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If the last eight days have taught us anything, it’s that this is an inconsistent Leafs team.

After a terrible performance against Nashville, they came back with a strong showing against the Lightning. Toronto dominated the first period, and were unfortunate to go into the intermission level after a shorthanded goal against. While the second was more even in chances, the Leafs managed to pull away thanks to JVR and a bad Tampa giveaway, and they held on to the lead in the third. Toronto’s even strength defensive play in the final period was strong, but the Lightning did put some pressure on with an extra skater.

StatusOverallEven StrengthES Close
TeamTORTBL%TORTBL%TORTBL%
19281.8%4180.0%4180.0%
27750.0%5741.7%5455.6%
331023.1%3175.0%00-
Total191950.0%12957.1%9564.3%

That strong first period helped the Leafs to a clear win in ES close chances; they were good value for that 4-1 lead.

ClubStPTimeTScOscNoteTorontoTampa Bay
TORES118:3100GOAL! Clarkson from Winnik242671124445917272730
TORES116:4801Kessel drives428121344551912462530
TORES110:0001Van Riemsdyk deflects Clarkson shot wide24712134459512456230
TORES109:3301Van Riemsdyk drives42812134459512456230
TBLES107:0101Namestnikov drives25264346514517902762530
TORPP103:2101Van Riemsdyk wide from Kessel42812134459182530-
TORPP102:5901Kessel wide from loose puck42812134459182530-
TORPP101:5501Bozak from Kessel4281213445918630--
TORPP101:3701Kessel drives4281213445918630--
TBLPP101:1001GOAL! Killorn drives24437144514517902530-
TORPP100:4011Van Riemsdyk from Kessel428121344517902530-
TORES217:4411Kessel from Van Riemsdyk42812146514517902762530
TORES217:1511GOAL! Panik from giveaway23183212444511141062530
TBLES216:3212Stamkos drives428121344551912456230
TBLES216:1912Stamkos drives wide428121344551912456230
TORES215:5612Van Riemsdyk drives wide428121344551912456230
TORES212:4512Kessel drives428121344551912462530
TBLES211:0112Namestnikov wide from Killorn25431812444517902762530
TBLES209:3712Morrow deflects Sustr shot post23183212444511141056230
TORES207:2912GOAL! Van Riemsdyk drives428121344551912462530
TORPP205:0213Holland deflects Franson shot wide24437134459115630-
TORPP204:4513GOAL! Van Riemsdyk from rebound of Kessel shot4281213445179072530-
TBLES203:1914Stamkos drives428121346451791242730
TBLES201:3014Boyle wraparound23183212444511511072530
TBLES201:2614Morrow from rebound of Boyle shot23183212444511511072530
TORES318:5814Holland wide from Clarkson242671465145986182730
TBLES318:4414Kucherov wide from Johnson2643714651459861872530
TBLSH310:4914Connolly wide from Filppula242634645-51911424530
TBLSH309:4914Kucherov wide from Johnson232541245-9861862530
TBLSH309:3514Palat wide from Drouin232541245-9861862530
TORES309:2214Kessel wide from Komarov424781412459861862530
TORES307:5614Santorelli from Kadri254347124445901427256230
TBLEN304:1414Stamkos from Kucherov24267131245179186182562
TBLEN304:1314GOAL! Stamkos from loose puck24267131245179186182562
TBLEN302:3224Filppula wide from Stamkos264371312455191142456
TBLEN302:1324Palat drives4271214464551909118725
TBLEN300:4424Filppula from Stamkos26422134645951918656
TBLEN300:4024Filppula from loose puck26422134645951918656

The player-by-player data:

PlayerOverallEven StrengthES Close
ForAgainstDiffTOIForAgainstDiffToiForAgainstDiff
Phaneuf139425:1163317:45624
Franson145920:5672514:28624
Robidas49-516:4444015:08220
Panik14-308:1814-308:1812-1
Van Riemsdyk136719:3173416:12725
Smith15-409:4713-207:27110
Holland44016:5230313:59202
Santorelli14-314:1312-112:5802-2
Winnik28-618:0822014:33110
Leivo13-205:5713-205:57110
Bozak136719:0973415:30624
Kadri25-313:2413-212:2102-2
Rielly35-215:2434-114:04220
Polak27-524:2623-120:57110
Komarov20215:5120213:16000
Gardiner23-117:4422017:19110
Clarkson46-214:2931213:26202
Kessel1331017:5673414:32624
Bernier1919060:00129349:38954

Unsurprisingly, the Leafs‘ good game was powered by the top line, which had a great game, with all three players at least +4, led by Van Riemsdyk. The Kadri line didn’t produce a lot offensively, with Kadri and Santorelli both negatives, while Peter Holland, who got more ES time than Kadri, earned that time with a strong game. Clarkson, who opened the scoring, joined Holland and Komarov as not being on for a Tampa ES Close chance.

Dion Phaneuf and Cody Franson were both good again, with the latter extending his consecutive point streak. Given that both had pretty hard zone starts, it was really a strong performance in chances. Gardiner made a mistake on the Lighting’s first goal, but ended up even, as did every other defenceman.

Cumulative numbers this season:

OverallPos#Even StrengthES Close
ForAgainstDiff%TOIForAgainstDiff%
LupulF94139251.3%15:252719858.7%
FransonD18105812456.5%14:5663461757.8%
ClarksonF2085751053.1%12:4447361156.6%
ReimerG9122133-1147.8%41:0459491054.6%
PanikF193940-149.4%08:502622454.2%
WinnikF185560-547.8%11:593228453.3%
KadriF208897-947.6%13:325852652.7%
KomarovF206559652.4%12:323230251.6%
PhaneufD20119122-349.4%17:047672451.4%
RiellyD1996105-947.8%15:075554150.5%
KesselF20121129-848.4%14:597473150.3%
BozakF20109114-548.9%15:096364-149.6%
GardinerD187480-648.1%16:123842-447.5%
SmithF61315-246.4%08:0578-146.7%
BernierG14169190-2147.1%42:58111128-1746.4%
Van RiemsdykF20108136-2844.3%15:136575-1046.4%
HollandF204762-1543.1%10:152529-446.3%
PolakD2089125-3641.6%18:135666-1045.9%
SantorelliF205761-448.3%12:342734-744.3%
RobidasD197290-1844.4%14:553750-1342.5%
LeivoF71821-346.2%07:451115-442.3%
PercyD82641-1538.8%14:541422-838.9%
FrattinF6513-827.8%06:58312-920.0%

Franson continues to impress, while Van Riemsdyk and Holland both made nice moves up. After a strong start, Santorelli has sunk to be the lowest regular forward at ES close, although his ES overall numbers are better.