The Maple Leafs blew two one-goal leads, falling to the Predators 5-3 Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena.
Following their no-show performance in Washington, Coach Craig Berube criticised his team for a lack of urgency. Perhaps the message hit home as the Leafs scored on their first shot to take an early 1-0 lead.
Nicolas Roy, playing in his 400th game, finished a beautiful tic-tac-toe passing play from Nick Robertson to Bobby McMann to Roy for the tip-in past Juuse Saros at 1:32.
Toronto took its lead into the second, but Nashville forward Eric Haula tied the game with his 5th of the season, a power play goal at 4:56. Haula camped out in front of the Leafs’ net and deflected a Roman Josi point shot by Joseph Woll for the score.
John Tavares put Toronto back in front later in the second. The centre, who had been marred in a scoring slump, got off the schneid redirecting a Matias Maccelli shot off his body to make it 2-1.
Unfortunately, Toronto could not hold onto that lead either. With just over 30 seconds remaining in the period, Adam Wilsby walked in between the circles and wristed one by Woll to make it 2-2 going into the third.
Luke Evangelista put the Predators ahead for the first time at 9:18 of the period. The winger danced through almost every Leafs’ player on the ice before flipping the puck over Woll to make it 3-2.
Steven Stamkos added an empty net goal at 18:36 to make it 4-2.
Toronto pushed back. Bobby McMann scored his 9th of the season with 54 seconds left to draw the Leafs back to one, at 4-3, but they couldn’t get any closer. Cole Smith clinched it with another empty netter to make the final 5-3.
Next up: Toronto is back at it tomorrow night, facing off against the Dallas Stars at Scotiabank Arena.
