Ottawa Senators favourites against Toronto Maple Leafs – NHL Preview
A victory against Tampa Bay Lightning helped Toronto Maple Leafs snapping their five-game skid, but that did not provide much boost to their playoff run as the level of competitiveness in National Hockey League (NHL) Eastern Conference is at its peak.
Even if the Leafs managed to overpower the Lightning, the former will certainly face a more challenging opponent this time as they travel to play Ottawa Senators on Saturday, March 17, 2012, at Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Senators are leading the Northeast Division and with just 10 games left for them to play in the regular season, a playoff berth is virtually guaranteed for them.
Here is look at both teams.
Leafs
They are ranked at 12th spot in the Eastern Conference with 70 points after 71 games and are eight points behind the eighth-ranked Washington Capitals.
Winnipeg Jets (76 points), Buffalo Sabres (75 points) and Lightning (71 points) are ranked between Leafs and Capitals.
Out of the seven games they have played this month, Leafs have managed to win only two. Their recent victory, which snapped their five-game losing streak, came against Lightning.
Leafs were aggressive from the start and scored one goal in the first period and added two more in the second.
They conceded a goal in the final period, but managed to secure the two-goal lead.
Leafs’ defenseman, Jake Gardiner, said after the game:
"Anytime you're losing it's never fun. We're just trying to stay positive. It really feels good to get a win here. It will boost us and hopefully we can keep going.”
Senators
They have lost four games this month and won three with the recent victory coming against Montreal Canadiens.
Senators were one goal down after the end of the first period. The second period went goalless and they finally managed to provide the equaliser in the final period, forcing the game to overtime where Filip Kuba got a goal to give Senators’ the victory.
Senators’ coach, said after the game:
"It means a lot of hard work by all those guys across the hallway. They've worked real hard and they've believed in themselves for a long time now and I think the consistency of their effort on a daily basis is being rewarded with the success the team is
having. But, we've got 10 games left to play and we have lots of work to do.”
Senators are ranked at second spot in the Eastern Conference with 84 points after 72 games.
Predictions
Senators have an edge.
The sum of goals scored by both teams might stay under six.
If Leafs win, the winning margin will be less than two goals.
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