Game 4 Scoring Chances and Zone Entries: Leafs 6 vs. Blue Jackets 3

Scored against in the first four minutes, the Toronto Maple Leafs fell behind again in Columbus, but they were the better team over the course of the first period and were finally rewarded in the second period.

They scored three goals in the frame, two in quick succession, going into their first lead of the season. The Blue Jackets tied the game with a pair of goals either side of the second intermission, but Joffrey Lupul put the Leafs back ahead early in the third period and Leo Komarov scored twice in the closing minutes to secure Toronto’s first win of the year.

It was another night where the Leafs managed to win the possession battle, with a strong Corsi advantage, and they were the better team in chances at even strength, though they were behind overall, as Columbus were more effective with the extra man. In terms of zone entries, there was little between the two teams, with their numbers virtually equal.

Team	Chances	1st	2nd	3rd	ES	ESClose	ESCh%	NZEnt%	ContEnt	OppContEnt
T	13	3	5	5	12	8	57.1%	49.7%	35.8%	35.4%
O	14	3	5	6	9	3	42.9%	50.3%	-	-

The Leafs were clearly superior at even strength for much of the game, as they mostly kept the Blue Jackets under wraps while the score was close. You can see that after the first goal, Columbus had only a handful of even strength chances until late in the third period, when the Leafs could defend and Toronto was holding on for the victory.

Period	Time	ST	SO	Team	How	State	T1	T2	T3	T4	T5	T6	O1	O2	O3	O4	O5	O6
1	18:48	0	0	CLB	Johansen wide from loose puck	ES	2	21	34	42	44	47	7	19	20	58	71	72
1	16:13	0	0	CLB	GOAL! Jenner deflects Atkinson shot	ES	3	16	19	26	34	51	13	17	27	29	38	72
1	11:56	0	1	TOR	Matthias drives wide	SH	2	3	23	26	34		19	20	27	43	71	72
1	10:02	0	1	TOR	Kadri from rebound	ES	2	23	28	34	36	43	18	25	27	29	43	72
1	10:02	0	1	TOR	Boyes from rebound	ES	2	23	28	34	36	43	18	25	27	29	43	72
1	03:47	0	1	CLB	Saad wraparound	ES	2	16	19	26	34	44	7	19	20	58	71	72
2	19:31	0	1	TOR	GOAL! Gardiner from Winnik	ES	3	16	19	26	34	51	13	17	38	47	51	72
2	11:09	2	1	TOR	Kadri from giveaway	ES	3	23	28	34	43	51	7	13	17	38	58	72
2	11:08	2	1	TOR	GOAL! Kadri from rebound	ES	3	23	28	34	43	51	7	13	17	38	58	72
2	09:32	3	1	CLB	Johansen drives wide	ES	2	23	28	34	43	44	19	43	47	51	71	72
2	08:49	3	1	TOR	Spaling wide from loose puck	ES	3	16	23	28	34	51	19	43	47	51	71	72
2	05:27	3	1	CLB	Foligno from Johansen	SH	2	16	34	40	46		19	20	27	43	71	72
2	03:57	3	1	CLB	Dubinsky from loose puck	SH	23	26	34	36	44		7	13	17	38	58	72
2	03:10	3	1	TOR	Kadri from Komarov	ES	21	34	43	46	47	51	11	18	25	47	51	72
2	01:58	3	1	CLB	GOAL! Foligno from loose puck	ES	2	16	23	28	34	44	19	27	29	43	71	72
2	00:09	3	2	CLB	Saad from Hartnell	SH	3	16	34	40	46		19	20	27	43	71	72
3	19:06	3	2	CLB	Saad from Johansen	SH	2	23	26	34	44		19	20	27	43	71	72
3	19:01	3	2	CLB	GOAL! Hartnell from Johansen	SH	2	23	26	34	44		19	20	27	43	71	72
3	18:07	3	3	TOR	Kadri deflects Gardiner shot	ES	3	23	28	34	43	51	7	13	17	38	58	72
3	17:11	3	3	TOR	Kadri drives wide	ES	2	21	28	34	43	44	18	20	25	27	29	72
3	16:00	3	3	TOR	GOAL! Lupul from Phaneuf	ES	3	16	19	26	34	51	7	11	13	17	58	72
3	15:37	4	3	TOR	Grabner from loose puck	ES	15	24	34	36	40	46	9	23	38	47	51	72
3	11:48	4	3	CLB	Johansen wide from Foligno	ES	2	3	21	34	43	47	7	19	43	58	71	72
3	11:34	4	3	CLB	Foligno from Johnson	ES	2	23	24	28	34	44	7	19	43	58	71	72
3	09:11	4	3	CLB	Clarkson wraparound	ES	16	19	26	34	36	46	7	9	23	38	58	72
3	04:25	4	3	CLB	Dubinsky wide from loose puck	ES	2	16	26	34	40	44	7	13	17	38	58	72
3	04:09	4	3	TOR	GOAL! Komarov drives	ES	3	21	34	43	47	51	7	13	17	38	58	72

