Game 42 Scoring Chances: Maple Leafs 5 vs. Blue Jackets 2

The Toronto Maple Leafs had their first victory in the post-Carlyle era, as a great opening period powered them past the Columbus Blue Jackets.

In that twenty minutes, they went out to a 4-1 lead that they never seriously looked like relinquishing. Toronto were even with the Blue Jackets in ES chances in the period, but got a pair of power-play goals and another off a Columbus leg to earn that lead. Despite trailing, the Blue Jackets were only even with the Leafs in chances the rest of the way, and couldn’t get closer than a two goal deficit.

Status	Overall			Even Strength			ES Close
Team	TOR	CBJ	%	TOR	CBJ	%	TOR	CBJ	%
1	11	4	73.3%	4	4	50.0%	4	2	66.7%
2	3	6	33.3%	3	5	37.5%	0	0	-
3	6	4	60.0%	6	4	60.0%	0	0	-
Total	20	14	58.8%	13	13	50.0%	4	2	66.7%

It’s way too early to draw any conclusions, but there have been positives in the two games the Leafs have played under Horachek. This game was one of the best defensive efforts Toronto has had this season, which is heartening, given how long they were defending the lead. They also had a great short-handed effort late, when the Blue Jackets threatened to cut down the deficit with the extra man.

Club	St	P	Time	TSc	Osc	Note	Toronto						Columbus
TOR	ES	1	17:19	0	0	Smith wide from Booth	23	40	20	3	4	45	19	43	71	4	21	72
TOR	ES	1	16:58	0	0	Van Riemsdyk from Kadri	23	18	21	3	4	45	19	43	71	7	58	72
TOR	ES	1	16:54	0	0	Panik from Van Riemsdyk	23	18	21	3	4	45	19	43	71	7	58	72
CBJ	ES	1	16:45	0	0	GOAL! Johansen drives	43	18	21	3	4	45	19	43	71	7	58	72
TOR	PP	1	14:17	0	1	Van Riemsdyk wide from rebound of Kessel shot	42	81	21	3	4	45	17	11	7	58	72	-
TOR	PP	1	14:10	0	1	Van Riemsdyk wide from loose puck	42	81	21	3	4	45	17	11	7	58	72	-
TOR	PP	1	14:08	0	1	Bozak from rebound of Franson shot	42	81	21	3	4	45	17	11	7	58	72	-
CBJ	ES	1	09:14	1	1	Calvert deflects Wisnewski shot wide	23	26	40	12	51	45	17	13	11	4	21	72
TOR	ES	1	05:28	1	1	GOAL! Winnik from Bozak	26	42	81	44	46	45	17	13	11	4	21	72
TOR	PP	1	03:51	2	1	Kessel from Van Riemsdyk	42	81	21	3	4	45	17	55	51	72	-	-
TOR	PP	1	03:41	2	1	Van Rimesdyk from rebound of Phaneuf shot	42	81	21	3	4	45	17	55	51	72	-	-
TOR	PP	1	03:29	2	1	GOAL! Kessel from Van Riemsdyk	42	81	21	3	4	45	17	55	51	72	-	-
TOR	PP	1	02:37	3	1	GOAL! Van Riemsdyk from Kessel	42	81	21	3	4	45	41	71	21	51	72	-
CBJ	ES	1	02:06	4	1	Atkinson wide from rebound of Wisniewski shot	43	18	21	3	12	45	19	13	43	4	21	72
CBJ	ES	1	01:44	4	1	Johnson drives	43	47	71	3	4	45	17	37	9	7	58	72
CBJ	SH	2	16:17	4	1	GOAL! Johansen from Savard	25	20	3	4	45	-	19	43	71	7	58	72
TOR	ES	2	14:58	4	2	Kessel drives	26	42	81	44	46	45	55	40	9	4	21	72
CBJ	ES	2	13:12	4	2	Foligno drives	25	47	18	44	46	45	17	43	71	7	51	72
CBJ	ES	2	13:02	4	2	Goloubef wide from Foligno	25	47	18	44	46	45	17	43	71	29	51	72
TOR	ES	2	09:59	4	2	Kadri from loose puck	43	47	18	3	4	45	55	40	9	29	51	72
CBJ	ES	2	08:59	4	2	Foligno wide from Connauton	26	42	81	44	46	45	19	11	71	4	21	72
CBJ	ES	2	02:04	4	2	Morin wide from rebound of Dubinsky shot	26	42	81	44	46	45	17	13	9	7	58	72
CBJ	ES	2	01:58	4	2	Savard wide from loose puck	26	42	81	44	46	45	17	13	9	7	58	72
TOR	ES	2	01:46	4	2	Rielly from Kessel	26	42	81	44	46	45	17	13	9	7	51	72
TOR	ES	3	18:07	4	2	Santorelli drives	25	47	71	12	51	45	37	41	10	4	21	72
CBJ	ES	3	15:26	4	2	Wennberg drives wide	26	42	81	12	51	45	37	41	10	7	58	72
TOR	ES	3	13:27	4	2	Bozak deflects Rielly shot	26	42	81	44	46	45	17	13	9	7	58	72
CBJ	ES	3	12:07	4	2	Atkinson deflects Goloubef shot wide	26	42	81	44	46	45	17	13	9	29	51	72
CBJ	ES	3	11:26	4	2	Johansen wide from Hartnell	43	18	21	44	46	45	19	43	71	4	21	72
TOR	ES	3	09:44	4	2	Santorelli drives	25	47	71	44	46	45	41	9	11	29	51	72
TOR	ES	3	07:47	4	2	Komarov drives	25	47	71	12	51	45	41	9	11	4	21	72
TOR	ES	3	06:24	4	2	Kessel drives	26	42	81	44	46	45	17	37	13	29	51	72
TOR	ES	3	04:17	4	2	Panik from Bozak	26	42	18	3	4	45	19	41	71	21	58	72
CBJ	ES	3	03:53	4	2	Hartnell from Savard	43	18	21	3	4	45	19	43	71	7	58	72

