Game 30 Scoring Chances: Maple Leafs 4 vs. Kings 3 (SO)

Through the first half of this game, the Leafs looked in great shape, especially given it was the second half of a back-to-back; they had a 2-0 lead, and were roughly even with the defending Stanley Cup champions in chances.

They seemed to hit a wall late in the second, though, as the Kings generated six straight chances, including two goals. That continued in the third, with Los Angeles going into the lead, and it seemed like that might be it for Toronto’s hopes in this game. However, instead of folding, the Maple Leafs showed some great resilience, as they turned the tables on LA, getting back level on the powerplay, and dominating the last 15 minutes of regulation, allowing LA just two chances in that time. They held on for a shoot-out, and for the second time this week, James Reimer was able to earn them a second point and a win.

Status	Overall			Even Strength			ES Close
Team	TOR	LAK	%	TOR	LAK	%	TOR	LAK	%
1	7	10	41.2%	4	6	40.0%	4	6	40.0%
2	5	10	33.3%	5	10	33.3%	0	4	0.0%
3	10	4	71.4%	5	4	55.6%	3	4	42.9%
4	0	1	0.0%	0	1	0.0%	0	1	0.0%
Total	22	25	46.8%	14	21	40.0%	7	15	31.8%

After their struggles late in the second, the Leafs were far behind in chances both at ES and overall, but the third period got them close to level overall. That second was such a drag on their numbers, though, that at ES the Kings had more chances by a clear margin.

