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The Toronto Maple Leafs had their first victory in the post-Carlyle era, as a great opening period powered them past the Columbus Blue Jackets.

In that twenty minutes, they went out to a 4-1 lead that they never seriously looked like relinquishing. Toronto were even with the Blue Jackets in ES chances in the period, but got a pair of power-play goals and another off a Columbus leg to earn that lead. Despite trailing, the Blue Jackets were only even with the Leafs in chances the rest of the way, and couldn’t get closer than a two goal deficit.

StatusOverallEven StrengthES Close
TeamTORCBJ%TORCBJ%TORCBJ%
111473.3%4450.0%4266.7%
23633.3%3537.5%00-
36460.0%6460.0%00-
Total201458.8%131350.0%4266.7%

It’s way too early to draw any conclusions, but there have been positives in the two games the Leafs have played under Horachek. This game was one of the best defensive efforts Toronto has had this season, which is heartening, given how long they were defending the lead. They also had a great short-handed effort late, when the Blue Jackets threatened to cut down the deficit with the extra man.

ClubStPTimeTScOscNoteTorontoColumbus
TORES117:1900Smith wide from Booth234020344519437142172
TORES116:5800Van Riemsdyk from Kadri231821344519437175872
TORES116:5400Panik from Van Riemsdyk231821344519437175872
CBJES116:4500GOAL! Johansen drives431821344519437175872
TORPP114:1701Van Riemsdyk wide from rebound of Kessel shot4281213445171175872-
TORPP114:1001Van Riemsdyk wide from loose puck4281213445171175872-
TORPP114:0801Bozak from rebound of Franson shot4281213445171175872-
CBJES109:1411Calvert deflects Wisnewski shot wide23264012514517131142172
TORES105:2811GOAL! Winnik from Bozak26428144464517131142172
TORPP103:5121Kessel from Van Riemsdyk428121344517555172--
TORPP103:4121Van Rimesdyk from rebound of Phaneuf shot428121344517555172--
TORPP103:2921GOAL! Kessel from Van Riemsdyk428121344517555172--
TORPP102:3731GOAL! Van Riemsdyk from Kessel42812134454171215172-
CBJES102:0641Atkinson wide from rebound of Wisniewski shot4318213124519134342172
CBJES101:4441Johnson drives43477134451737975872
CBJSH216:1741GOAL! Johansen from Savard25203445-19437175872
TORES214:5842Kessel drives2642814446455540942172
CBJES213:1242Foligno drives25471844464517437175172
CBJES213:0242Goloubef wide from Foligno254718444645174371295172
TORES209:5942Kadri from loose puck434718344555409295172
CBJES208:5942Foligno wide from Connauton26428144464519117142172
CBJES202:0442Morin wide from rebound of Dubinsky shot2642814446451713975872
CBJES201:5842Savard wide from loose puck2642814446451713975872
TORES201:4642Rielly from Kessel2642814446451713975172
TORES318:0742Santorelli drives25477112514537411042172
CBJES315:2642Wennberg drives wide26428112514537411075872
TORES313:2742Bozak deflects Rielly shot2642814446451713975872
CBJES312:0742Atkinson deflects Goloubef shot wide26428144464517139295172
CBJES311:2642Johansen wide from Hartnell43182144464519437142172
TORES309:4442Santorelli drives25477144464541911295172
TORES307:4742Komarov drives2547711251454191142172
TORES306:2442Kessel drives264281444645173713295172
TORES304:1742Panik from Bozak2642183445194171215872
CBJES303:5342Hartnell from Savard431821344519437175872

Player-by Player data:

PlayerOverallEven StrengthES Close
ForAgainstDiffTOIForAgainstDiffTOIForAgainstDiff
Phaneuf125723:0854116:58312
Franson124819:5553214:43312
Robidas23-116:3023-114:2601-1
Panik46-217:4046-216:27211
Booth11008:0610106:10101
Van Riemsdyk94519:3124-214:56211
Smith31206:5631206:37312
Santorelli33012:1032111:32000
Winnik66017:3666016:30110
Bodie11005:0811005:08110
Bozak135822:2365116:51101
Kadri15-417:2315-416:1001-1
Rielly67-121:4167-120:31101
Polak67-122:2367-120:19101
Komarov43115:1643113:48000
Gardiner22016:2222015:0201-1
Clarkson31213:4031212:27000
Kessel125721:0055016:25101
Bernier2014660:001313051:00422

It was a tough night for Nazem Kadri, who was the worst Leaf in chances, -4 at even strength. The top line was able to stay even, and was the best unit at generating chances, as Daniel Winnik fit in well with Bozak and Kessel. The top line also produced all of the goals, either at even strength or with the extra man. Trevor Smith had a good game, the only Leaf forward to finish at +2 ES Close. David Clarkson and Leo Komarov also had solid, positive games, along with Mike Santorelli. Richard Panik and James Van Riemsdyk were, other than Kadri, the Leafs to finish below -1, as that line wasn’t particularly effective . In his season debut, after playing more than 40 games last year, Troy Bodie finished an even in five minutes of ice time.

Phaneuf and Franson had another solid game, the best in terms of chances on the defence. Polak and Rielly were given the toughest zone starts, and were on for a lot of chances against, but both were nearly even in 20 ES minutes, a pair of solid performances. Jake Gardiner was fairly quiet, while Stephane Robidas, despite easy zone starts, finished in the negative, another disappointing game.

Cumulative numbers this season:

OverallPos#Even StrengthES Close
ForAgainst%TOIForAgainst%
WinnikF4013215346.3%12:27736752.1%
FransonD4022322549.8%15:5513312551.6%
KadriF4019021047.5%14:3011511649.8%
KomarovF28968951.9%12:32484949.5%
ClarksonF4216217747.8%12:37869248.3%
PhaneufD4223427745.8%17:1614516147.4%
PanikF37758546.9%08:40465246.9%
BernierG3041748846.1%45:4224628546.3%
SmithF26546147.0%08:22313646.3%
RiellyD4120624945.3%15:3910913045.6%
KesselF4222927445.5%14:5813816545.5%
LupulF2612014844.8%13:46657945.1%
GardinerD3918022544.4%17:0510112644.5%
PolakD3215220942.1%17:469111444.4%
BozakF4221525945.4%14:5512015244.1%
Van RiemsdykF4220527642.6%14:5112316243.2%
SantorelliF4215519644.2%13:328311142.8%
ReimerG1619526942.0%42:4010214441.5%
HollandF3810615940.0%11:29568240.6%
RobidasD3613818942.2%15:076811437.4%
BoothF21335537.5%09:10193535.2%
HolzerD166510238.9%16:10346534.3%

A good game from Trevor Smith sees him move up; he’s been a surprisingly effective forward for the last few weeks.