The first game of 2015 was a strong performance for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who snapped a long home losing streak against the Blues.
They responded immediately after falling behind midway through the second period and pulled ahead on a Peter Holland powerplay marker. Nazem Kadri and Michael Grabner added insurance, and Jonathan Bernier had his second straight strong start.
| Team | Chances | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | ES | ESClose | ESCh% | NZEnt% | ContEnt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tor | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 35.7% | 45.5% | 38.5% |
| Stl | 22 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 18 | 12 | 64.3% | 54.5% | 46.2% |
The Leafs led in possession for much of the game, until St. Louis rallied hard in the closing minutes to draw even. However, there was no such pattern with chances or with the neutral zone, as St. Louis had a clear advantage in both. The neutral zone difference does factor in the Leafs defending a lead, but the chances mostly came in the second period, when the game was still level.
Toronto was under siege in the second, as after a couple of early chances the Blues dominated the period. They had eight straight chances to close out the frame, and were unfortunate to be tied after giving up that goal to Van Riemsdyk. The Blues also made a push in the third, but Toronto were able to generate chances in response.
| Period | Time | ST | SO | Team | How | State | T1 | T2 | T3 | T4 | T5 | T6 | O1 | O2 | O3 | O4 | O5 | O6 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19:33 | 0 | 0 | Stl | Steen deflects Parayko shot | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 4 | 20 | 26 | 34 | 55 | 91 | |||
| 1 | 17:52 | 0 | 0 | Tor | Van Riemsdyk wide from Bozak | ES | 2 | 21 | 28 | 33 | 44 | 45 | 4 | 12 | 15 | 34 | 36 | 55 | |||
| 1 | 09:50 | 0 | 0 | Tor | Holland from Boyes | ES | 3 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 45 | 51 | 4 | 21 | 34 | 42 | 55 | 56 | |||
| 1 | 09:32 | 0 | 0 | Stl | Reaves from Pietrangelo | ES | 23 | 28 | 33 | 45 | 46 | 51 | 19 | 21 | 27 | 28 | 34 | 75 | |||
| 1 | 08:39 | 0 | 0 | Stl | Tarasenko drives | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 4 | 20 | 26 | 34 | 55 | 91 | |||
| 1 | 07:55 | 0 | 0 | Tor | Fabbri wide from Lehtera | ES | 3 | 15 | 21 | 42 | 45 | 51 | 6 | 12 | 15 | 22 | 34 | 36 | |||
| 1 | 05:56 | 0 | 0 | Tor | Matthias from Boyes | ES | 2 | 23 | 28 | 33 | 44 | 45 | 19 | 23 | 27 | 28 | 34 | 75 | |||
| 1 | 04:18 | 0 | 0 | Tor | Grabner from Rielly | ES | 2 | 24 | 40 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 19 | 21 | 27 | 34 | 42 | 56 | |||
| 1 | 02:51 | 0 | 0 | Stl | Tarasenko drives | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 4 | 20 | 26 | 34 | 55 | 91 | |||
| 1 | 01:17 | 0 | 0 | Tor | Komarov wide from loose puck | PP | 3 | 24 | 28 | 42 | 45 | 47 | 4 | 22 | 26 | 34 | 36 | ||||
| 1 | 00:14 | 0 | 0 | Stl | Lehtera wide from Fabbri | ES | 2 | 26 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 27 | 34 | 91 | |||
