Home Analysis Game Reviews Game 18 Scoring Chances and Zone Entries: Rangers 4 vs. Leafs 3

Jonathan Bernier / New York Rangers — NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 30: Jonathan Bernier #45 of Toronto Maple Leafs tends net as Rick Nash #61 of the New York Rangers attempts to round up a puck near the net at Madison Square Garden on October 30, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)

Game 18 Scoring Chances and Zone Entries: Rangers 4 vs. Leafs 3

Nov 17, 2015

In their second game against the top team in the league, the Maple Leafs managed a much stronger performance, but were let down in goal.

After a long shot from the neutral zone by Derek Stepan went past Jonathan Bernier, the Leafs fought back to level the score twice. They looked set for at least a point until Mats Zuccarello, who scored a hat trick in the last game, potted a late winner.

Toronto’s possession numbers were pretty much even until the third period, when their offense began to struggle. We can see the same pattern in their chances, as they were clearly ahead through two periods, only to see the attack dry up in the final frame. The Leafs also managed to win the neutral zone battle, while neither side managed many controlled entries.

Team	Chances	1st	2nd	3rd	ES	ESClose	ESCh%	NZEnt%	ContEnt	OppContEnt
Tor	19	8	9	2	18	18	52.9%	51.5%	31.0%	32.9%
Nyr	17	7	5	5	16	15	47.1%	48.5%	-	-

The Leafs finished the second period on a roll, getting nine of the last ten chances. That time included Stepan’s goal, which blunted the momentum Toronto was carrying in this period, and meant that they only managed to salvage a late tie. Phaneuf’s tying goal was also not a scoring chance, coming from well out, and came despite the fact Toronto generated very little in the third period.

Period	Time	ST	SO	Team	How	State	T1	T2	T3	T4	T5	T6	O1	O2	O3	O4	O5	O6
1	16:18	0	0	Tor	Spaling wide from Winnik	ES	16	19	26	44	45	46	6	13	32	36	61	93
1	15:39	0	0	Nyr	Klein from Brassard	ES	2	15	23	42	45	46	8	16	18	32	36	61
1	12:32	0	0	Tor	Bozak from Gardiner	ES	3	15	23	42	45	51	8	13	18	24	25	32
1	12:14	0	0	Tor	Bozak from loose puck	ES	2	3	15	23	42	45	6	16	32	36	61	93
1	11:53	0	0	Tor	Spaling drives	ES	2	16	19	26	44	45	6	16	32	36	61	93
1	11:24	0	0	Nyr	Fast wide from Stoll	ES	21	43	44	45	46	47	8	18	19	26	28	32
1	09:58	0	0	Tor	Phaneuf from Komarov	PP	3	19	21	43	45	47	8	18	19	28	32
1	07:38	0	0	Nyr	Brassard from Zuccarello	ES	2	40	43	45	46	47	5	16	32	36	61	93
1	04:37	0	0	Nyr	Zuccarello wide from Brassard	ES	3	15	23	42	44	45	8	16	32	36	61	93
1	04:05	0	0	Nyr	Brassard deflects McDonagh shot	ES	2	16	19	26	44	45	16	27	32	36	61	93
1	04:02	0	0	Nyr	Brassard from rebound	ES	2	16	19	26	44	45	16	27	32	36	61	93
1	03:26	0	0	Tor	Parenteau deflects Polak shot wide	ES	15	23	42	45	46	51	8	10	18	20	21	32
1	02:03	0	0	Tor	GOAL! Holland from Froese	ES	24	36	40	45	46	56	8	13	18	24	25	32
1	01:28	1	0	Nyr	Nash drives post	ES	2	16	19	26	44	45	6	16	32	36	61	93
1	00:10	1	0	Tor	Van Riemsdyk from loose puck	ES	2	21	43	44	45	47	8	19	26	27	28	32
2	19:16	1	0	Nyr	GOAL! McDonagh from Zuccarello	ES	2	15	23	42	44	45	5	16	27	32	36	61
2	18:15	1	1	Nyr	Stalberg drives post	ES	24	26	40	45	46	51	6	13	24	25	32	93
2	17:42	1	1	Nyr	Stepan from faceoff	ES	3	16	24	36	45	56	5	10	20	21	27	32
2	16:44	1	1	Nyr	Nash drives	ES	2	16	19	44	45	56	5	10	16	20	27	32
2	12:04	1	1	Tor	Kadri drives	ES	21	36	43	45	46	47	5	13	24	25	27	32
2	11:55	1	1	Tor	Kadri wide from Polak	ES	21	36	43	45	46	47	5	13	24	25	27	32
2	11:30	1	1	Tor	Kadri drives	ES	3	15	23	42	45	51	8	10	18	20	21	32
2	11:03	1	1	Tor	Matthias wraparound	ES	3	15	23	42	45	51	8	10	18	20	21	32
2	09:02	1	1	Nyr	Stoll deflects Girardi shot wide	ES	2	21	43	45	46	47	5	19	26	27	28	32
2	07:21	1	1	Tor	Van Riemsdyk deflects Kadri wshot	ES	2	21	43	44	45	47	5	16	27	32	36	61
2	04:39	1	2	Tor	Bozak from Gardiner	ES	3	15	23	42	45	51	8	10	18	20	21	32
2	02:24	1	2	Tor	Froese deflects Phaneuf shot	ES	3	19	26	45	51	56	6	16	32	36	61	93
2	02:22	1	2	Tor	GOAL! Lupul from rebound	ES	3	19	26	45	51	56	6	16	32	36	61	93
2	01:06	2	2	Tor	Komarov from Kadri	ES	21	43	44	45	46	47	5	19	26	27	28	32
3	16:23	2	2	Nyr	GOAL! Brassard from Zuccarello	ES	2	15	23	42	44	45	5	16	27	32	36	61
3	14:23	3	3	Tor	Lupul from Winnik	ES	2	19	26	44	45	56	8	16	18	32	36	61
3	13:38	2	3	Nyr	Hayes from Fasth	ES	21	36	43	45	46	47	8	13	18	19	28	32
3	08:46	2	3	Nyr	Lindberg drives post	SH	2	16	23	45	46		8	13	20	24	32	93
3	07:22	3	3	Nyr	Brassard drives wide	ES	3	19	26	45	51	56	5	16	18	32	36	61
3	02:15	3	3	Tor	Parenteau from Bozak	ES	2	15	42	45	46	56	5	16	24	27	32	36
3	00:54	3	3	Nyr	GOAL! Zuccarello from rebound	ES	2	21	43	44	45	47	5	16	27	32	36	61

