Game 76 Scoring Chances: Maple Leafs 4 vs. Senators 3 (OT)

This was a tight game in chances through two periods, with neither team doing much. A ninety second flurry early in the second featured six chances and two Ottawa Senator goals, putting the Toronto Maple Leafs behind again.

Toronto managed to pull one back in the 3rd, and after an exchange of power-play goals, went into the last eight minutes with a chance to earn something out of the game. For once in this terrible stretch, they actually managed it, Tyler Bozak getting a goal with the Leaf net empty for his first career hat trick, taking the game to overtime. Both teams had good chances in the extra period, and after Bozak just missed out on a 4th, hitting the post, Eric Brewer managed to give the Leafs a win. It may damage the Leafs‘ tanking hopes, but it’s nice to throw a wrench into the Sens’ playoff chase.

Status	Overall			Even Strength			ES Close
Team	TOR	OTT	%	TOR	OTT	%	TOR	OTT	%
1	5	3	62.5%	4	3	57.1%	4	3	57.1%
2	4	5	44.4%	4	5	44.4%	3	3	50.0%
3	8	4	66.7%	4	3	57.1%	0	0	-
4	3	1	75.0%	3	1	75.0%	3	1	75.0%
Total	20	13	60.6%	15	12	55.6%	10	7	58.8%

The Leafs were down by two despite being even in chances after two periods, but a strong finish to the game, and a good overtime period, saw them take a pretty clear chance lead by the end.

Club	St	P	Time	TSc	Osc	Note	Toronto						Ottawa
TOR	ES	1	17:36	0	0	Booth from Smith	15	23	20	25	33	34	15	17	90	5	46	41
OTT	ES	1	16:02	0	0	Stone drives	42	81	21	44	51	34	68	93	61	46	65	41
TOR	PP	1	14:58	0	0	Van Riemsdyk deflects Bozak shot wide	42	81	21	3	51	34	17	61	62	74	41	-
TOR	ES	1	12:50	0	0	Smith wide from Lindstrom	15	23	20	44	51	34	7	61	16	3	65	41
TOR	ES	1	08:46	0	0	Lindstrom penalty shot	15	23	20	25	33	34	27	44	22	5	46	41
OTT	ES	1	04:30	0	0	Chiasson wide from rebound of Gryba shot	22	53	19	44	51	34	15	17	90	62	74	41
TOR	ES	1	03:10	0	0	Kessel wraparound	42	81	21	44	51	34	7	6	61	5	46	41
OTT	ES	1	02:11	0	0	Chiasson from Zibanejad	15	23	20	25	33	34	93	90	16	62	74	41
OTT	ES	2	15:35	0	1	GOAL! Stone from MacArthur	42	81	21	3	51	34	7	61	16	3	65	41
TOR	ES	2	15:12	0	1	Phaneuf from Kadri	43	47	19	2	3	34	68	93	6	3	65	41
OTT	ES	2	15:01	0	1	Smith drives	43	47	19	2	3	34	15	17	90	5	46	41
TOR	ES	2	14:46	0	1	Lindstrom from loose puck	15	23	20	44	51	34	15	17	90	5	46	41
TOR	ES	2	14:31	0	1	Smith wide from Gardiner	15	23	20	44	51	34	15	17	90	5	46	41
OTT	ES	2	14:01	0	1	GOAL! Lazar from Pageau	53	18	20	25	33	34	27	44	22	62	74	41
OTT	ES	2	09:28	0	2	Hoffman wide from Ryan	43	47	19	2	3	34	68	93	6	5	46	41
TOR	ES	2	03:51	0	2	Kadri from Gardiner	43	47	19	44	51	34	93	6	90	62	74	41
OTT	ES	2	03:36	0	2	Zibanejad from loose puck	43	47	19	44	51	34	68	93	6	3	65	41
TOR	ES	3	15:47	0	2	GOAL! Bozak from Van Riemsdyk	42	81	21	2	3	34	7	61	16	62	74	41
OTT	ES	3	15:27	1	2	Methot wide from Ryan	43	47	19	2	3	34	93	6	90	3	65	41
OTT	ES	3	12:36	1	2	MacArthur deflects Stone shot wide	42	81	21	3	44	34	7	61	16	3	65	41
TOR	ES	3	12:19	1	2	Van Riemsdyk drives	42	81	21	2	3	34	93	6	90	3	65	41
OTT	ES	3	12:08	1	2	Methot wide from Ryan	42	81	21	2	3	34	93	6	90	3	65	41
TOR	ES	3	11:32	1	2	Lupul wide from Erixon	43	47	19	25	33	34	15	17	68	5	46	41
OTT	SH	3	10:30	1	3	GOAL! Turris from Legwand	47	20	2	3	34	-	7	17	61	46	65	41
TOR	PP	3	08:31	2	3	GOAL! Bozak from Van Riemsdyk	42	81	21	3	44	34	17	61	62	74	41	-
TOR	PP	3	07:15	2	3	Bozak post from Van Riemsdyk	42	81	21	3	44	34	7	61	62	74	41	-
TOR	ES	3	04:39	2	3	Kessel drives wide	42	81	21	44	51	34	7	61	16	62	74	41
TOR	EN	3	02:00	2	3	Kessel from loose puck	42	43	81	21	3	25	27	44	22	62	74	41
TOR	EN	3	01:24	2	3	GOAL! Bozak from Van Riemsdyk	42	43	81	21	3	44	7	17	61	3	65	41
TOR	ES	4	04:18	3	3	Kessel drives	42	81	2	3	34	-	44	68	3	65	41	-
OTT	ES	4	02:42	3	3	Stone wide from Turris	47	18	25	33	34	-	7	61	3	65	41	-
TOR	ES	4	01:43	3	3	Bozak post from Kessel	42	81	2	3	34	-	68	93	46	65	41	-
TOR	ES	4	01:43	3	3	GOAL! Brewer from rebound of Bozak shot	42	81	2	3	34	-	68	93	46	65	41	-

