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In their return home, the Leafs had a bad first period, giving up two goals in forty seconds to fall behind again.

They then compounded those struggles by surrendering a third in the first minute of the second period. After that, they really took charge of the game, with a couple of excellent shifts helping them to dominate the scoring chances, taking the period 11-2 at ES. None of those chances managed to turn into goals, as Toronto’s scoring drought continued. Toronto weren’t as good in the third, but did manage some power-play chances, and eventually got a goal with the extra man. They pulled the goalie, in an effort to get within one, but couldn’t score a second, and ended up going down to defeat again.

StatusOverallEven StrengthES Close
TeamTORCAR%TORCAR%TORCAR%
16940.0%5741.7%3260.0%
211473.3%11284.6%00-
310471.4%5455.6%00-
Total271761.4%211361.8%3260.0%

The Leafs were actually ahead in chances when Carolina put the second goal in, which was the last moment the game counted as close. That second period was an impressive effort, and Toronto was unlucky to not score, which has been a bit of a theme this last week. While score effects partially explain the Leafs‘ strong chance performance, they’ve had plenty of games this year where they haven’t managed that much offense when behind, so that’s a positive, even in defeat.

ClubStPTimeTScOscNoteTorontoCarolina
TORES119:3600Winnik deflects Franson shot wide252643344511121942731
TORES115:0900Kessel from loose puck42812151554516495372731
CARSH114:2300J Staal from Sekera232634645-1112194731
CARSH113:4900Nash from Faulk252045545-162049532731
CARES112:5400GOAL! Malone from rebound of Dwyer shot422144515545182439657331
TORES112:2901Phaneuf from Kadri2526433445111219657331
CARES112:1301GOAL! Lindholm drives42812144464516495342731
CARES110:4402J Staal drives252643344511121942731
TORES110:0002Van Riemsdyk wide from Bozak42812144464516495342731
CARES107:5202Gleason from loose puck42812134451112196731
CARES107:0102Terry from Gerbe538139444645142025657331
TORPP104:4202Bozak from Kessel42812134445183966531-
TORES103:1602Smith wide from Santorelli23252644464516495342731
CARES102:3002Gerbe from Terry5339204451451420256731
CARES102:0702E Staal wraparound post25264334451112196731
CARES219:1202GOAL! E Staal from J Staal428121344511121946531
TORES218:4103Clarkson from Santorelli254371444634164953657331
TORES218:3403Kadri from Clarkson254371444634164953657331
TORES218:2603Santorelli deflects Kadri shot wide254371444634164953657331
TORES218:1803Rielly wraparound wide254371444634164953657331
TORES213:2703Polak wide from Smith231821444634164953657331
CARSH211:0103E Staal deflects Tlusty shot wide232034634-1112194731
TORES209:1003Van Riemsdyk drives252621515534182439657331
TORES207:4803Kadri drives2543445134-142076531-
CARSH207:1203Lindholm deflects Faulk shot wide2644634--1216492731-
CARES205:3303Nash from Gerbe424320444341420534731
TORES204:1203Panik from giveaway23187151553418243942731
TORES201:4903Panik drives2318715155341824396731
TORES201:1803Kessel from loose puck264381343411121942731
TORES200:4803Rielly drives254221444634142025657331
CARES318:2003Nash from Gerbe231871444634142025657331
TORES316:3003Kessel from Kadri2643813434164953657331
CARES315:3703Nash from rebound of Gleason shot2542214451342053256731
TORES313:4703Franson from Winnik264381343411121942731
TORPP313:2603Van Riemsdyk from Kadri42438121434183966531-
CARES311:3303J Staal deflects Sekera shot wide25187144513411192542731
TORES309:1003Kessel from Kadri26438145134182425277331
TORPP306:0203Van Riemsdyk deflects Gardiner shot238121351341420657331-
TORPP305:1103GOAL! Kadri from Rielly25437144434183942731-
TORES304:0813Gardiner drives4281214451341420256731
TORES304:0213Van Riemsdyk from rebound of Gardiner shot4281214451341420256731
CARES303:2213Rask deflects Sekera shot wide43712144463416495342731
TOREN302:4113Van Riemsdyk from faceoff2526438134618243966531
TOREN302:3713Kadri from rebound of Van Riemsdyk shot424381213411122042731

