Van Riemsdyk's hat trick lifts Maple Leafs
TORONTO -- James van Riemsdyk scored three goals and added an assist, Tyler Bozak had three assists and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Nashville Predators 6-2 on Tuesday night.
Mitch Marner had a goal and two assists, and Leo Komarov and William Nylander each scored for the Maple Leafs (7-6-3), who had 32 saves from goaltender Frederik Andersen.
James Neal and Viktor Arvidsson scored for the Predators (6-6-3).
Marek Mazanec, appearing in his third game of the season in the Nashville goal, stopped 26 shots.
The Maple Leafs took a 3-2 lead after two periods.
Komarov stretched the lead with his second goal of the season at 7:18 of the third period on a tip-in. Martin Marincin and Connor Brown earned assists.
Van Riemsdyk completed his hat trick at 13:38 on a backhand from the slot after a faceoff with Marner getting the assist. Nylander scored his fifth goal of the season at 15:23 of the third.
The Maple Leafs scored at 1:04 of the first period with Marner notching his sixth of the season on a shot from the right faceoff circle after taking possession of the puck behind the Predators' net. Bozak and van Riemsdyk picked up assists.
Van Riemsdyk scored his first goal the game from the slot to give Toronto a 2-0 lead at 14:04 of the first. Marner and Bozak earned assists.
Neal scored for the fifth straight game -- his seventh goal of the season and sixth in his past five games -- at 17:53 of the first to cut Toronto's lead to 2-1. Neal had an easy conversion from the edge of the crease on a pass from the right wing by Ryan Johansen. Mattias Ekholm also picked up an assist.
Toronto defenseman Roman Polak and Nashville center Mike Fisher received fighting majors at 2:25 of the second period. Fisher also received a two-minute instigating penalty and a 10-minute misconduct.
The Maple Leafs took a 3-1 lead when van Riemsdyk tipped in a pass from the right dasher from Bozak at 7:52 of the second period for his second goal of the game and the sixth of the season. It was Bozak's third assist of the game. Matt Hunwick also picked up an assist.
Arvidsson was put in the clear on a pass from Colin Wilson to score his fifth goal of the season, trimming the Toronto lead to 3-2 at 16:09 of the second.
NOTES: Predators G Pekka Rinne is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury and did not play Tuesday. G Marek Mazanec, who was recalled from the American Hockey League on Monday after making two starts for the Milwaukee Admirals, started Tuesday. Rinne is 4-0-2 with a 1.14 goals-against average and a .958 save percentage in November. ...The Maple Leafs and Predators play two games this season with the other March 30 in Nashville. ...The Maple Leafs 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday was victory No. 2,800 for the franchise. ... The Predators play the second contest of their three-game road trip Thursday against the Ottawa Senators. ... The Maple Leafs are home to the Florida Panthers at the Air Canada Centre on Thursday.