Predators at Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs vie for their sixth consecutive home victory on Thursday when they host the Nashville Predators. Toronto owns an 8-2-0 mark at Air Canada Centre, averaging 3.5 goals per game. Nashville has won its last two contests following a four-game road losing skid but is mired at the bottom of the Central Division with a Western Conference-worst 48 goals.
The Predators are struggling to fill the hole left by injured goaltender Pekka Rinne, who will be out until at least December with a hip ailment. Rookie netminder Marek Mazanec, a sixth-round selection in 2012, has started the last four games and earned his first career shutout in Tuesday’s 2-0 road victory over Detroit. Jonathan Bernier has started three of the last four games for Toronto, which is second in the league with a team save percentage of .936.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Nashville), Leafs TV (Toronto)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (10-9-2): Mazanec is competing for starts with Carter Hutton, who has allowed 24 goals in his last seven appearances. Rookie defenseman Seth Jones has one assist in his last seven contests but remains second on the team in ice time behind captain Shea Weber, who is tied for the club lead in goals with six. Colin Wilson has just nine points on the season after being held off the scoresheet in 11 of the last 12 games.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (13-7-1): Nazem Kadri will return to Toronto’s lineup after serving a three-game suspension for skating into Minnesota Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom. American Hockey League callup Trevor Smith has made the most of Kadri's absence, recording five points in three games while averaging nearly 18 minutes of ice time. Tyler Bozak could also return to the lineup Thursday after missing over two weeks with a hamstring injury.
OVERTIME
1. Bernier made 36 saves in Toronto's 4-0 win over Nashville on Oct. 10.
2. Toronto is 11-for-34 on home power-play opportunities.
3. Nashville LW Eric Nystrom has missed two games with an upper-body injury. He is considered day-to-day.