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The Leafs had a great start to this game but Florida had a strong response, finishing the first period even in chances, and getting a goal in the last twenty seconds of the period.

In the second, Toronto again started well, and a power-play goal got them back on even terms. However, Florida got a power-play goal of their own, and despite having the better of the chances after two periods, the Leafs went into the third trailing. That’s when things got strange. Florida had already pulled Luongo, who left the rink and went to the hospital for examination, when Al Montoya was hurt on a Nazem Kadri goal. Montoya was forced to stay in, and Toronto managed three chances and a goal during the ten minute period until Luongo could return. Florida, now chasing the game, struggled to generate much at even strength in the least ten minutes, but had several chances on the power-play and with their net empty, which Bernier was able to turn aside.

StatusOverallEven StrengthES Close
TeamTORFLA%TORFLA%TORFLA%
110855.6%9852.9%9852.9%
27750.0%4357.1%4357.1%
34930.8%4357.1%3260.0%
Total212446.7%171454.8%161355.2%

It was a solid road game for the Leafs, who got the better of a fast-paced first period, and then managed to tighten things up considerably at ES in the final two periods.

ClubStPTimeTScOscNoteTorontoFlorida
TORES118:1900Holland drives2419201233452173125511
TORES118:0100Lindstrom from loose puck1522231233451719825511
TORES117:2100Lindstrom from Komarov154718351451117823721
TORES117:2000Lindstrom from rebound154718351451117823721
TORPP116:2100Kessel drives4281213444519367441-
FLAES114:4600Jagr wide from Huberdeau2318201233451116687441
FLAES114:4200Jagr from loose puck2318201233451116687441
FLAES114:4100Huberdeau from rebound of Jagr shot2318201233451116687441
FLAES110:3100Jagr wide from Huberdeau152223351451116685511
FLAES108:1600Kopecky deflects Petrovic shot post241920351451719823721
FLAES106:5400Jagr wide from Huberdeau4347184446451116685511
TORES106:0500Smith drives1522231233452173127441
TORES106:0400Smith from rebound1522231233452173127441
TORES105:0200Booth drives241920351452724365511
TORES104:3500Komarov wide from loose puck2447204446451116245511
FLAES103:0900Huberdeau from Jagr4281211233451116687441
TORES102:1400Kessel from loose puck2442811233451719825511
FLAES100:1800GOAL! Pirri from Hayes428121346452173127441
TORPP215:2101Kessel from Rielly42812134445178274435-
TORPP215:2001GOAL! Bozak from rebound of Kessel shot42812134445178274435-
TORES213:4511Holland from Lupul2419203514511216837235
TORES209:5811Komarov from loose puck4347183124521731274435
FLAES209:3511Kopecky from loose puck24192044464517198255135
FLAES209:3211Mackenzie from rebound of Kopecky shot24192044464517198255135
TORSH208:1011Smith from Phaneuf234731245-732468365135
FLASH207:2611Bjugstad from Ekblad2418444645-11162712535
FLASH207:2511Hayes from rebound of Bjugstad shot2418444645-11162712535
TORES206:0812Booth drives2419203514517198237235
FLASH205:0412Hayes drives wide182034645-11162712535
FLASH204:5812Huberdeau from Ekblad182034645-11162712535
FLAES200:4912Gudbranson from Hayes2419203514521731274435
TORES200:0512Komarov from rebound of Phaneuf shot4347183514511166855135
TORES319:3812GOAL! Kadri from loose puck4347183514511166855135
FLAES318:0422Jagr wide from Huberdeau4318193514511166835135
FLAES318:0322Barkov from loose puck4318193514511166835135
TORES316:4522Sill from rebound of Lindstrom shot15222333464527243674435
TORES314:3422Booth drives24192044464527243637235
TORES314:3222GOAL! Holland from Booth24192044464527243637235
FLAES312:1632Huberdeau wraparound wide42812144464511166874435
FLASH308:4932Hayes deflects Huberdeau shot232034645-1116271251
FLASH307:5432Pirri wide from Boyes4718123345-73246836511
FLASH307:2332Jokinen from rebound of Pirri shot4718123345-73246836511
FLASH307:1432Jagr from Jokinen4718123345-73246836511
FLAEN300:5532Hayes deflects Jagr shot42471831245111673126836
FLAEN300:2232Jagr from Barkov42471831245111621731268

