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With the second half of the NHL season right here, goaltending will naturally come beneath elevated scrutiny for the Maple Leafs as the larger playoff image takes form.

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That’s why Matt Murray’s work to open their closing 41 video games was so encouraging Wednesday evening, holding Toronto in till Mitch Marner’s late 2-1 energy -play winner over the Nashville Predators at Scotiabank Area.

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Murray’s 32 saves in a duel with diminutive Predators goalie Juuse Saros got here in entrance of the Leafs’ fathers, who gathered for his or her annual highway journey. Marner’s purpose, on a fantastic cross from William Nylander with 1:15 to play in regulation, gave him a streak of 18 straight video games with a minimum of some extent at dwelling to tie Darryl Sittler’s membership document.

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The Leafs closed the sport on a four-minute man benefit after Mark Jankowski drew blood on an unintended excessive persist with the nostril of Morgan Rielly.

Toronto was 0-for-4 previous to that towards one of many league’s finest killing golf equipment, whereas Murray made key stops on two Nashville probabilities.

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His finest saves got here early, on a 2-on-1, then contorting throughout the crease to cease Tanner Jeannot with the again of his glove.

“A loopy play,” mentioned Murray, whose document improved to 11-4-2. “I acquired spun round, was wanting over my shoulder and noticed they made a cross to the low again door. I needed to get one thing over there.”

Coach Sheldon Keefe thought Murray deserved “a ton” of credit score within the tight-checking recreation through which the Leafs had been with out Auston Matthews and used NHL beginner Bobby McMann up entrance.

“Their man was taking part in effectively on the different finish, we had been getting loads of appears with nothing to indicate for it so Matt needed to stand tall.”

The pre-game highlight was on Saros after his function in 4 straight Nashville wins, 5 of the previous six, together with a franchise document 64 saves towards Carolina.

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At even-strength, Leafs ahead William Nylander had an early breakaway halted, however after choosing off a impartial zone puck, he drew three Preds in the direction of him earlier than passing to an open John Tavares for a backhand purpose.

That marked Tavares’ thirteenth NHL season with a minimum of 20 objectives, getting 19 within the COVID-shortened marketing campaign. The Leafs had been in peril of losing the late double-minor and going 0-fer on the evening, when a Predator broke his stick and Nylander was capable of freeze the defenders and feed Marner.

“It (the facility play) was ugly, nevertheless it received us the sport,” Keefe mentioned. “Perhaps the coach ought to hold his mouth shut.”

Keefe discovered it more durable than he thought to search out the right combination with Matthews absent for a minimum of this recreation with an unspecified wear-and-tear concern, along with his standing Thursday in Detroit to be decided.

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He wished Pierre Engvall on the road with Nylander, who was getting crushed typically on faceoffs, and Michael Bunting, then switched to Alex Kerfoot.

McMann was for use on the fourth line, however regarded comfy sufficient that he was moved to the third group with David Kampf and Engvall as one other large physique.

Carrying No. 74 and capturing on a No. 74 in Saros, he generated a few scoring alternatives and was grateful his father, mom and one among his two sisters arrived from Alberta in time for the sport.

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Ilya Samsonov will get the beginning in Detroit, a workforce the Leafs have dominated of late as they start a extra rigorous schedule of back-to-backs within the coming months.

“A workforce like Toronto that’s actually good in transition, our puck choices are going to be necessary,” Nashville coach John Hynes warned earlier than the sport. “When there’s ice accessible, you need to assault off the push, however they’re a very good skating workforce, they monitor arduous and have good gaps.”

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His workforce got here out flying within the second interval and put the Leafs on their heels, tying it when Juuso Parssinen noticed Filip Forsberg coming down the center unguarded.

“Auston is a man you’ll be able to’t clearly exchange, however they’re a very good workforce for a purpose,” Hynes added. “They produce other good gamers and play a very good workforce recreation. There are various things (Matthews) brings to the desk they could not have on this recreation, however in no way are they a workforce that’s not coming after you.”

The Leafs may have an evening’s relaxation and high quality time with their fathers earlier than Saturday’s important match in Boston with an opportunity to sluggish the division leaders.

Lhornby@postmedia.com