The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered a 5-1 loss at home to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night. Let’s break down the good, bad, and ugly aspects of the Maple Leafs’ performance in this game.
The Ugly:
1. Poor Start: The game got off to a rough start for the Maple Leafs as they gave up two quick goals in the first 10 minutes.
2. Top Line Struggles: Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Matthew Knies all had a rough night, with each of them posting a minus-three plus/minus rating.
3. Power Play Woes: The Maple Leafs’ power play went 0 for 4 in the game, highlighting their struggles with the man advantage.
The Bad:
1. Starting Woll: Coach Craig Berube’s decision to start Joseph Woll, who had not played a competitive game in 175 days, backfired as the young goaltender struggled in the game.
2. Defensive Mistakes: The Maple Leafs made several defensive errors that led to goals for the Blues, including leaving opponents unmarked in front of the net.
The Good:
1. Shots: Despite the loss, the Maple Leafs outshot the Blues 41-27 and doubled their shot attempts compared to the previous game.
2. Pairing Adjustments: Berube made adjustments to the defensive pairings, resulting in a goal from the new pairing of Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Morgan Rielly.
Looking ahead, the Maple Leafs face a challenging schedule with several games in a short span. Fatigue may be a factor affecting the performance of key players like Matthews, Marner, and Nylander. Rest and recovery will be crucial for the team as they navigate through a busy stretch of games.