Leafs Player Data

Player	ESChF	ESChA	ESCh%	ESTOI	ZS%	NZ%	ContEnt	OppContEnt
Parenteau	1	0	100.0%	09:11	42.9%	45.9%	41.2%	25.0%
Kadri	8	2	80.0%	15:07	83.3%	46.0%	34.8%	40.7%
Boyes	7	3	70.0%	12:18	72.7%	48.7%	42.1%	45.0%
Matthias	6	3	66.7%	12:33	72.7%	46.3%	42.1%	50.0%
Van Riemsdyk	3	2	60.0%	14:28	90.9%	45.5%	45.0%	33.3%
Holland	1	1	50.0%	11:50	33.3%	46.5%	40.0%	21.7%
Grabner	1	1	50.0%	09:48	42.9%	50.0%	42.1%	21.1%
Komarov	2	2	50.0%	14:47	81.8%	45.7%	42.9%	32.0%
Lupul	2	3	40.0%	13:08	23.1%	60.5%	17.4%	33.3%
Spaling	3	5	37.5%	15:42	25.0%	56.5%	23.1%	45.0%
Winnik	2	4	33.3%	13:45	25.0%	57.5%	21.7%	41.2%
Bozak	0	1	0.0%	08:47	90.0%	48.1%	53.8%	35.7%
Gardiner	8	1	88.9%	17:19	54.6%	51.7%	30.0%	32.1%
Phaneuf	7	2	77.8%	16:38	55.6%	51.9%	29.6%	28.0%
Harrington	3	1	75.0%	10:39	42.9%	48.8%	38.1%	31.8%
Polak	2	1	66.7%	12:59	60.0%	54.3%	32.0%	38.1%
Hunwick	3	7	30.0%	17:23	25.0%	45.2%	46.4%	41.2%
Rielly	1	6	14.3%	16:21	20.0%	47.7%	38.7%	38.2%

Tyler Bozak had been one of the more effective Leafs this season, and his injury in this game, leaving him as the forward with the least ice time, put more of the burden on the other centres. Fortunately, Nazem Kadri responded with an excellent game. While he did get a lot of offensive zone starts, he turned them into a lot of chances, leading the team, along with his regular line-mates, Shawn Matthias and Brad Boyes.

A lot of ice time also went to Joffrey Lupul with Daniel Winnik and Nick Spaling, who were given mostly defensive zone starts. They were a line that won the neutral zone more often than not, but had very few controlled entries, which likely contributed to their poor chance numbers.

Dion Phaneuf and Jake Gardiner had another strong game as a partnership, dominating in terms of chances, easily the best of the Leaf pairings. They also were the best pairing in winning the neutral zone, and did well to limit the Jackets’ controlled entries.

Matt Hunwick and Morgan Rielly played a lot of minutes as well, and were given very defensive zone starts, but struggled in chances, finishing with the worst numbers of any Leafs. Scott Harrington, returning to the lineup in place of Martin Marincin, had a decent night, finishing as a positive in chances in under 11 ES minutes.