Player-by Player data:

Player	Overall				Even Strength				ES Close
	For	Against	Diff	TOI	For	Against	Diff	TOI	For	Against	Diff
Phaneuf	12	5	7	23:08	5	4	1	16:58	3	1	2
Franson	12	4	8	19:55	5	3	2	14:43	3	1	2
Robidas	2	3	-1	16:30	2	3	-1	14:26	0	1	-1
Panik	4	6	-2	17:40	4	6	-2	16:27	2	1	1
Booth	1	1	0	08:06	1	0	1	06:10	1	0	1
Van Riemsdyk	9	4	5	19:31	2	4	-2	14:56	2	1	1
Smith	3	1	2	06:56	3	1	2	06:37	3	1	2
Santorelli	3	3	0	12:10	3	2	1	11:32	0	0	0
Winnik	6	6	0	17:36	6	6	0	16:30	1	1	0
Bodie	1	1	0	05:08	1	1	0	05:08	1	1	0
Bozak	13	5	8	22:23	6	5	1	16:51	1	0	1
Kadri	1	5	-4	17:23	1	5	-4	16:10	0	1	-1
Rielly	6	7	-1	21:41	6	7	-1	20:31	1	0	1
Polak	6	7	-1	22:23	6	7	-1	20:19	1	0	1
Komarov	4	3	1	15:16	4	3	1	13:48	0	0	0
Gardiner	2	2	0	16:22	2	2	0	15:02	0	1	-1
Clarkson	3	1	2	13:40	3	1	2	12:27	0	0	0
Kessel	12	5	7	21:00	5	5	0	16:25	1	0	1
Bernier	20	14	6	60:00	13	13	0	51:00	4	2	2

It was a tough night for Nazem Kadri, who was the worst Leaf in chances, -4 at even strength. The top line was able to stay even, and was the best unit at generating chances, as Daniel Winnik fit in well with Bozak and Kessel. The top line also produced all of the goals, either at even strength or with the extra man. Trevor Smith had a good game, the only Leaf forward to finish at +2 ES Close. David Clarkson and Leo Komarov also had solid, positive games, along with Mike Santorelli. Richard Panik and James Van Riemsdyk were, other than Kadri, the Leafs to finish below -1, as that line wasn’t particularly effective . In his season debut, after playing more than 40 games last year, Troy Bodie finished an even in five minutes of ice time.

Phaneuf and Franson had another solid game, the best in terms of chances on the defence. Polak and Rielly were given the toughest zone starts, and were on for a lot of chances against, but both were nearly even in 20 ES minutes, a pair of solid performances. Jake Gardiner was fairly quiet, while Stephane Robidas, despite easy zone starts, finished in the negative, another disappointing game.

Cumulative numbers this season:

Overall	Pos	#	Even Strength				ES Close
			For	Against	%	TOI	For	Against	%
Winnik	F	40	132	153	46.3%	12:27	73	67	52.1%
Franson	D	40	223	225	49.8%	15:55	133	125	51.6%
Kadri	F	40	190	210	47.5%	14:30	115	116	49.8%
Komarov	F	28	96	89	51.9%	12:32	48	49	49.5%
Clarkson	F	42	162	177	47.8%	12:37	86	92	48.3%
Phaneuf	D	42	234	277	45.8%	17:16	145	161	47.4%
Panik	F	37	75	85	46.9%	08:40	46	52	46.9%
Bernier	G	30	417	488	46.1%	45:42	246	285	46.3%
Smith	F	26	54	61	47.0%	08:22	31	36	46.3%
Rielly	D	41	206	249	45.3%	15:39	109	130	45.6%
Kessel	F	42	229	274	45.5%	14:58	138	165	45.5%
Lupul	F	26	120	148	44.8%	13:46	65	79	45.1%
Gardiner	D	39	180	225	44.4%	17:05	101	126	44.5%
Polak	D	32	152	209	42.1%	17:46	91	114	44.4%
Bozak	F	42	215	259	45.4%	14:55	120	152	44.1%
Van Riemsdyk	F	42	205	276	42.6%	14:51	123	162	43.2%
Santorelli	F	42	155	196	44.2%	13:32	83	111	42.8%
Reimer	G	16	195	269	42.0%	42:40	102	144	41.5%
Holland	F	38	106	159	40.0%	11:29	56	82	40.6%
Robidas	D	36	138	189	42.2%	15:07	68	114	37.4%
Booth	F	21	33	55	37.5%	09:10	19	35	35.2%
Holzer	D	16	65	102	38.9%	16:10	34	65	34.3%

A good game from Trevor Smith sees him move up; he’s been a surprisingly effective forward for the last few weeks.