In their first game back since the All Star break, the Maple Leafs showed the type of defensive effort that new coach Peter Horachek has been looking for.
While their offensive struggles continued in New Jersey, they had one of their best defensive games of the season. They held the Devils to only three ES chances in the first two periods and the game was up for grabs heading into the final twenty minutes. James van Riemsdyk put them ahead in the third, and they seemed well placed to hold the lead, until a bad icing was followed by a shot from Larsson finding its way through. Still, the Leafs made it to an extra period, breaking a six game pointless streak. They had a couple of good chances there, but the game ended up in a shootout, and it was a 7th straight Leaf defeat.
Toronto had ten minutes of power-play time, and weren’t able to get a goal with the extra man, despite a raft of chances. That failure cost them a win in a game in which they otherwise played well and were the odds-on favorites in Canadian sports betting.
Player-by Player data:
Leo Komarov returned, as did Peter Holland, but the most effective of the forwards was Nazem Kadri, who ended up a +3 at ES Close. Holland actually ended up in the negative in his fifteen minutes, not on for a single Leaf ES chance. This may be down to having the hardest zone starts on the team, although Kadri’s were not much easier. Phil Kessel had a solid game, as did Van Riemsdyk and Bozak, with all three excellent on the power-play, along with Kadri. Komarov ended up even in his return to action, and the bottom two lines were quiet.
Roman Polak had a great game, as despite having the hardest zone starts on the defence, he ended up a +4, tied with Jake Gardiner for the best number on the team. Morgan Rielly has seen his minutes go up under Horachek, and tonight was another example, as he was a +3 in 20 ES minutes, and had a spectacular shift in overtime. Korbinian Holzer and Petter Granberg both drew into the lineup, Granberg for his first game of the season, and both ended up even, though the Swede played sparingly. Cody Franson also ended up at even, as the defence looked solid without Dion Phaneuf.
Cumulative numbers this season:
Komarov has been one of the best Leafs this season in chances, and his return bodes well for the forward depth that’s been so poor over the last couple of weeks. After starting the season poorly, Jake Gardiner — who played a whopping 26 minutes tonight in Phaneuf’s absence — has gradually climbed up the rankings, and is now the #2 defenceman in terms of ES overall chances, behind Franson.
