a uncommon latest loss after 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 residence 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 profitable streak.

The Maple Leafs had gained 5 consecutive residence video games earlier than the Capitals arrived and set a franchise report with their eighth straight street 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 manner with the puck, we introduced it again an excessive amount of tonight," Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube mentioned. "It began from the primary interval on for the entire sport. That ultimately bit us and price us. We did not play a north sport, we did not play quick tonight. They had been the higher group. They deserved to win."

The Capitals saved 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 towards the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, then added two targets towards the Nashville Predators on Wednesday.

Toronto proper winger Mitch Marner had his eight-game level streak finish towards the Capitals. He produced 5 targets and 11 assists within the streak.

Marner averages no less than a degree a sport towards 24 of the 32 groups within the NHL, together with the Penguins. He has 22 factors (5 targets, 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 towards New York, so Tristan Jarry is anticipated to start out in purpose versus the Maple Leafs.

Jarry is 5-3-0 in his profession towards 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 targets 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 towards the Rangers to proceed his stable first marketing campaign with the Penguins. He has 5 targets 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 choose 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 no less than 700 video games for one NHL group.

"I'm so privileged to have the chance to educate right here in Pittsburgh," mentioned 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."