Pride on the line as Toronto Maple Leafs face New York Islanders - NHL Preview
Out of the playoff race and ending the season near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Maple Leafs face New York Islanders on Tuesday, March 20, 2012, as they look to regain some of their lost pride at the Air Canada Centre.
The Leafs have been in free fall ever since February and their poor performances show no signs of ending.
Toronto has won just three games in March and succumbed to a massive 8-0 mauling at the hands of Boston Bruins on Monday.
The Maple Leafs, currently lie in 12th in the Eastern Conference with just 72-points and with an eight point gap between themselves and Washington Capitals.
New York Islanders too are out of the playoff picture.
With just three wins in their last nine games the Islanders are tied on points with last placed Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference.
The Islanders remain in 14th in the conference with just 69-points.
Maple Leafs (32-33-8, 72 pts)
Toronto have been woeful recently and their poor performances has resulted in them being all but out of the playoff picture.
Taking on the equally struggling Islanders, the Leafs have a great opportunity to get back to winning ways.
The Leafs were completely outplayed in their last game as they lost 8-0 to the Boston Bruins on Monday ending any chance they still had of reaching the final playoff spots.
Goaltender James Reimer had his worst night of the season as the Bruins surgically cut apart at a poor Maple Leafs team.
Leafs, coach Randy Carlyle, said after the game.
"We can't really point to any one thing right now that we did well. As a coaching staff we have to take responsibility because we didn't prepare the hockey club properly to go out and compete,"
Islanders (29-32-11, 69 pts)
New York Islanders ended a five-game skid on Saturday, with a 3-2 shootout defeat of bottom side Montreal Canadiens in the first game of their final five-game road trip.
The Islanders led the game 2-1 at the end of the second period but the Canadiens struck back early in the third period to send the game to overtime.
Josh Bailey though stepped up for the Islanders in the shootout to put the winning goal past Canadiens goaltender Peter Budaj to gain the extra point.
Coach Jack Capuano said after the game.
"We sacrificed our bodies when we needed to. I didn't think that we got down when they tied the score. We kept coming. It's a good win when you come in this building."
Predictions
Tough to predict a winner given both teams’ poor performances, however home ice advantage may give the Leafs an important edge.
Goals will be at a premium as both offences are struggling to score.
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