Game 24 Scoring Chances: Maple Leafs 5 vs. Stars 3

The Leafs started December with another strong performance, which was similar to their game against the Capitals.

The first period was even in chances at ES, but the Leafs took the lead with a pair of goals, including a very early one from the on-fire Tyler Bozak. A good second period, which has become a consistent thing for the Leafs, saw them extend the lead to 4-1, and they held on in the third for the win.

Status	Overall			Even Strength			ES Close
Team	TOR	DAL	%	TOR	DAL	%	TOR	DAL	%
1	10	8	55.6%	7	6	53.8%	5	6	45.5%
2	14	8	63.6%	7	7	50.0%	0	0	-
3	6	12	33.3%	6	6	50.0%	0	0	-
Total	30	28	51.7%	20	19	51.3%	5	6	45.5%

The game was pretty much even at ES, but the Leafs were vastly superior on special teams, really limiting the Stars power-play, despite Dallas getting over 7 minutes of PP time. The third period saw Dallas get most of the chances, but that was primarily down their push with the goalie out in the last few minutes. Like the Washington game, Toronto scored two while still behind at ES Close, and so remained behind in that category for the game.

Club	St	P	Time	TSc	Osc	Note	Toronto						Washington
TOR	ES	1	19:33	0	0	GOAL! Bozak scores	42	81	21	3	4	45	91	83	14	6	33	32
DAL	ES	1	16:00	1	0	Seguin from faceoff	25	43	19	51	55	45	91	83	14	4	24	32
DAL	ES	1	15:30	1	0	Seguin from Benn	42	81	21	3	4	45	91	83	14	6	33	32
DAL	ES	1	15:25	1	0	Hemsky from Benn	42	81	21	3	4	45	91	83	14	6	33	32
TOR	ES	1	14:46	1	0	Booth drives	23	18	20	51	55	45	10	27	38	3	5	32
TOR	ES	1	14:44	1	0	Panik from rebound of Booth shot	23	18	20	51	55	45	10	27	38	3	5	32
DAL	ES	1	12:40	1	0	Moen deflects Fiddler shot	42	18	21	3	4	45	10	27	38	4	24	32
TOR	EN	1	12:14	1	0	Gardiner post from Smith	23	42	18	20	51	55	10	27	38	3	5	32
TOR	PP	1	12:01	1	0	Bozak from rebound of Kessel shot	42	43	81	21	3	45	16	20	6	33	32	-
DAL	PP	1	11:11	1	0	Benn wide from Benn	42	43	81	21	3	45	18	14	4	24	32	-
TOR	PP	1	11:02	1	0	Kadri wide from Kessel	42	43	81	21	51	45	18	14	6	24	32	-
TOR	ES	1	09:39	1	0	Holland wide from Clarkson	24	26	71	3	55	45	91	83	14	4	5	32
DAL	ES	1	04:57	1	0	Demers from rebound of Seguin shot	25	43	18	3	4	45	90	91	14	4	24	32
DAL	ES	1	04:50	1	0	Demers deflects Benn shot wide	25	43	18	3	4	45	90	91	14	4	24	32
TOR	ES	1	04:44	1	0	GOAL! Kadri from Santorelli	25	43	19	44	51	45	90	91	14	4	24	32
TOR	ES	1	03:54	2	0	Clarkson from Holland	24	26	71	12	55	45	10	16	38	3	33	32
DAL	SH	1	00:54	2	0	Hemsky drives	23	43	12	55	45	-	20	83	72	3	33	32
TOR	ES	1	00:33	2	0	Kadri drives wide	23	43	3	44	51	45	20	83	72	3	33	32
TOR	PP	2	19:23	2	0	Kessel from Phaneuf	42	43	81	21	3	45	21	38	6	33	32	-
TOR	PP	2	19:04	2	0	GOAL! Van Riemsdyk deflects Kessel shot	42	43	81	21	3	45	21	38	6	33	32	-
DAL	ES	2	18:47	3	0	Hemsky from Seguin	25	43	19	4	12	45	91	83	14	3	5	32
TOR	ES	2	17:16	3	0	Panik drives wide	23	18	20	51	55	45	10	27	38	3	5	32
