The best the Toronto Maple Leafs can do is split their season-opening, four-game homestand that ends Tuesday night against the Nashville Predators.
Despite the early stage of the season, it will be an important game for the Maple Leafs before they embark on a taxing three-game trip against the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche and Utah Mammoth.
“We could tell that story about every single game (being crucial) because they are important in the end,” Maple Leafs coach Jim Hiller said on Sunday. “You want to play well, you want to work hard, but you need to get points. We don’t want to overemphasize any one particular game, but we want to feel good about ourselves as we go on the road.”
The Maple Leafs lost 3-2 to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday and have dropped two of their first three games.
It makes the game against Nashville significant.
“Very significant,” Toronto forward Teddy Blueger said. “The league is extremely competitive. When you’re in March and April, each point matters so much. I don’t think you can take any game for granted or write it off or take it easy. Regardless of who you’re playing, anyone can punish you. Very important to get the two points and go on the road on the right foot.”
The Predators are coming off their first win, 2-1 over the visiting Dallas Stars on Saturday in their second game.
Steven Stamkos and Nils Hoglander scored power-play goals for Nashville and Juuse Saros made 29 saves. It was a far cry from the Predators’ 3-1 season-opening loss to the Minnesota Wild.
“It was just a much better overall effort,” Stamkos said. “We talked about starting the same way as last game, just without the penalties, and for the most part we did that and got a couple early power plays and capitalized. That was the difference in the game. It was a much better game in terms of possessing the puck in the offensive zone, which led to sustained pressure and helped wear them down.”
“I really liked our energy and liked our start,” Predators coach Andrew Brunette said. “(Ryan O’Reilly) put on a master class of how to win puck battles. … It was a big win, much needed, and still some things to work on, but it’s a better feeling here.”
Stamkos scored his 625th goal to tie him with Joe Sakic and Jarome Iginla for 17th all-time.
“It’s cool when you hear those names,” Stamkos said. “Those are guys that certainly, as a Canadian kid growing up, watching those guys play… I wore 19 as a kid because of Joe Sakic and Steve Yzerman. Never in your wildest dreams do you think you’re going to be sitting here and tied with them for goals.”
In their loss to the Senators, the Maple Leafs rued their low scoring output from 29 shots on goal and four power plays.
“We had a lot of chances to score … so that’s probably the difference,” Toronto forward William Nylander said. “We had enough chances to win the game, there’s no question.”
“I don’t want to make excuses, but somebody said we had six or seven posts or crossbars. Lots of iron,” Hiller added.