This was a real gut-punch of a loss, but I’ll start by mentioning that there were sections of this game I quite liked from the Maple Leafs’ perspective.
In the second half of the first period, the Leafs strung together some good shifts and legitimately tilted the ice at five-on-five. They forced three consecutive icings out of the Capitals. Unfortunately, the Auston Matthews line, in particular, didn’t make enough out of some advantageous offensive-zone faceoff opportunities. Still, it was refreshing to see this Leafs team take control of a game for a notable spell at five-on-five against a strong opponent.
There were, in fact, several bursts in this game where the Leafs got on top of Washington with their forecheck. We saw examples of them diligently checking back/reloading above the puck to recover possession in the neutral zone/the high ice in the offensive zone, getting them back onto the attack. There wasn’t an effort issue tonight, and the shot clock and shot attempts did not fully capture the competitive balance of the game. Clocked possession time in the offensive zone would certainly be tighter than the shot differentials indicate.
All of that said, it still wasn’t good enough. They opened the game by getting out-attempted 17-4 and were fortunate to get a disallowed goal and a goal post to bail them out; we saw the familiar sights of sloppy breakouts and mindless dump-ins early on. Up 2-1, they also clearly needed some pushback and to spend more time grinding in the offensive zone when in possession of a one-goal lead in the third period. Craig Berube mentioned out-chancing Washington in the final frame after the game, which may well be technically true, as they got some grade-A looks off the counter and didn’t finish them. But they needed to alleviate the spells of pressure before something broke down in the defensive zone. And break down it did.
There were disappointing breakdowns on two of the three Washington goals, in particular — the 2-1 and the 2-2. Jake McCabe seemed to try to front a shot in front of his crease, then didn’t show much awareness or urgency about grabbing a man or a stick when the puck arrived at the net. If Connor McMichael didn’t finish it off, John Carlson would’ve, as Matthew Knies let him go jumping in off the point. The Leafs, set in their structure in-zone, ended up heavily outnumbered in a net-front situation. On the 2-2, OEL got outmuscled down low by Dylan Strome, and Morgan Rielly didn’t read and react in time to take away the back post. This team prided itself on a stiff net-front defense last season and continues to fall short of that standard this season.
I often check in on the other team’s dressing room to gauge the opposing players/coaches’ reactions to the Leafs‘ performances after games. This quote from Logan Thompson is quite similar to the Drew Doughty quote after the LA Kings similarly erased a 2-0 deficit against the Leafs:
Thompson: “Overall, it was one of our best games of the year. We pressured them all night and controlled the game. I thought Woll held them in it and was excellent for them tonight. Between periods, we just had to stick with it and find a way. That’s what we did. We just stuck to the game plan, didn’t change anything, and finally broke through.”
These teams believed they had the edge from the jump against the Leafs. It wasn’t just about the Leafs not defending hard or detailed enough once they had the lead, while the other team adjusted or pushed. These teams were confident about how they were controlling play and dictating the game against the Leafs throughout, believed they would be rewarded if they simply stuck with it, and were proven correct in this belief.
What a damning statement about the current state of affairs in Leafland.
Post-Game Notes
– Not that he didn’t fully deserve it based on his body of work this season, but it’s kind of funny that Max Domi took a seat after a decent game in Columbus and not after one of his many bad ones this year. With Knies, Laughton, and Matthews all now back, it’s almost like Berube has been going one by one, sitting down the players who let him down during the time when he had no choice but to play them due to the injuries.
– The 1-0 Leafs goal was a bit of a gift. It’s rare to see an NHL goalie, let alone one of Thompson’s calibre, lose track of a puck that badly for that long. But it was nice to see Dakota Joshua drive a puck in deep and retain it there before the low-to-high play, the D-to-D switch, and the Morgan Rielly heads-up finish.
– Scott Laughton has brought a lot to the table on the PK, in the faceoff circle, and adds some of the speed, IQ, and work ethic the team needs down the middle. He also took on the bulk of the Strome-Ovechkin matchup in this one, keeping a clean sheet in the process. But he had two breakaways in this game and didn’t finish on either, and he still hasn’t been on the ice for a five-on-five goal through six games (vs. three against). He simply has to bear down.
There was also the John Tavares breakaway off the Ovechkin turnover and a point-blank look for Matthew Knies set up nicely by Easton Cowan, both shot into Thompson’s right-handed glove, that the Leafs will be stewing on after this one.
– The Leafs’ PK remains one of the few bright spots. Now 16 for its last 17, it is very much rolling now and is turning momentum in the team’s favour throughout games, with no more stark of an example than Matthews and Knies connecting for a nice 2-0 goal right after one of two Washington power plays tonight.
– Liked the idea of Dakota Joshua – Nic Roy – Matias Maccelli on paper, dating back to the offseason, but not certain there is enough footspeed on the line collectively to make it a thing/a third line that could either score enough or credibly shoulder some of the defensive responsibilities to the benefit of the top six. They started most of their shifts in the defensive zone, but it’s tough if they can’t transition quickly enough from defense to offense. Joshua and Roy helped free up the puck down low for the 1-0 Toronto goal, but with all of Joshua-Roy-Maccelli on the ice, shots were 4-0 Washington and shot attempts were 9-5.
– You like it when Maccelli gets the puck on his stick in the offensive zone, but not necessarily when he’s under the gun in the defensive zone, and it’s quite obvious that he is living in that tough zone as a player where he’s small/not physical while lacking a separation gear with his speed. But he’s still one of many players I’d like to evaluate on a Leafs team with the necessary structure in place to possess the puck more in the offensive zone.
– Unfortunately, they were on for two five-on-five goals against, but again, it was the Tavares line on an island in this one as far as breaking even in five-on-five shots and chances. They generated some really good, hard-working offensive-zone shifts. Cowan still has his iffy moments on the halfwall on breakouts, but he’s also still learning — and learning inside a team without much structure. Overall, he’s creating a lot of positive plays right now for the Leafs, who are too reliant on him doing so.
– The officiating remains the bonus turd atop the shit sandwich that is the Leafs game-watching experience of late. The slashing call on Rielly was comical. Missing two straight clear calls when Troy Stecher was dragged down to the ice was infuriating, among other examples.
– The domino effect Tanev’s absence has had on Jake McCabe’s game has been stark (shifted to the right, now playing with Benoit), but it also falls short of a full explanation. He’s making some bizarre plays with the puck right now, and he’s in the middle of a lot of grade-As and goals against (outscored 5-2 in the last six at five-on-five). The Leafs badly need his game to settle down asap.
– If I had my druthers:
Knies – Matthews – Domi/Robertson
Cowan – Tavares – Nylander
Lorentz/Joshua – Laughton – Roy
Robertson/Domi – Quillan – McMann
Quillan probably isn’t coming back anytime soon, but to me, this is the Leafs’ best bet right now at creating three-plus credible lines with the current personnel available, with a deployment strategy that makes some sense.
– In case you missed it before the game, I wrote about why the Leafs absolutely shouldn’t consider a rebuild without first evaluating a coaching change.
Game Flow: 5v5 Shot Attempts
Heat Map: 5v5 Shot Attempts