Player-by Player data:

PlayerOverallEven StrengthES Close
ForAgainstDiffTOIForAgainstDiffTOIForAgainstDiff
Phaneuf96320:5354113:51202
Franson97221:4865115:19202
Panik32110:1932107:13000
Booth04-406:4102-205:10000
Van Riemsdyk116521:1676115:2112-1
Smith53212:5441310:16000
Santorelli125720:46104617:36202
Winnik94519:0682616:15202
Frattin02-203:3902-203:39000
Bozak86219:2856-115:0612-1
Kadri1541123:25114719:26202
Rielly139422:14119218:3802-2
Polak97219:0784415:1001-1
Gardiner94520:0384416:37110
Carrick02-202:1702-202:17000
Holzer42215:2741312:46110
Clarkson73411:5563309:13000
Kessel134921:5784417:00110
Bernier610-420:4258-314:42321
Reimer1971238:031651130:11000

Nazem Kadri had an excellent night, and it was good that he was the man who broke the scoring drought, as he deserved it. He was a +2 at ES Close, and a team high +7 at ES overall. Mike Santorelli and Daniel Winnik also had strong games, both finishing at +6 overall. Tyler Bozak wasn’t good, as he was the only regular forward to finish in the negative at ES, and on for all four Carolina goals — caught on the wrong side of the play on two in particular. Phil Kessel did reasonably well while the Leafs chased the game, finishing a +4. The bottom line players weren’t very good, with Booth, Frattin and Carrick all -2 in their limited ice time. Smith and Clarkson weren’t on for any chances either way while the game was close, but did some good work later in the game to finish at +3.

Roman Polak’s strong run of play continued, and he finished a +4 at ES Overall, tied with Jake Gardiner for the best on the defence. Morgan Rielly was on for more Leaf chances than any other defenceman, and finished at +2. Phaneuf and Franson were positive while the game was close, but weren’t great after that, both in the negative while the rest of the team was doing well generating chances.

Cumulative numbers this season:

OverallPos#Even StrengthES Close
ForAgainst%TOIForAgainst%
WinnikF4516618347.6%12:56908252.3%
KomarovF29999052.4%12:16515050.5%
FransonD4524926548.4%15:5514614949.5%
KadriF4522123948.0%14:4512913349.2%
ClarksonF4717519547.3%12:199210147.7%
PhaneufD4726331445.6%17:1216018146.9%
BernierG3446755645.7%45:1128032646.2%
PanikF429110346.9%09:04546545.4%
LupulF2612014844.8%13:46657945.1%
KesselF4726030745.9%15:1015118445.1%
RiellyD4624128945.5%15:5812615445.0%
GardinerD4420324245.6%17:0211113644.9%
PolakD3718324343.0%17:5110713344.6%
SantorelliF4718421945.7%13:549712244.3%
SmithF31687946.3%08:39384844.2%
BozakF4724229145.4%15:0213216943.9%
Van RiemsdykF4723231242.6%15:0013618642.2%
ReimerG1822729343.7%42:2410915741.0%
HollandF3810615940.0%11:29568240.6%
RobidasD3814519642.5%15:077211837.9%
CarrickF10122334.3%06:21111936.7%
HolzerD197811241.1%15:39417336.0%
BoothF25396936.1%09:04244335.8%

Sam Carrick, playing his tenth game of the year, now meets the threshold to get into the table, and comes in right near the bottom. He’s the lowest leaf at ES overall, and barely above Holzer and Booth at ES Close.