| 2 | 17:03 | 0 | 0 | Tor | Boyes from loose puck | ES | 2 | 28 | 43 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 19 | 23 | 27 | 28 | 34 | 75 | |||
| 2 | 16:57 | 0 | 0 | Tor | Komarov from loose puck | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 19 | 23 | 27 | 28 | 34 | 75 | |||
| 2 | 15:46 | 0 | 0 | Stl | Backes from Berglund | ES | 2 | 19 | 24 | 26 | 44 | 45 | 4 | 21 | 34 | 42 | 55 | 56 | |||
| 2 | 15:30 | 0 | 0 | Stl | Berglund from loose puck | ES | 3 | 19 | 24 | 26 | 45 | 51 | 4 | 21 | 34 | 42 | 55 | 56 | |||
| 2 | 12:45 | 0 | 0 | Stl | Stastny wide from Bouwmeester | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 4 | 19 | 20 | 26 | 34 | 91 | |||
| 2 | 12:39 | 0 | 0 | Stl | Tarasenko from Steen | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 4 | 19 | 20 | 26 | 34 | 91 | |||
| 2 | 11:32 | 0 | 0 | Stl | GOAL! Tarasenko from Backes | SH | 2 | 40 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 20 | 22 | 26 | 34 | 42 | 91 | ||||
| 2 | 07:32 | 1 | 1 | Stl | Brouwer wide from loose puck | ES | 2 | 15 | 21 | 42 | 44 | 45 | 4 | 12 | 15 | 34 | 36 | 55 | |||
| 2 | 06:07 | 1 | 1 | Stl | Jaskin from loose puck | ES | 3 | 23 | 28 | 33 | 45 | 51 | 19 | 23 | 27 | 28 | 34 | 75 | |||
| 2 | 02:57 | 1 | 1 | Stl | Edmonson from Tarasenko | ES | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 51 | 6 | 20 | 21 | 27 | 34 | 91 | |||
| 3 | 16:45 | 1 | 1 | Tor | GOAL! Holland from Gardiner | PP | 19 | 24 | 43 | 45 | 47 | 51 | 19 | 26 | 27 | 34 | 36 | ||||
| 3 | 15:26 | 2 | 1 | Tor | Boyes from Gardiner | PP | 15 | 21 | 28 | 42 | 45 | 51 | 12 | 19 | 27 | 34 | 91 | ||||
| 3 | 14:50 | 2 | 1 | Tor | Holland post from Gardiner | PP | 19 | 24 | 43 | 45 | 47 | 51 | 4 | 22 | 26 | 34 | 36 | ||||
| 3 | 13:15 | 2 | 1 | Stl | Brouwer wide from Gunnarsson | ES | 2 | 19 | 24 | 26 | 44 | 45 | 4 | 12 | 15 | 34 | 36 | 55 | |||
| 3 | 11:24 | 2 | 1 | Stl | Berglund drives | ES | 3 | 19 | 24 | 26 | 45 | 51 | 19 | 21 | 27 | 34 | 42 | 56 | |||
| 3 | 11:19 | 2 | 1 | Stl | Paajarvi from rebound | ES | 3 | 19 | 24 | 26 | 45 | 51 | 12 | 19 | 21 | 27 | 34 | 56 | |||
| 3 | 08:13 | 2 | 1 | Tor | Holland warparound | ES | 3 | 19 | 24 | 26 | 45 | 51 | 19 | 21 | 27 | 34 | 42 | 56 | |||
| 3 | 08:00 | 2 | 1 | Stl | Bouwmeester drives wide | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 19 | 20 | 26 | 27 | 34 | 91 | |||
| 3 | 06:23 | 2 | 1 | Stl | Backes from loose puck | ES | 19 | 24 | 26 | 45 | 46 | 52 | 19 | 21 | 27 | 34 | 42 | 56 | |||
| 3 | 05:57 | 2 | 1 | Tor | Kadri from Grabner | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 20 | 22 | 26 | 34 | 55 | 91 | |||
| 3 | 05:55 | 2 | 1 | Tor | GOAL! Kadri from rebound | ES | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 20 | 22 | 26 | 34 | 55 | 91 | |||
| 3 | 03:27 | 3 | 1 | Stl | Brouwer from Tarasenko | EN | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 20 | 22 | 26 | 27 | 36 | 91 | |||