Player-by-Player data:

PlayerOverallEven StrengthES Close
ForAgainstDiffTOIForAgainstDiffTOIForAgainstDiff
Phaneuf1211125:0386220:17761
Robidas79-217:5364215:34642
Lindstrom61507:0461507:04615
Panik515-1020:4756-116:4246-2
Lupul66015:3766014:51660
Booth710-316:4477014:59770
Van Riemsdyk33014:3303-312:2602-2
Sill41306:1241306:12413
Smith55010:0544008:09440
Holland86215:2684413:19844
Erixon67-115:5264214:02642
Bozak45-116:2213-213:4912-1
Kadri33017:3233016:4623-1
Rielly66019:3034-116:01330
Polak410-620:5445-117:22440
Komarov76118:2961515:34514
Gardiner75219:4775219:01651
Kessel43116:1913-214:1212-1
Bernier2124-360:001714351:1616133

With Olli Jokinen moved out, there were some minutes available at centre ice, and Peter Holland took good advantage, with one of his strongest games of the season. He was on for eight Leaf ES chances, and was a +4. Also very strong was Leaf debutant Joakim Lindstrom, the former Blue acquired in that Jokinen trade, who was a team best +5 at ES Close. Leo Komarov, the third member of that line, also had a good night. The top line were really quiet, as all three were in the negative in terms of chances, but were only on for two against at ES Close. David Booth, playing against his old team, had a busy game, finishing even, but on for a lot of chances either way, as was Joffrey Lupul. Zach Sill had the easiest zone starts on the team, but was effective, a +3 in chances.

Tim Erixon made his Leafs debut, getting the easiest zone starts on the defence while also leading the defence in chance differential, finishing at +2, level with Stephane Robidas, who also had fairly easy minutes. Dion Phaneuf was busy, as always, but was positive in 20 ES minutes. Jake Gardiner also played a lot, and ended up with similar numbers to Phaneuf. Rielly and Polak were even at ES Close, despite fairly tough zone starts.

Cumulative numbers this season:

OverallPos#Even StrengthES Close
ForAgainst%TOIForAgainst%
KadriF6230531749.0%14:5818417551.3%
PolakD5427433944.7%18:0517118448.2%
GardinerD6130332448.3%17:3817318847.9%
RiellyD6334238047.4%16:4819020747.9%
PanikF5814816247.7%09:53869447.8%
KomarovF4513914049.8%11:58748147.7%
BernierG4460368546.8%45:3537541147.7%
PhaneufD5228533945.7%17:0717219447.0%
LupulF3715919944.4%13:369210446.9%
KesselF6433538446.6%14:5819923845.5%
BozakF6431536546.3%14:4717621844.7%
SmithF408910246.6%08:35526644.1%
Van RiemsdykF6430139243.4%14:4818023943.0%
HollandF5414020640.5%11:217810542.6%
ReimerG2633041244.5%43:1116422342.4%
BoothF419111943.3%09:30527540.9%
RobidasD5119026142.1%14:449216036.5%

I reset the table to remove the players no longer in the Leafs organization, which serves to emphasize how effective the young defencemen have been, as Rielly and Gardiner are in the top four. They have tended to get relatively easy minutes, compared to Polak and Phaneuf, but that has changed somewhat in the Horachek era, and yet they are still playing well. Peter Holland is also on a solid run, as in the last few games he has managed to pull his numbers up, getting above 40% at ES overall. He’s still the worst regular in that metric, but it’s good to see that improvement.