Club	St	P	Time	TSc	Osc	Note	Toronto						Los Angeles
TOR	ES	1	19:36	0	0	Santorelli wraparound	25	26	43	3	4	34	11	77	23	6	8	32
TOR	PP	1	17:58	0	0	Van Riemsdyk deflects Franson shot wide	42	81	21	3	4	34	11	23	2	3	32	-
TOR	PP	1	17:45	0	0	Franson from loose puck	42	81	21	3	4	34	11	23	2	3	32	-
TOR	PP	1	17:24	0	0	Bozak from Kessel	42	81	21	3	4	34	11	23	2	3	32	-
TOR	ES	1	17:00	0	0	Gardiner wide from Kadri	43	19	71	44	51	34	10	73	70	8	44	32
LAK	ES	1	16:49	0	0	Richards drives	43	19	71	44	51	34	10	73	70	8	44	32
LAK	ES	1	16:47	0	0	Doughty wide from rebound of Richards shot	43	19	71	44	51	34	10	73	70	6	8	32
TOR	ES	1	12:34	0	0	Bozak wide from Kessel	42	81	21	3	4	34	28	12	14	27	44	32
LAK	SH	1	10:55	0	0	Carter wide from Doughty	26	42	3	4	34	-	11	77	23	6	8	32
LAK	SH	1	09:45	0	0	Toffoli from Martinez	24	25	12	55	34	-	10	73	70	3	27	32
LAK	SH	1	09:20	0	0	Martinez wide from Richards	24	25	12	55	34	-	10	73	70	3	27	32
LAK	ES	1	08:15	0	0	Williams wraparound	24	19	71	12	44	34	28	12	14	6	8	32
LAK	ES	1	08:10	0	0	Stoll from loose puck	42	81	21	12	44	34	28	12	14	2	3	32
LAK	ES	1	08:08	0	0	Gaborik from rebound of Stoll shot	42	81	21	12	44	34	28	12	14	2	3	32
TOR	ES	1	06:00	0	0	GOAL! Santorelli wraparound	25	26	43	51	55	34	11	73	70	2	3	32
LAK	ES	1	03:57	1	0	Lewis from loose puck	43	18	20	3	4	34	22	13	74	2	3	32
LAK	SH	1	02:11	1	0	Gaborik from Martinez	25	21	12	51	34	-	28	12	14	3	27	32
TOR	ES	2	18:31	2	0	Holland drives wide	24	19	71	12	44	34	10	73	70	6	8	32
LAK	ES	2	16:15	2	0	Gaborik wraparound	42	81	21	51	55	34	28	12	14	27	44	32
TOR	ES	2	14:43	2	0	Lupul wide from Kadri	43	19	3	4	34	-	11	77	6	8	32	-
LAK	ES	2	12:03	2	0	King drives	25	26	43	12	44	34	22	70	74	2	3	32
TOR	ES	2	11:25	2	0	Panik deflects Booth shot	23	18	20	44	55	34	22	70	74	2	3	32
TOR	ES	2	11:22	2	0	Smith from rebound of Panik shot	23	18	20	44	55	34	22	70	74	2	3	32
LAK	ES	2	09:52	2	0	Carter from faceoff	42	81	21	51	55	34	11	77	23	3	8	32
LAK	ES	2	07:57	2	0	Pearson wide from Richards	24	19	71	12	44	34	10	70	74	27	44	32
TOR	ES	2	06:42	2	0	Van Riemsdyk wraparound	42	81	21	51	55	34	28	12	14	6	8	32
LAK	ES	2	05:58	2	0	Williams deflects Regher shot wide	42	81	21	51	55	34	28	12	14	27	44	32
LAK	ES	2	03:58	2	0	GOAL! Williams drives	24	19	71	51	55	34	22	14	13	27	44	32
LAK	ES	2	02:58	2	1	Richards wide from loose puck	24	19	71	3	55	34	10	14	23	8	44	32
LAK	ES	2	02:46	2	1	Brown drives wide	24	19	71	3	55	34	10	77	23	27	44	32
LAK	ES	2	00:24	2	1	Martinez wide from Pearson	42	81	21	3	4	34	28	70	74	27	44	32
LAK	ES	2	00:14	2	1	GOAL! King drives	42	81	21	3	4	34	28	70	74	27	44	32
LAK	ES	3	18:59	2	2	Gaborik from Williams	42	81	21	51	55	34	28	12	14	27	44	32
LAK	ES	3	18:58	2	2	GOAL! Gaborik from rebound	42	81	21	51	55	34	28	12	14	27	44	32
TOR	ES	3	15:19	2	3	Clarkson from loose puck	24	19	71	3	4	34	28	12	14	27	44	32
TOR	ES	3	14:39	2	3	Kessel drives	42	81	21	3	4	34	10	70	74	27	44	32
TOR	PP	3	11:11	2	3	GOAL! Van Riemsdyk from Franson	42	81	21	3	4	34	28	77	8	44	32	-
LAK	ES	3	10:50	3	3	Carter from Kopitar	25	26	43	3	4	34	11	77	23	6	8	32
TOR	ES	3	10:36	3	3	Winnik from Kadri	25	26	43	3	4	34	11	77	23	6	8	32
LAK	ES	3	10:11	3	3	Gaborik from Stoll	24	25	19	3	4	34	28	12	14	8	44	32
TOR	ES	3	09:43	3	3	Lupul drives	24	19	71	51	55	34	28	12	14	27	44	32
TOR	ES	3	05:08	3	3	Kadri drives	25	26	43	3	4	34	11	77	23	6	8	32
TOR	PP	3	04:36	3	3	Phaneuf from Van Riemsdyk	42	81	21	3	4	34	11	23	8	44	32	-
TOR	PP	3	04:08	3	3	Bozak from Van Riemsdyk	42	81	21	3	4	34	28	74	2	3	32	-
TOR	PP	3	03:47	3	3	Bozak from Kessel	42	81	21	3	4	34	28	74	2	3	32	-
TOR	PP	3	03:42	3	3	Bozak from rebound	42	81	21	3	4	34	28	74	2	3	32	-
LAK	ES	4	02:54	3	3	Doughty drives	43	21	3	4	34	-	11	14	6	8	32	-

Player-by Player data:

Player	Overall				Even Strength				ES Close
	For	Against	Diff	TOI	For	Against	Diff	TOI	For	Against	Diff
Phaneuf	15	9	6	25:05	7	8	-1	20:36	4	8	-4
Franson	15	7	8	23:51	7	6	1	18:43	4	6	-2
Robidas	1	8	-7	19:04	1	5	-4	16:41	0	3	-3
Panik	2	1	1	08:53	2	1	1	08:53	0	1	-1
Lupul	5	8	-3	13:52	5	8	-3	13:09	2	6	-4
Booth	2	1	1	09:12	2	1	1	09:12	0	1	-1
Van Riemsdyk	11	11	0	18:46	3	10	-7	14:14	1	7	-6
Smith	2	0	2	08:51	2	0	2	08:51	0	0	0
Holland	3	8	-5	15:30	3	6	-3	13:13	1	4	-3
Santorelli	4	6	-2	19:29	4	3	1	17:33	4	2	2
Winnik	4	3	1	18:39	4	2	2	16:41	4	1	3
Bozak	11	10	1	19:52	3	9	-6	15:45	1	6	-5
Kadri	6	6	0	20:20	6	6	0	19:37	5	5	0
Rielly	4	7	-3	18:05	4	7	-3	17:22	1	5	-4
Gardiner	4	9	-5	22:50	4	8	-4	20:49	3	4	-1
Holzer	5	10	-5	21:15	5	8	-3	19:43	2	4	-2
Clarkson	4	7	-3	11:40	4	7	-3	11:03	2	5	-3
Kessel	11	9	2	18:46	3	9	-6	15:15	1	6	-5
Reimer	22	25	-3	65:00	14	21	-7	56:52	7	15	-8

