Los Angeles came to town, and played a tight game with the Leafs for fifty minutes before things got out of hand in Toronto favour late.
The Leafs led early, and managed to hold that lead into the third period. Michael Grabner made the lead two early in the final frame, and three goals in four minutes saw the Leafs pull away to win easily. It’s easy to forget, given the final score, that this was a tight game for most of the way, with Jonathan Bernier doing some good work to keep the Leafs ahead.
| Team | Chances | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | ES | ESClose | ESCh% | NZEnt% | ContEnt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tor | 20 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 20 | 9 | 55.6% | 45.1% | 26.8% |
| Lak | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 10 | 44.4% | 54.9% | 29.0% |
That great third period saw the Leafs pull ahead in chances in a game that featured only a single powerplay. The Kings had the possession advantage, as well as leading in zone entries, likely due to spending so much time behind.
The Kings had eight of the first ten chances of the game, but Toronto was the team that managed to lead, and they took charge after that. A couple of excellent shifts in the third period, from the Kadri line and from the Boyes line, saw the Leafs rack up a lot of chances in quick succession.
| Period | Time | ST | SO | Team | How | State | T1 | T2 | T3 | T4 | T5 | T6 | O1 | O2 | O3 | O4 | O5 | O6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18:55 | 0 | 0 | Lak | Toffoli drives | ES | 3 | 15 | 21 | 42 | 45 | 51 | 1 | 6 | 27 | 70 | 73 | 77 |
| 1 | 17:56 | 0 | 0 | Lak | Lewis from Brown | ES | 15 | 21 | 42 | 45 | 46 | 52 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 22 | 23 | 49 |
| 1 | 15:35 | 0 | 0 | Lak | Toffoli wraparound | ES | 3 | 19 | 26 | 42 | 45 | 51 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 49 | 73 | 77 |
| 1 | 14:29 | 0 | 0 | Tor | GOAL! Komarov deflects Hunwick shot | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 17 | 27 |
| 1 | 12:17 | 1 | 0 | Lak | Brown wide from Carter | ES | 2 | 23 | 28 | 45 | 51 | 56 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 23 | 49 | 77 |
| 1 | 11:50 | 1 | 0 | Tor | Froese from Boyes | ES | 23 | 28 | 45 | 46 | 52 | 56 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 23 | 49 | 77 |
| 1 | 11:04 | 1 | 0 | Lak | Gaborik from Lucic | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 17 | 27 |
| 1 | 08:39 | 1 | 0 | Lak | Andreoff deflects Muzzin shot | SH | 3 | 23 | 26 | 44 | 45 | 1 | 6 | 15 | 27 | 70 | 73 | |
| 1 | 04:16 | 1 | 0 | Lak | Gaborik deflects Muzzin shot | ES | 2 | 15 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 17 | 27 |
| 2 | 15:23 | 1 | 0 | Lak | Gaborik from Kopitar | ES | 2 | 24 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 12 | 17 |
| 2 | 15:15 | 1 | 0 | Tor | Holland from Rielly | ES | 2 | 24 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 12 | 70 |
| 2 | 14:57 | 1 | 0 | Tor | Holland drives | ES | 2 | 19 | 24 | 26 | 44 | 45 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 70 | 73 | 77 |
| 2 | 12:42 | 1 | 0 | Lak | Lucic wraparound wide | ES | 2 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 17 |
| 2 | 10:07 | 1 | 0 | Tor | Parenteau from Van Riemsdyk | ES | 15 | 21 | 42 | 45 | 46 | 52 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 22 | 49 | 71 |
| 2 | 10:01 | 1 | 0 | Tor | Van Riemsdyk from rebound | ES | 3 | 15 | 21 | 42 | 45 | 51 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 22 | 49 | 71 |
| 2 | 09:00 | 1 | 0 | Tor | Froese from Matthias | ES | 2 | 23 | 28 | 44 | 45 | 56 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 22 | 23 | 49 |
| 2 | 07:58 | 1 | 0 | Lak | Lucic wide from loose puck | ES | 2 | 24 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 17 |
| 2 | 07:49 | 1 | 0 | Tor | Grabner from Holland | ES | 3 | 24 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 17 |
| 2 | 01:04 | 1 | 0 | Tor | Bozak wraparound | ES | 3 | 21 | 42 | 43 | 45 | 51 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 17 | 77 |
| 2 | 00:25 | 1 | 0 | Lak | Pearson wide from loose puck | ES | 2 | 3 | 15 | 21 | 42 | 45 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 70 | 73 |
| 3 | 19:51 | 1 | 0 | Lak | Gaborik drives | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 17 |
| 3 | 19:12 | 1 | 0 | Tor | Lupul from Holland | ES | 3 | 19 | 24 | 26 | 45 | 51 | 1 | 6 | 27 | 70 | 73 | 77 |
| 3 | 18:33 | 1 | 0 | Lak | Nolan drives | ES | 15 | 21 | 42 | 45 | 46 | 52 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 15 | 21 | 71 |
