Game Review: Game #11, Toronto Maple Leafs 4 vs. Dallas Stars 1

This was a cathartic win by the Maple Leafs on a number of fronts.

First and foremost, it was arguably the first time in eleven games this season that the Leafs won the goaltending battle. James Reimer got off to a iffy start after surrendering a stoppable goal to Jamie Benn under a minute after Brad Boyes gave the Leafs a 1-0 lead, but he hunkered down and battled his way to a 43-save performance, including, among many good saves, a highlight reel glove save in tight and a penalty shot “stop” (Nichushkin lost the puck off the end of his blade, but Reimer stuck with him and forced him to elevate the puck).

Reimer now has both Leaf wins this season. Knowing that and considering tonight’s performance, there would seem to be no way Babcock could go back to Bernier against the Jets on Wednesday. It wasn’t pretty at times — there were some sloppy rebounds and a few occasions where he lost sight of the puck after it hit him — but the luck seemed to follow his effort throughout the game.

Secondly, the Leafs broke the powerplay oh-fer-17 slump.  Unbelievably, the Leafs were entering the game even on the powerplay — two powerplay goals for and two shorthanded goals against. It took some good fortune to avoid another disaster as Radek Faksa rang the bar on a shorthanded breakaway, but the Leafs finally cashed in on a PP opportunity that was generated off the rush midway through the second period.

James van Riemsdyk was clever on the play to take Alex Goligoski down with him when Goligoski cross checked JvR in the neutral zone, and it opened up an odd man rush for Nazem Kadri and Joffrey Lupul that eventually saw Lupul slip home his second of the night on the second effort.

That ties into the third point  — the Leafs got some overdue good luck with a couple of posts and some beneficial calls, receiving five of seven powerplays assessed on the night.

As bad as the shot count looked on the night, and the Leafs were outpossessed on the whole, the Leafs were leading in shot attempts at the time Joffrey Lupul scored the eventual game winner 21 seconds into the second period.

The Leafs came out even against the Benn and Seguin line at even strength — one goal for and one goal against. Babcock largely matched up the Winnik, Spaling and Lupul line along with the pairing of Morgan Rielly and Matt Hunwick against Dallas’ big line. While that line dominated in possession and shots — Seguin recored eight shots on goal individually — the Leafs will take a one for one against the hottest offensive duo in the NHL any day.

Mike Babcock, after the game, discussed the decision to go with Hunwick-Rielly against the Benn and Seguin line instead of Gardiner and Phaneuf — who he described as the Leafs’ best player this season (Dion) — and explained it like so:

“I think [Rielly’s] an elite skater. Two approaches. I always remember when Scotty [Bowman] was coaching the Wings a hundred years ago and they had Lindros and the great big line in Philly. He played Lidstrom and Murphy against them and they never played in their zone. To me, if you get back and you get the puck and you get going, you don’t have to defend. They don’t get as much time. Sometimes bigger, maybe not as mobile people, they defend better but you play in your zone. I rather play in the other zone.”

The Leafs didn’t play with enough of the puck against that line regardless, but that Rielly not only survived the matchup but put up a three-point night in the process is exactly the type of thing Leafs fans are hoping to see in a season less about wins and losses and more about player development progress under a new head head coach and system. That said, improved goaltending is the tide that lifts all boats.

Morgan Rielly said he found Jamie Benn very difficult to defend tonight. Explained that he is huge and can basically do everything well.

— James Mirtle (@mirtle) November 3, 2015

Rielly is now tied for tenth in the NHL in scoring among defencemen and tied for third in goals by a defenceman.

Rielly and Joffrey Lupul both recorded three point nights, as a good number of the Leafs most talented offensive players — Lupul, Rielly, and a spirited effort from Nazem Kadri — were their best players tonight. The team finally found some finish with four goals on the night including two on the powerplay and excluding a disallowed goal that was well earned if not for an offside 30 seconds prior. The Leafs fourth line of Grabner, Boyes and Froese also chipped in with a few good first period shifts, one leading to the opening goal by Boyes and the other the disallowed goal.

The second win was a long time coming, so let’s see if a good win over a good team gives the Leafs a much needed lift headed into a busy stretch of schedule.

Shot Location Chart

All Situations Possession Chart

Maple Leafs vs. Stars – Leafs Player Stats

Mike Babcock Post Game Presser