LEAFS LOOK FOR 3RD STRAIGHT WIN OVER NEW YORK TEAMS

LEAFS LOOK FOR 3RD STRAIGHT WIN OVER NEW YORK TEAMS
THE SPORTS NETWORK

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=268754&lid=sublink02&lpos=headlines_main

(Sports Network) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to win three straight games for the first time in over two months when they visit the lowly New York Islanders for a clash at Nassau Coliseum.

The Maple Leafs are coming off a home-and-home sweep of the New York Rangers, with Toronto earning both victories after regulation. The Leafs recorded a 3-2 overtime win Sunday in the Big Apple and then notched Wednesday's 2-1 shootout decision on home ice.

Tonight, the Maple Leafs will aim for their first three-game winning streak since setting a season high with three straight victories from December 8-16.

Toronto was able to defeat two different coaches in the home-and-home set with the Rangers, as Tom Renney was fired after Sunday's meeting and replace by John Tortorella.

Nikolai Kulemin scored the lone goal in the shootout as Toronto spoiled Tortorella's debut behind the bench, defeating the Rangers, 2-1, at Air Canada Centre.

Niklas Hagman, who had the overtime winner on Sunday, found the net again in last night's win for Toronto, which has gone beyond regulation in each of its last four games (2-0-2). Vesa Toskala stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced.

Tonight marks the first of two straight on the road for the Leafs, who will also visit Ottawa on Saturday. Toronto is 12-15-4 as the visitor this year and has lost three of its last five road tests.

Toronto is currently 11th in the Eastern Conference standings and is 10 points out of a playoff spot.

The Islanders, meanwhile, have lost three of four and eight of their last 10 games. New York is also dead last in the NHL with just 42 points on the season.

The team was also in action on Wednesday and was handed a 1-0 loss in Pittsburgh. Petr Sykora scored the game's only goal with 2:28 left in regulation and Marc-Andre Fleury had his third shutout this season behind 21 saves as the Penguins earned the win at Mellon Arena.

Yann Danis nearly equaled Fleury's effort, stopping 27-of-28 shots but taking the tough loss for New York.

The Islanders are 12-13-4 as the host this year and have won two of three and five of their last seven home games.

Toronto and the Isles have split a pair of meetings this year, with each club posting a win on home ice. New York has taken three of five and six of the last nine encounters overall in the series and the Leafs have lost in four of five and seven of their last nine stops on Long Island.

Leafs win it 5-4 in the shootout. How was the game anyways, I seen Hagman got nailed by Brenden Witt. I bet he'll get a suspension for that crap!!

hmmm... another win in a shootout by the Leafs!!! This team can't win a shootout all year and win back to back shootouts!! Leafs r pulling themselves right out of getting a good draft pick once again... drive for 9th seems to be on... so bad draft pick and no playoffs yup sounds like the Leafs.... frustrating... haha... ok Im done ranting haha... Witt will be suspended for that elbow on Hagman... headshot 4 sure