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The Leafs earned a second straight win against a short-handed Blue Jackets team, getting some opportunistic third period goals to secure the victory.

The first two periods were fairly close in chances until the Leafs scored their second goal, after which a couple of strong shifts saw them open a gap in chances. While Toronto managed only two shots on goal, both goals, in the third, they were even in chances, a sign of a very good defensive road effort.

StatusOverallESESCL
TeamTORCBJ%TORCBJ%TORCBJ%
15550.00%3260.00%3260.00%
29564.29%8466.67%3350.00%
33537.50%3442.86%00-
Total171553.13%141058.33%6554.55%

This was the lowest overall chance game the Leafs have played this year; they were content to defend their lead after going ahead, and Columbus didn’t have the ability to really press the play. The second period was excellent for the Leafs, as they moved ahead 11-6 at ES going into the final period.

Details are below.

ClubStPTimeTScOscNoteTorontoColumbus
TORPP117:0500Franson from Kessel428121451453910274730-
CBJES111:2900Collins drives4381214514537324075130
TORES105:5000Clarkson deflects Franson shot4271213445191343275830
TORES104:3200GOAL! Kessel from loose puck264381344519134375130
TORES103:5510Van Riemsdyk wide from Clarkson427121444645395626275830
CBJES102:3710Foligno drives2547183514541407174730
CBJSH102:0310Johansen drives wide264731245-191343205830
CBJSH101:3110Hartnell from Atkinson242131245-191343205830
TORSH101:1910Bozak drives post264244445-41567175130
CBJSH100:4410Tyutin from Johnson264731245-41567175130
CBJES218:1410Hartnell from Tropp264381125145192643204730
TORES217:2910Santorelli from loose puck254718444645415640204730
TORES216:0510Frattin from loose puck243739125145371032275830
TORES215:2110Bozak from Clarkson427121444645191343204730
CBJES213:5810Atkinson from Johansen264381344519134375130
CBJES209:3910Johansen deflects Erixon shot254718444645191343204730
TORPP207:4710GOAL! Clarkson deflects Phaneuf shot244371344453932275830-
TORES206:3720Clarkson drives4271213445411071275830
TORES206:3220Bozak from rebound of Clarkson shot4271213445411071275830
TORES206:2420Clarkson from Bozak4271213445411071275830
TORES205:3720Santorelli wraparound254718444645411071275830
CBJES205:0020Hartnell from Atkinson4271213445191343204730
CBJSH203:0020Dano from Wennberg264734645-415671205830
TORES202:3120Winnik wide from Komarov26477145145391071205830
TORES317:2220GOAL! Kadri from Kessel264381465145373956204730
CBJES314:2730Skille wide from Foligno254718444645411071204730
CBJSH309:2030GOAL! Atkinson from rebound of Johansen shot2421124445-19134372030
CBJES307:5230Dano wraparound254718344537395675130
CBJES304:0031Atkinson deflects Savard shot4271213445191343275830
TORES303:3331GOAL! Winnik from loose puck26438144464532407175130
CBJES302:5741Johansen wraparound2437393445191343275830
TORES300:2641Holland drives24373944445374110204730

The player-by-player data:

PlayerFADTOIESFESAESDEVTOIESCLFESCLAESCLD
Phaneuf610-421:4456-116:57220
Franson96318:5576116:38220
Robidas15-418:1611014:51110
Panik24-213:4424-213:2212-1
Van Riemsdyk75219:4663317:01312
Holland33009:3521106:28101
Santorelli24-215:0324-215:0312-1
Winnik55016:5942212:0112-1
Ashton21107:3821107:38101
Frattin21106:5721106:57101
Bozak82620:4662418:36303
Kadri43113:0233011:3513-2
Rielly83520:4962417:18312
Polak63324:1462421:06312
Komarov37-417:5234-114:2112-1
Gardiner43116:2433015:1213-2
Clarkson82619:0272517:43303
Kessel43112:3933011:3813-2
Bernier1715259:451410450:35651

After not being great in the Buffalo game, Bozak, Van Riemsdyk and Clarkson had a strong game to get back on track. Clarkson in particular ended up at a team-high +5 at ES. The Kessel line were opportunistic, as Kessel and Kadri were both on for only three ES chances for, but all three ended up in the Columbus net. Carter Ashton made his season debut, and managed a positive night, while Richard Panik wasn’t overly impressive in his most minutes as a Leaf.

Morgan Rielly has now had four straight strong games since the Detroit series, and has consistently been one of the best Leafs on the back end. Roman Polak, who had a bit of a rough start to the season, also had another good game, as that pair ended up the best of the defence. Robidas had a quiet night, having had the softest zone starts of any of the Leafs defence.

Cumulative numbers this season:

OverallPos#ESFESAESDES%AvESTOIESClFESClAESClDESCL%
AshtonF121166.7%07:38101100.0%
LupulF94139251.3%15:252719858.7%
WinnikF102928150.9%12:221713456.7%
RiellyD1054441055.1%15:443426856.7%
ClarksonF1039291057.4%13:122016455.6%
KadriF104142-149.4%13:352824453.8%
FransonD83736150.7%14:372018252.6%
KomarovF102924554.7%12:081414050.0%
PhaneufD105052-249.0%15:462829-149.1%
BernierG88791-448.9%41:455358-547.7%
SantorelliF102825352.8%12:331316-344.8%
KesselF105661-547.9%15:053037-744.8%
BozakF104951-249.0%14:462430-644.4%
Van RiemsdykF104555-1045.0%14:072532-743.9%
ReimerG44354-1144.3%36:351824-642.9%
PolakD103957-1840.6%17:052534-942.4%
GardinerD83127453.4%16:371318-541.9%
PercyD72236-1437.9%14:321017-737.0%
RobidasD92738-1141.5%14:461222-1035.3%
HollandF101126-1529.7%07:36612-633.3%
PanikF9722-1524.1%07:44410-628.6%
KozunF5518-1321.7%07:25313-1018.8%
FrattinF436-333.3%06:4915-416.7%

Ashton is the best Leaf, by virtue of being on for one ES close chance in this, his lone game. Rielly continues to climb, and Clarkson’s excellent numbers continue to be a huge contrast from how he did last season. At the ten game mark, one concern is the fourth line, which has been utilized little, and been pretty ineffective when it has.