Leafs Player Data

Player	ESChF	ESChA	ESCh%	ESTOI	ZS%	NZ%	ContEnt	OppContEnt
Parenteau	7	4	63.6%	14:14	57.1%	54.5%	20.8%	25.0%
Bozak	7	4	63.6%	13:24	57.1%	51.2%	23.8%	35.0%
Froese	5	3	62.5%	14:09	14.3%	62.0%	22.6%	36.8%
Matthias	6	4	60.0%	13:32	57.1%	50.0%	18.2%	40.9%
Van Riemsdyk	5	4	55.6%	15:24	81.8%	38.0%	57.9%	29.0%
Kadri	5	5	50.0%	16:28	76.9%	40.4%	47.8%	23.5%
Lupul	5	5	50.0%	12:35	20.0%	58.1%	24.0%	38.9%
Winnik	5	5	50.0%	10:56	22.2%	62.5%	24.0%	46.7%
Komarov	5	5	50.0%	14:49	81.8%	37.3%	57.9%	25.0%
Holland	1	2	33.3%	08:25	37.5%	61.3%	36.8%	50.0%
Grabner	1	2	33.3%	08:12	33.3%	57.7%	26.7%	36.4%
Spaling	2	5	28.6%	10:01	37.5%	60.0%	22.2%	33.3%
Gardiner	7	2	77.8%	17:33	58.8%	52.7%	31.0%	23.1%
Phaneuf	7	3	70.0%	17:52	57.1%	56.4%	19.4%	25.0%
Harrington	3	2	60.0%	08:41	60.0%	44.4%	25.0%	40.0%
Polak	7	6	53.8%	15:22	50.0%	39.1%	38.9%	42.9%
Rielly	6	9	40.0%	19:45	42.1%	55.3%	33.3%	32.4%
Hunwick	6	10	37.5%	21:37	29.4%	53.2%	35.7%	35.1%

The top three lines all managed to generate chances, but the best of the units was Tyler Bozak with Shawn Matthias and P.A. Parenteau. They particularly dominated the Stepan line, putting up excellent possession numbers.

Nazem Kadri’s line was even in chances, but did stand out in one area, as the only Leaf line that consistently managed to enter the Ranger zone with control. It didn’t end up helping them a whole lot, but they were effective in the most ES ice time of the forwards. Joffrey Lupul’s trio were also good, holding the Zuccarello/Nash line to even in possession, and finishing even in chances as well.

After a couple of tough games, Dion Phaneuf and Jake Gardiner played well, and finished as the top two Leafs in terms of chance differential, along with playing a lot of minutes.

Morgan Rielly and Matt Hunwick again got the toughest assignment, facing mostly the Nash line and having the hardest zone starts on the blue line, and were the only two defencemen to finish below even in chances, including being on for that heartbreaking winning goal.