| 3 | 02:17 | 3 | 1 | Stl | Pietrangelo deflects Steen shot wide | EN | 2 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 20 | 22 | 26 | 27 | 36 | 91 | |||
| 3 | 01:15 | 3 | 1 | Stl | Pietrangelo from Lehtera | EN | 3 | 15 | 21 | 42 | 45 | 51 | 12 | 19 | 20 | 27 | 36 | ||||
| 3 | 00:02 | 4 | 1 | Stl | Stastny from loose puck | ES | 2 | 3 | 43 | 45 | 47 | 20 | 26 | 27 | 34 | 91 |
Leafs Player Data
| Player | ESChF | ESChA | ESCh% | ESTOI | ZS% | NZ% | ContEnt | OppContEnt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Riemsdyk | 2 | 1 | 66.7% | 12:17 | 10.0% | 43.6% | 29.4% | 50.0% |
| Boyes | 4 | 2 | 66.7% | 07:32 | 0.0% | 57.1% | 58.3% | 22.2% |
| Parenteau | 1 | 1 | 50.0% | 13:30 | 25.0% | 46.5% | 30.0% | 47.8% |
| Arcobello | 2 | 2 | 50.0% | 08:18 | 87.5% | 54.2% | 46.2% | 36.4% |
| Komarov | 5 | 8 | 38.5% | 16:52 | 50.0% | 37.5% | 40.0% | 52.0% |
| Grabner | 4 | 7 | 36.4% | 16:52 | 33.3% | 42.9% | 38.9% | 50.0% |
| Matthias | 1 | 2 | 33.3% | 07:21 | 0.0% | 52.4% | 54.5% | 20.0% |
| Holland | 3 | 6 | 33.3% | 15:53 | 0.0% | 45.5% | 40.0% | 50.0% |
| Bozak | 1 | 2 | 33.3% | 12:12 | 10.0% | 40.0% | 28.6% | 52.4% |
| Kadri | 4 | 9 | 30.8% | 18:36 | 30.8% | 44.7% | 38.1% | 42.3% |
| Winnik | 2 | 7 | 22.2% | 14:38 | 87.5% | 47.5% | 36.8% | 47.6% |
| Lupul | 1 | 6 | 14.3% | 12:40 | 87.5% | 44.1% | 33.3% | 52.6% |
| Hunwick | 7 | 11 | 38.9% | 20:19 | 31.3% | 44.0% | 27.3% | 42.9% |
| Phaneuf | 3 | 5 | 37.5% | 16:44 | 33.3% | 48.9% | 43.5% | 37.5% |
| Rielly | 6 | 11 | 35.3% | 22:33 | 26.7% | 42.9% | 29.2% | 46.9% |
| Gardiner | 3 | 6 | 33.3% | 16:20 | 41.7% | 46.7% | 33.3% | 37.5% |
| Polak | 1 | 2 | 33.3% | 16:12 | 36.1% | 46.7% | 52.4% | 54.2% |
| Marincin | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 12:25 | 33.3% | 46.3% | 47.4% | 54.5% |
There ended up being four very clear line matches, with only a few stray shifts not seeing the same lines face each other. Nazem Kadri’s line got a match-up with Alex Steen and Paul Stastny, and while they were able to produce some offense, it broadly favoured the Blues, who had bulk of possession and generated a lot of chances themselves. Kadri had the worst defensive record in terms of chances among the Leaf forwards, on for nine against at ES.
James van Riemsdyk’s line were mostly up against Troy Brouwer’s line, and while they allowed very little against, they also weren’t able to create much. That trio struggled to enters the Blues’ zone with control, falling under 30% in that stat. Peter Holland’s line had a tough night well, as Daniel Winnik and Joffrey Lupul were both badly out-chanced against the Backes trio.
Morgan Rielly and Matt Hunwick, as they have often done this year, drew the top opposition line; as with the Kadri line, they struggled to contain Steen’s unit. The pair were both on for 11 ES chances against, easily a team worst. Roman Polak and Marin Marincin had a very quiet night, logging some effective minutes with the fourth line, while Dion Phaneuf and Jake Gardiner primarily faced the Backes line, both finishing clearly in the negative in chances as well.