Player-by-Player data:

Player	Overall				Even Strength				ES Close
	For	Against	Diff	TOI	For	Against	Diff	TOI	For	Against	Diff
Brewer	6	5	1	20:57	6	4	2	20:35	4	1	3
Phaneuf	11	7	4	26:12	6	6	0	22:17	4	2	2
Lindstrom	5	1	4	15:41	5	1	4	14:08	5	1	4
Panik	0	2	-2	12:31	0	2	-2	12:31	0	2	-2
Lupul	3	5	-2	16:48	3	5	-2	15:15	1	2	-1
Booth	5	3	2	16:48	5	2	3	16:39	5	2	3
Van Riemsdyk	9	4	5	20:36	4	4	0	16:50	1	2	-1
Sill	0	1	-1	08:49	0	1	-1	08:49	0	1	-1
Smith	5	1	4	16:23	5	1	4	16:23	5	1	4
Brennan	4	3	1	14:03	3	3	0	12:39	2	3	-1
Erixon	3	3	0	15:43	3	3	0	15:34	2	3	-1
Bozak	12	4	8	19:46	7	4	3	16:07	4	2	2
Kadri	5	4	1	18:23	3	4	-1	16:43	1	1	0
Rielly	9	4	5	26:10	6	4	2	22:59	4	2	2
Komarov	3	6	-3	13:21	3	5	-2	13:12	1	2	-1
Gardiner	7	4	3	23:29	6	4	2	21:34	4	3	1
Carrick	0	2	-2	08:56	0	2	-2	08:56	0	2	-2
Kessel	12	4	8	19:26	7	4	3	15:40	4	2	2
Reimer	18	13	5	62:14	15	12	3	56:46	10	7	3

The top line had one of their strongest games in a while, led by Bozak and Kessel, who both were on for a lot of Leaf chances. They didn’t do much until the third period, but their impact in the frame was a big one, as they powered the Leafs to a victory. This was a common occurrence early in the season, but since the start of 2015, games like this just haven’t happened for the top line. The most effective line before the third period was Smith with Lindstrom and Booth. That line pretty consistently managed to generate offense, and Lindstrom drew a penalty shot, though he didn’t score on it. In his return, Nazem Kadri wasn’t particularly effective. Mostly playing with Komarov and Lupul, he failed to generate a whole lot, and that line all ended up in the negative at ES overall.

Eric Brewer had one of his best games as a Leaf. He scored the winning goal, but also was the best defenceman in terms of chances, despite having the most defensive zone starts on the team. While Brewer getting difficult minutes isn’t new, his numbers have typically been pretty bad, so this was a nice change. Dion Phaneuf also did well, as he also had difficult minutes, but was above even at ES Close. Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner also had good chance numbers, while the third pairing of T.J. Brennan and Tim Erixon, despite getting the easiest zone starts on the back end, were both in the negative at ES Close.

Cumulative numbers this season:

Overall	Pos	#	Even Strength				ES Close
			For	Against	%	TOI	For	Against	%
Lindstrom	F	13	27	30	47.4%	08:14	18	13	58.1%
Kadri	F	67	325	346	48.4%	14:53	193	190	50.4%
Sill	F	15	21	24	46.7%	07:13	10	10	50.0%
Polak	D	56	286	346	45.3%	17:54	174	188	48.1%
Rielly	D	75	411	455	47.5%	16:58	223	246	47.5%
Gardiner	D	73	381	412	48.0%	18:03	206	233	46.9%
Komarov	F	57	181	180	50.1%	11:59	91	104	46.7%
Bernier	G	54	714	836	46.1%	44:14	437	504	46.4%
Panik	F	70	189	210	47.4%	10:16	104	121	46.2%
Phaneuf	D	64	352	427	45.2%	17:11	201	243	45.3%
Smith	F	51	124	143	46.4%	09:21	74	90	45.1%
Kessel	F	76	399	462	46.3%	15:02	222	274	44.8%
Lupul	F	49	196	262	42.8%	13:22	106	134	44.2%
Bozak	F	76	378	443	46.0%	14:50	198	254	43.8%
Reimer	G	32	387	477	44.8%	41:30	175	241	42.1%
Holland	F	59	165	234	41.4%	11:36	87	120	42.0%
Van Riemsdyk	F	76	357	471	43.1%	14:51	202	279	42.0%
Brewer	D	12	59	82	41.8%	17:33	26	42	38.2%
Booth	F	53	129	182	41.5%	10:25	72	118	37.9%
Carrick	F	15	21	31	40.4%	07:16	14	23	37.8%
Kozun	F	20	28	46	37.8%	07:26	13	22	37.1%
Robidas	D	52	192	267	41.8%	14:44	93	163	36.3%

Joakim Lindstrom has played relatively little, but has put up some solid chance numbers in his thirteen games. While the sample is small, he’s beaten out many of the part-time bottom six forwards we’ve seen play this year, such as Carrick, Kozun, Leivo & Frattin. Of course, given that he has far more pro experience than those players, that shouldn’t be a surprise. We haven’t seen much offensive output in his limited time and role, but he’s been quietly effective, and continues to top this table, though that could change with a bad game or two.