| 3 | 17:02 | 1 | 0 | Tor | Froese from Boyes | ES | 2 | 23 | 28 | 45 | 51 | 56 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 22 | 23 | 49 |
| 3 | 16:46 | 1 | 0 | Tor | Matthias deflects Hunwick shot | ES | 2 | 23 | 28 | 44 | 45 | 56 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 22 | 23 | 49 |
| 3 | 16:23 | 1 | 0 | Tor | Kadri wide from loose puck | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 17 |
| 3 | 16:02 | 1 | 0 | Tor | GOAL! Grabner from Kadri | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 17 |
| 3 | 15:34 | 2 | 0 | Lak | Toffoli drives | ES | 3 | 19 | 24 | 26 | 45 | 51 | 1 | 6 | 27 | 70 | 73 | 77 |
| 3 | 13:04 | 2 | 0 | Tor | Kadri wraparound | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 17 |
| 3 | 06:38 | 2 | 0 | Lak | Lucic from loose puck | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 17 |
| 3 | 06:26 | 2 | 0 | Tor | GOAL! Grabner from Kadri | ES | 28 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 51 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 17 |
| 3 | 04:32 | 3 | 0 | Lak | McNabb drives wide | ES | 2 | 15 | 21 | 42 | 45 | 46 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 15 | 21 | 71 |
| 3 | 03:22 | 3 | 0 | Tor | GOAL! Komarov from loose puck | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 17 |
| 3 | 02:35 | 4 | 0 | Tor | Boyes drives | ES | 3 | 23 | 28 | 45 | 51 | 56 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 23 | 27 | 49 |
| 3 | 02:34 | 4 | 0 | Tor | Boyes from rebound | ES | 3 | 23 | 28 | 45 | 51 | 56 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 23 | 27 | 49 |
| 3 | 02:33 | 4 | 0 | Tor | GOAL! Froese from rebound | ES | 3 | 23 | 28 | 45 | 51 | 56 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 23 | 27 | 49 |
| 3 | 02:07 | 5 | 0 | Lak | Toffoli from rebound | ES | 3 | 19 | 24 | 26 | 45 | 51 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 70 | 73 | 77 |
Leafs Player Data
| Player | ESChF | ESChA | ESCh% | ESTOI | ZS% | NZ% | ContEnt | OppContEnt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boyes | 8 | 1 | 88.9% | 12:44 | 20.0% | 40.5% | 26.7% | 18.2% |
| Matthias | 7 | 1 | 87.5% | 12:11 | 20.0% | 42.4% | 28.6% | 21.1% |
| Froese | 7 | 1 | 87.5% | 12:16 | 20.0% | 40.0% | 28.6% | 19.0% |
| Grabner | 8 | 6 | 57.1% | 13:39 | 36.4% | 47.7% | 28.6% | 43.5% |
| Kadri | 9 | 7 | 56.3% | 17:02 | 28.6% | 48.1% | 26.9% | 35.7% |
| Komarov | 5 | 4 | 55.6% | 15:23 | 28.6% | 47.9% | 21.7% | 40.0% |
| Holland | 4 | 4 | 50.0% | 14:35 | 37.5% | 50.0% | 26.9% | 26.9% |
| Lupul | 2 | 3 | 40.0% | 12:50 | 37.5% | 50.0% | 23.8% | 19.0% |
| Winnik | 2 | 3 | 40.0% | 13:23 | 42.9% | 45.5% | 25.0% | 25.0% |
| Van Riemsdyk | 3 | 5 | 37.5% | 15:56 | 71.4% | 42.6% | 26.1% | 29.0% |
| Bozak | 3 | 7 | 30.0% | 17:52 | 50.0% | 43.4% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| Parenteau | 2 | 6 | 25.0% | 16:09 | 62.5% | 40.0% | 30.0% | 30.0% |
| Gardiner | 8 | 5 | 61.5% | 20:51 | 50.0% | 47.9% | 25.7% | 28.9% |
| Rielly | 11 | 7 | 61.1% | 16:39 | 33.3% | 52.8% | 35.7% | 40.0% |
| Phaneuf | 7 | 5 | 58.3% | 21:45 | 50.0% | 45.3% | 20.6% | 31.7% |
| Hunwick | 10 | 10 | 50.0% | 23:29 | 33.3% | 47.0% | 35.5% | 42.9% |
| Marincin | 2 | 2 | 50.0% | 13:07 | 33.3% | 38.5% | 13.3% | 12.5% |
| Polak | 2 | 3 | 40.0% | 20:09 | 22.2% | 36.2% | 23.8% | 16.2% |
The fourth line was excellent on the night, dominating play against Dustin Brown’s line, their main opponents. They had a couple of excellent shifts, with Brad Boyes finishing at a team best +7, with Shawn Matthias and Byron Froese both +6. They also had the best defensive numbers, allowing only a single Kings chance, and were the best at defending controlled entries.
The goals mostly came from the top line, with Michael Grabner and Leo Komarov both scoring twice. They matched up against Anze Kopitar’s line, and had no problem producing chances. While they weren’t as defensively effective as the Boyes line, they did finish in the positive. Tyler Bozak and P.A. Parenteau had the worst chance differential on the team, both finishing -4, despite mostly avoiding the top lines.
Morgan Rielly and Matt Hunwick produced a lot of offense for the Leafs, with Rielly’s 11 ES chances the highest put up by any Leaf this season. Jake Gardiner and Dion Phaneuf also did well, both finishing in the positive. Martin Marincin drew back in, and he and Roman Polak had a quiet night finishing near even. Polak did play a fair amount with Hunwick, and that pairing had very poor possession numbers.
