The Toronto Maple Leafs' search for a turnaround hit another roadblock on Saturday night, as they fell 5-3 to the NHL's lowest-ranked team, the Nashville Predators, at Bridgestone Arena.
Lineup Shuffle Fails to Spark Victory
Seeking a response after a disappointing loss in Washington, Leafs coach Craig Berube made significant changes to his lineup for the game on December 20, 2025. Veteran forward Max Domi was a healthy scratch for the second time this season, joined by Steven Lorentz and defenceman Henry Thrun. In their place, the Leafs inserted forwards Matias Maccelli and Calle Jarnkrok, along with defenceman Philippe Myers.
Despite a stronger start, the team couldn't maintain its momentum. Nicolas Roy opened the scoring for Nashville just 1:32 into the first period. The Leafs briefly took a 2-1 lead in the second after a goal from John Tavares—the 508th of his career, moving him into 45th place on the NHL's all-time list, past Canadiens legend Jean Beliveau—and an earlier marker from Cole Smith.
Third Period Collapse Seals Fate
The game slipped away from Toronto in the final frame. Luke Evangelista, a Toronto native, danced around Morgan Rielly and beat goaltender Joseph Woll with a slick backhand move nine minutes into the third to give Nashville a 3-2 lead. The Predators then sealed the win with two empty-net goals in the final minute, from Steven Stamkos and Cole Smith, sandwiching a late consolation goal from Toronto's Bobby McMann.
A critical moment came late in the second period when Predators defenceman Adam Wilsby scored at 19:26 to tie the game 2-2, capitalizing on a failed clearing attempt by Woll.
Reeling Leafs Face Daunting Road Test
The loss marks Toronto's fourth defeat in their last five games, leaving them near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. The challenge doesn't get any easier, as the team must now travel to face the powerful Dallas Stars on Sunday to complete a difficult back-to-back set.
Other notable details from the game include a new-look first power-play unit featuring Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, Easton Cowan, Nick Robertson, and Morgan Rielly, which had only one chance to operate. Goaltender Joseph Woll was solid for much of the night but will likely want the Wilsby goal back.
The Leafs' ongoing struggles raise serious questions as they head into a pivotal matchup in Dallas, needing to find answers quickly to stop their alarming slide.
