Not all tight games are going to fall Toronto’s way.
That was evident Saturday when the Leafs allowed the struggling Red Wings to hold a lead most of the night in a 4-2 final.
Our takeaways:
OPEN SEASON
The Leafs must have read too much into the Wings’ minus-18 goal differential coming into the game. While the Leafs have been a secure 5-on-5 club defensively all year and managed to nab three recent one-goal decisions, they let the home team have too many good looks.
With just 18 seconds to go in what should have been a tied second period, they lost track of Moritz Seider off the bench. And a John Tavares giveaway was part of a meltdown 44 seconds after Matthew Knies had tied the score.
Three goals came from Detroit’s defence, two by Jeff Petry. Patrick Kane, whose reputation as a sniper should have preceded him, had a breakaway and was one of several Wings to ding the posts.
“Defensively we have to be better,” coach Craig Berube told media in Detroit. “We can’t give up a goal there (so late in the second). Sorry.”
Berube also disliked the low shots on net total (26) and that the Leafs didn’t execute the late 6-on-5.
MARNER ALL OVER THE MAP
A two-assist game by right winger Mitch Marner, and almost his second short-handed goal of the season, ended up being wasted.
Certainly, the rarely penalized alternate captain had a right to be hot at being flagged for just his third minor of the year after missing a breakaway in the third that would’ve made it 3-3. Trying to get back in the play, he was assessed a light tripping call on Alex DeBrincat that put the Leafs short-handed again.
Marner did work some earlier offensive magic, helping get yet another new-look power play alignment a goal. After coach Craig Berube ditched the five-forward unit in favour of restoring defenceman Morgan Rielly, Marner moved into a couple of different positions to befuddle the Wings and took all four of them out of the play to set up Auston Matthews for Toronto’s first goal.
BLADE RUNNER
Matthews reached double figures in goals for the ninth time in as many seasons for the Leafs – and was comically marooned on the ice deep in Wings’ territory in the first period after his skate blade separated from his boot after skidding into the boards.
He needed assistance from defenceman Jake McCabe who pulled/pushed the grounded captain towards the Leaf bench where he eventually was hauled in by mates.
“I knew the blade came out, I just didn’t know what to do after that,” Matthews said. “Good learning experience.”
MAC IS BACK, MAX MUZZLED
Bobby McMann celebrated his return from a seven-game lower body injury hiatus by leading the Leafs with five shots on goal. But the winger could’ve used one to drop on his early solo opportunity that would’ve been his seventh in 22 games.
Max Domi would take just one of those goals. Looking to bust a career-worst 22-game slump, he was on a line with McMann, centred by Fraser Minten, but Domi didn’t get even one shot on goal. At least that line has more offensive promise for Domi than with grinder Pontus Holmberg, who dropped down to the fourth line with McMann’s return.
The Leafs have another slumping winger they’re trying to kick-start, the recently benched Nick Robertson, with two goals in 23 games. He might play Sunday against Buffalo.
ALEX GETS FRESH FARM PRODUCE
While his five-game promotion to the Leafs yielded no points and saw him return to the Marlies this week, Alex Nylander quickly got back in a scoring groove Saturday.
He had a hat trick, including the 6-5 overtime winner against the visiting Bakersfield Condors, adding two assists. William’s younger brother now had eight goals and 12 points in 14 farm games, but next time in the NHL has to translate that offence.
The Marlies were down 3-0 early in the game and pulled outstanding young netminder Artur Akhtyamov after five goals on 15 shots. Veteran Matt Murray who was not at 100% health when the Leafs had to replace Anthony Stolarz this week, filled in and got the win.
Winger Alex Steeves, another recent Leaf call-up, now has goals in six consecutive AHL games and defenceman William Villeneuve had four assists Saturday.
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