TOR	ES	2	16:08	3	0	Kadri wide from Lupul	43	81	19	4	12	45	16	20	21	6	33	32
DAL	ES	2	14:54	3	0	GOAL! Spezza from Cole	24	26	71	51	55	45	90	18	72	3	5	32
TOR	ES	2	13:55	3	1	Van Riemsdyk from Kessel	42	81	21	12	44	45	10	91	83	3	5	32
TOR	ES	2	13:15	3	1	Kadri drives	25	43	19	51	55	45	90	18	72	4	24	32
TOR	PP	2	11:35	3	1	Kessel post from loose puck	42	81	21	3	4	45	21	38	5	24	32	-
DAL	ES	2	10:45	3	1	Seguin drives	25	43	19	51	55	45	90	91	14	6	33	32
TOR	ES	2	10:31	3	1	Franson from Santorelli	25	43	19	3	4	45	90	91	14	6	33	32
TOR	ES	2	10:29	3	1	Lupul from rebound of Franson shot	25	43	19	3	4	45	90	91	14	6	33	32
DAL	ES	2	09:25	4	1	Spezza from Benn	24	71	20	12	44	45	90	18	72	4	24	32
TOR	ES	2	08:43	4	1	Kadri from Santorelli	25	43	19	4	51	45	10	90	18	4	24	32
DAL	ES	2	04:48	4	1	Benn wraparound	43	81	21	12	44	45	91	14	72	6	33	32
TOR	PP	2	03:12	4	1	Kadri from Kessel	42	43	81	21	3	45	21	38	4	24	32	-
TOR	PP	2	03:09	4	1	Van Riemsdyk from rebound of Kadri shot	42	43	81	21	3	45	21	38	4	24	32	-
DAL	PP	2	02:55	4	1	Benn drives	81	81	21	3	4	45	14	6	33	32	-	-
TOR	PP	2	02:14	4	1	Franson post from Phaneuf	81	81	21	3	4	45	38	6	33	32	-	-
TOR	PP	2	01:31	4	1	Van Riemsdyk deflects Franson shot wide	81	19	21	4	51	45	20	14	6	24	32	-
DAL	ES	2	00:54	4	1	Roussel deflects Demers shot	25	19	71	44	51	45	10	16	21	4	5	32
DAL	ES	2	00:09	4	1	Benn deflects Goligoski shot wide	24	71	20	3	55	45	91	14	72	3	4	32
DAL	ES	3	17:49	4	1	Garbutt deflects Goligoski shot	43	19	4	51	45	-	16	72	3	33	32	-
DAL	ES	3	17:49	4	1	GOAL! Garbutt from rebound	43	19	4	51	45	-	16	72	3	33	32	-
TOR	ES	3	14:40	4	2	GOAL! Lupul from loose puck	25	43	19	51	55	45	83	27	38	4	24	32
TOR	ES	3	14:09	5	2	Kessel from Van Riemsdyk	42	81	21	3	4	45	91	14	72	6	33	32
TOR	ES	3	13:20	5	2	Clarkson from Winnik	24	26	71	12	44	45	10	90	83	3	5	32
TOR	ES	3	10:20	5	2	Holland wide from Van Riemsdyk	23	24	21	44	51	45	16	20	72	6	33	32
TOR	ES	3	08:15	5	2	Gardiner wide from Holland	24	26	71	3	51	45	16	20	21	3	5	32
DAL	ES	3	08:03	5	2	Cole drives	24	26	71	3	51	45	91	21	72	6	33	32
DAL	ES	3	07:55	5	2	Daley wide from loose puck	24	26	71	3	51	45	91	14	72	6	33	32
TOR	ES	3	07:14	5	2	Bozak from Kessel	42	81	21	12	55	45	10	91	72	6	33	32
DAL	ES	3	04:35	5	2	GOAL! Hemsky from Horcoff	42	81	19	3	4	45	10	90	83	3	24	32
DAL	ES	3	03:26	5	3	Eakin wraparound	24	26	71	51	55	45	16	20	21	4	6	32
DAL	EN	3	02:37	5	3	Roussel deflects Spezza shot wide	24	26	71	51	55	45	20	90	21	72	3	33
DAL	EN	3	02:29	5	3	Eakin deflects Spezza shot wide	24	26	71	51	55	45	20	90	21	72	3	33
DAL	EN	3	02:07	5	3	Seguin drives wide	25	26	42	3	4	45	90	91	14	72	3	33
DAL	EN	3	01:47	5	3	Seguin wraparound	25	26	42	3	4	45	90	91	14	72	3	33
DAL	PP	3	00:42	5	3	Garbutt drives	43	81	19	21	4	45	16	20	6	33	32	-
DAL	PP	3	00:06	5	3	Seguin wide from Daley	43	81	19	21	3	45	20	91	72	6	33	-

The player-by-player data:

