Maple Leafs Set to Chill Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena

As the Toronto Maple Leafs prepare to face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena, fans are eager to see if their team can continue its recent trend of strong performances. The Maple Leafs have shown a mixed bag of results in their past few games, but there are positive signs that they could bring a competitive edge to this upcoming match.

In their last game against the Ottawa Senators, despite falling short with a scoreline of 2-4, the Maple Leafs demonstrated resilience and an ability to control play with a 52 percent faceoff win rate and outshooting their opponents by six shots. However, converting these opportunities into goals remains an area for improvement as they had no powerplay goals from three chances.

Looking back further, Toronto's encounter with the Columbus Blue Jackets saw them emerge victorious with four points and an impressive 55 percent faceoff win rate. Their special teams stepped up in this game as well; they scored one powerplay goal from two opportunities and even notched a shorthanded goal.

However, it's crucial not to overlook the setback against the Buffalo Sabres where defensive lapses led to conceding nine points. Despite winning 58 percent of faceoffs and scoring one powerplay goal from four chances in that game, it was clear that tightening up defensively will be key moving forward.

The upcoming game promises excitement as both teams have shown they can produce moments of quality hockey. With recent statistics indicating room for improvement on both ends of the ice for Toronto – particularly in capitalizing on powerplays – refining these aspects could prove pivotal in securing victory away from home.

Fans can catch all the action on December 30th at Nationwide Arena or tune into ESPN+ or BSOH channel 660 for live coverage.