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In the first half of this game, the Leafs were impressive, limiting Arizona’s chances and actually getting an even strength goal, from Phil Kessel.

The last ten minutes of the second period saw Arizona generate some chances, threatening the one-goal lead, but Jonathan Bernier was able to hold them off. Bernier had a terrible third period, as a goal from the Coyotes’ blue line — arguably worse than the infamous 200 footer on Vesa Toskala, which at least took an awful bounce, unlike tonight’s — tied the game up, and another from a sharp angle that got through Bernier’s near post to put Arizona ahead. The Leafs generated a few chances in trying to chase down the lead, but those went away late in the game. It was the second half of a back-to-back, which may have contributed to Toronto’s struggles; they didn’t have a single chance in the last nine minutes.

StatusOverallEven StrengthES Close
TeamTORARI%TORARI%TORARI%
14544.4%3260.0%3260.0%
251229.4%4833.3%4833.3%
37846.7%5455.6%2166.7%
Total162539.0%121446.2%91145.0%

The Leafs were even with Arizona in chances, but those two weak goals in the third, and the month from hell continuing offensively, left the Leafs with another defeat.

ClubStPTimeTScOscNoteTorontoArizona
ARISH115:5100Ekman-Larsson from Vermette264745545-9501932341
ARISH114:3600Ekman-Larsson from loose puck2620465545-8111032341
ARISH114:1600Hanzal deflects Yandle shot wide2620465545-8111032341
TORES113:5000Kessel drives428121451452418283541
ARIES111:4500Lessio from Yandle42812185145939383541
TORPP106:5400Holland from Kessel24428121445182842341-
TORES103:2700GOAL! Kessel from Van Riemsdyk4281214554585019232641
TORES101:2610Van Riemsdyk from rebound of Bozak shot4281214446459111042341
ARIES101:1610Hanzal from Erat4281214446459111042341
ARIES219:2010Vermette drives wide2526434446458501954541
TORES219:1010Santorelli drives wide252643446458501954541
ARIES214:5610Gagner drives231920851459242832641
ARIES214:2510Moss from loose puck4281218514524182842341
TORES212:0810Santorelli deflects Gardiner shot wide25264385145891154541
ARIES209:1910Rieder wraparound252643455458501932641
TORES208:4010Holzer wraparound252643455458501932641
TORSH205:4610Booth drives47204845-9101932341
ARISH204:3110Vermette from rebound of Gagner shot43474845-9501932341
ARISH204:3010Yandle wide from rebound of Vermette shot43474845-9501932341
ARISH203:0510Hanzal from loose puck2620465545-8111032641
ARIES202:4710Rieder from loose puck2620465155458111032641
TORES202:0810Kessel wide from Bozak4281214444524182842341
ARIES201:4110Lessio drives4381214444539443854541
ARIES201:4010Lessio from rebound4381214444539443854541
ARIPP200:5110Michalek from Moss24428121445182842341-
TORES318:5411Kadri wide from Winnik252643455458501932641
TORES316:4211Van Riemsdyk from faceoff428121851458501942341
ARIES316:1311GOAL! Hanzal from Gagner252643455459111042341
TORPP313:1912Kessel drives2442812144585042341-
ARIPP312:1512Korpikoski drives2443817144518284541-
ARIPP312:1112Moss from rebound of Korpikoski shot2443817144518283541-
TORPP311:4312Clarkson deflects Gardiner shot wide43197144514550183541-
TORES311:3312Kadri from Rielly4319714451455018354541
TORES311:2912Clarkson wide from rebound of Kadri shot4319714451455018354541
ARIES310:5212Gagner deflects Campbell shot2426474655459111044541
TORES309:3412Bozak wide from Rielly42812144514524182854541
ARIES306:3612Doan from Yandle252643451455019383541
ARIES306:1512Yandle wide from Shinnimin2526434514539443832641
ARISH303:5212Vermette from Yandle422184645-8501932641
ARISH303:3012GOAL! Gagner deflects Yandle shot264345545-9111032641

Player-by Player data:

PlayerOverallEven StrengthES Close
ForAgainstDiffTOIForAgainstDiffTOIForAgainstDiff
Franson913-423:0266016:01642
Granberg36-312:0323-109:0623-1
Lupul31210:3021108:5501-1
Booth15-407:1002-204:4002-2
Van Riemsdyk87121:4365116:55550
Smith01-106:5601-104:3801-1
Holland24-215:3801-111:36000
Santorelli45-113:5845-113:04431
Winnik412-816:1147-310:55440
Bozak85321:3663316:46532
Kadri712-518:1467-115:1545-1
Rielly64222:3254120:3424-2
Polak28-620:2724-215:2023-1
Komarov14-312:4901-110:16000
Gardiner76118:2366016:2334-1
Holzer39-619:4634-114:59330
Clarkson32113:1720211:33000
Kessel88020:4165116:16550
Bernier1624-857:081213-143:12910-1

It was another solid offensive game for Tyler Bozak, who finished at a team-high +3. The only other forwards who ended up above even were Kessel and Van Riemsdyk, along with David Clarkson, who was part of a third line that was quiet. The big three forwards got the softest zone starts on the team, so perhaps it’s not a surprise that they ended up in the positive. Nazem Kadri and Mike Santorelli ended up close to even, while Daniel Winnik was even at ES Close, but dropped to -3 at ES overall, as his third period was poor. David Booth played under five minutes, but finished a -2, one of the team’s lowest. Joffrey Lupul returned, but had very little offensive impact in his nine minutes of ES ice time.

Korbinian Holzer, had another decent game, getting the toughest zone starts, but doing well with them, finishing even at ES Close. Cody Franson also did well in the continued absence of Dion Phaneuf, and was tied with Bozak, +2 at ES Close. Morgan Rielly stepped up his offensive game while the Leafs were behind in the third, as he and Jake Gardiner were the best on the back end at driving chances in that time frame.

Cumulative numbers this season:

OverallPos#Even StrengthES Close
ForAgainst%TOIForAgainst%
WinnikF4817719447.7%13:01968752.5%
KomarovF311029452.0%12:09545350.5%
FransonD4826328148.3%15:5815615949.5%
KadriF4823725648.1%14:4614114449.5%
ClarksonF5018919848.8%12:229710348.5%
BernierG3649157646.0%45:1330034246.7%
PhaneufD4826731745.7%17:0516018346.6%
GardinerD4722325846.4%17:0812214545.7%
KesselF5027432445.8%15:1016219545.4%
PolakD4019625543.5%17:5011614045.3%
RiellyD4925730345.9%16:1313516345.3%
PanikF449310646.7%08:58556745.1%
LupulF2712214945.0%13:36658044.8%
BozakF5026029946.5%15:0314117444.8%
SantorelliF5019123145.3%13:5010212844.3%
SmithF34708345.8%08:36395143.3%
Van RiemsdykF5024632842.9%14:5914619642.7%
ReimerG1924131043.7%42:4311216440.6%
HollandF4010616239.6%11:34568340.3%
RobidasD3814519642.5%15:077211837.9%
HolzerD218311841.3%15:32467837.1%
BoothF28427436.2%08:49254734.7%

The returning Lupul will try and re-capture his form from early in the season, when he was one of the top Leafs. On his first return from injury, he was disappointing, but is just getting back into game action (with minimal practice time) after a long layoff. Toronto will need him to return to early season form if they want to get some of their scoring depth back.