Player	Overall				Even Strength				ES Close
	For	Against	Diff	TOI	For	Against	Diff	TOI	For	Against	Diff
Phaneuf	14	14	0	26:32	7	9	-2	15:20	2	5	-3
Franson	9	13	-4	22:30	6	9	-3	14:22	1	5	-4
Robidas	5	4	1	15:51	5	3	2	12:51	0	0	0
Panik	4	3	1	05:39	3	3	0	05:39	2	3	-1
Lupul	8	9	-1	14:27	7	7	0	12:02	1	1	0
Booth	4	2	2	06:11	3	2	1	06:11	2	0	2
Van Riemsdyk	14	8	6	21:09	5	4	1	11:31	1	3	-2
Smith	6	1	5	08:15	5	0	5	06:19	2	0	2
Holland	5	8	-3	14:11	5	6	-1	10:52	1	0	1
Santorelli	6	8	-2	15:14	6	6	0	14:02	1	3	-2
Winnik	4	8	-4	17:35	4	4	0	11:40	1	0	1
Bozak	12	7	5	21:33	4	4	0	13:30	1	3	-2
Kadri	14	12	2	17:36	8	8	0	11:45	1	3	-2
Rielly	5	3	2	13:01	5	3	2	12:34	1	0	1
Gardiner	13	11	2	18:34	10	9	1	15:43	3	1	2
Holzer	9	8	1	18:58	8	5	3	14:23	3	1	2
Clarkson	4	9	-5	11:41	4	7	-3	10:53	1	0	1
Kessel	15	9	6	21:05	5	4	1	12:05	1	2	-1
Bernier	29	28	1	59:58	20	19	1	42:31	5	6	-1

While Tyler Bozak has drawn a lot of discussion in the last couple of days, and followed it up with the opening goal, the top line wasn’t the main offensive force tonight, although they did manage to end up around even at ES. Instead, it was Kadri who was the top offensive player, on for 8 Leaf ES chances. Joffrey Lupul seems fully recovered from his injury, as he was a strong offensive player as well. The big surprise was Trevor Smith, who had one of his best games, and wasn’t on for a single Dallas ES chance (a great +5). David Clarkson had the weakest night in terms of chances, despite having the most favourable zone starts of any forward. Several players, including Bozak and Kadri, were in the negative during the early part of the game while it was close, but had improved numbers in the remaining 45 minutes or so of action.

The defence pairings again show how important usage is in assessing performances. While Korbinian Holzer has earned some praise for stepping into Polak’s position, the fact is he hasn’t really replaced Polak. Polak’s hard zone starts and tough minutes have gone primarily to Phaneuf and Franson, who have found themselves buried in zone starts for the last couple of games. Unsurprisingly, this has been reflected in much worse numbers for both; they’ve typically been the leading pairing on the team, but have fallen back substantially, and they were two of just four Leafs that were in the negative at ES tonight. Holzer did have a solid game, leading the defence with a +3 at ES, as he and Gardiner ended up as positives with middle-of-the-road zone starts. Robidas and Rielly also had good numbers, both ending up at +2.

Cumulative numbers this season:

Overall	Pos	#	Even Strength				ES Close
			For	Against	%	TOI	For	Against	%
Lupul	F	12	52	51	50.5%	14:30	29	21	58.0%
Clarkson	F	24	96	91	51.3%	12:30	51	41	55.4%
Reimer	G	9	122	133	47.8%	41:04	59	49	54.6%
Franson	D	22	125	109	53.4%	15:17	71	62	53.4%
Panik	F	21	42	43	49.4%	08:34	28	25	52.8%
Winnik	F	22	66	77	46.2%	11:55	36	33	52.2%
Rielly	D	23	114	122	48.3%	15:00	63	59	51.6%
Kadri	F	24	113	121	48.3%	13:46	67	65	50.8%
Smith	F	10	19	20	48.7%	07:47	9	9	50.0%
Komarov	F	23	78	73	51.7%	12:32	39	40	49.4%
Phaneuf	D	24	140	152	47.9%	16:58	87	91	48.9%
Kessel	F	24	136	147	48.1%	14:38	80	87	47.9%
Bozak	F	24	122	131	48.2%	14:49	68	78	46.6%
Gardiner	D	22	91	103	46.9%	16:28	44	52	45.8%
Holland	F	24	59	81	42.1%	10:32	30	36	45.5%
Polak	D	21	89	128	41.0%	17:41	56	69	44.8%
Bernier	G	18	223	256	46.6%	43:49	132	163	44.7%
Van Riemsdyk	F	24	123	152	44.7%	14:47	71	88	44.7%
Leivo	F	8	18	21	46.2%	07:33	11	15	42.3%
Santorelli	F	24	78	84	48.1%	12:54	35	48	42.2%
Robidas	D	23	92	112	45.1%	15:06	43	63	40.6%
Percy	D	8	26	41	38.8%	14:54	14	22	38.9%

Franson’s tougher minutes see him fall behind Clarkson at ES Close, although he still leads the team at ES Overall. Trevor Smith’s strong game sees him vault way up the table, granted his sample size of chances is still small. Frattin dropped off the bottom, falling under the GP threshold, leaving Percy in last place.