After the game, I took a look at the player numbers, and was really surprised by what I saw, particularly from the top line. I had thought they had a solid night, but at ES all three ended up with big negative chance numbers, the worst on the team. The key was the powerplay, where they generated a ton of chances. I have all three at 8 PP chances in under 4 minutes, which is impressive. Their ES numbers being so low is partly down to usage. Normally the top line doesn’t get such defensive zone starts as they did tonight, with Bozak being the most D-zone heavy player on the team. It was another good night for the second line, with Winnik leading the team as a +3 at ES Close, and Santorelli not far behind. They did well in their match-ups with Kopitar’s line, getting the better of the Slovenian in chances. Clarkson, Holland and Lupul were out-chanced at ES, while the fourth line went back to a much more normal performance, after their brilliant game last night.

Like the top line, Phaneuf and Franson faced tough zone starts, and while Phaneuf’s ES Close numbers are bad, the worst of the defence at -4, they both ended up near even at ES overall, so, on balance, not a bad night. The other defencemen weren’t a lot better, as all four of them ended up at least -3 at ES overall. For Gardiner and Holzer, a lot of their troubles came when the Leafs were up 2-0 in the second, so their ES Close numbers are OK. Rielly and Robidas were both poor in the first period, but then managed to hold their own in the remainder of the game.

Cumulative numbers this season:

Overall	Pos	#	Even Strength				ES Close
			For	Against	%	TOI	For	Against	%
Smith	F	15	27	25	51.9%	07:43	15	12	55.6%
Winnik	F	28	92	105	46.7%	12:11	55	46	54.5%
Franson	D	28	161	145	52.6%	15:44	93	82	53.1%
Panik	F	27	52	52	50.0%	08:27	35	31	53.0%
Clarkson	F	30	118	125	48.6%	12:23	66	60	52.4%
Kadri	F	30	145	157	48.0%	14:13	90	89	50.3%
Komarov	F	23	78	73	51.7%	12:32	39	40	49.4%
Phaneuf	D	30	177	195	47.6%	17:18	111	117	48.7%
Rielly	D	29	142	166	46.1%	15:11	79	86	47.9%
Bernier	G	22	285	334	46.0%	44:42	173	203	46.0%
Lupul	F	18	75	96	43.9%	13:59	42	50	45.7%
Booth	F	9	17	23	42.5%	09:39	10	12	45.5%
Polak	D	21	89	128	41.0%	17:41	56	69	44.8%
Kessel	F	30	158	189	45.5%	14:29	92	116	44.2%
Reimer	G	11	144	185	43.8%	43:42	72	91	44.2%
Bozak	F	30	144	174	45.3%	14:41	80	107	42.8%
Holland	F	30	80	118	40.4%	11:05	42	57	42.4%
Van Riemsdyk	F	30	146	195	42.8%	14:39	86	117	42.4%
Santorelli	F	30	105	124	45.9%	13:26	55	75	42.3%
Leivo	F	8	18	21	46.2%	07:33	11	15	42.3%
Gardiner	D	28	116	157	42.5%	16:57	63	86	42.3%
Robidas	D	29	113	146	43.6%	15:04	57	87	39.6%
Percy	D	8	26	41	38.8%	14:54	14	22	38.9%
Holzer	D	9	34	61	35.8%	16:13	16	37	30.2%

Daniel Winnik moves up to second on the team at ES Close after another good game. After a strong start to his return from injury, Lupul has had some tough games, and continues to drift downwards.