Toronto outchancing both Boston and Los Angeles is a positive step for the team, despite the fact that both games ended in defeat. Part of this is due to Toronto chasing the game for substantial stretches, but this was still an excellent performance against a top quality team.
The Kings had a solid early start, and took the lead on the powerplay through Drew Doughty, but Toronto stormed back in the second half of the first period, outchancing the Kings 5-1 after the Doughty goal. The second half of the second period was a further domination, as after giving up a couple of early chances, Toronto again started to generate a lot of chances, though this time they were helped by some effective play with the extra man, including a goal from a blueliner, when Cody Franson scored on the powerplay.
The third was another strong Leaf period, but they were unlucky, as two of the Kings' four chances ended up in their net, while they weren't able to generate a goal themselves. They were better chasing a lead than they've been at times this year, though.
A broad win in terms of chances, with the Leafs beating out LA by nine at even strength. That's tied for a season best with a game against Buffalo, not exactly an opponent of the same quality. The Kings were playing the second of a back-to-back, but this was still a strong game for Toronto, and if they'd gotten some lucky bounces, or some weaker goaltending from the opponent, they could have earned a result. Definitely a big positive in a tough stretch of the season.
A summary of the scoring chances:
| Status |
Overall |
ES |
| Team |
Toronto |
Los Angeles |
Toronto |
Los Angeles |
| 1 |
7 |
4 |
7 |
3 |
| 2 |
9 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
| 3 |
8 |
4 |
8 |
4 |
| Total |
24 |
11 |
19 |
10 |
Details below.
The Leafs have not had many games in which they have outchanced opponents this year, but they did on Sunday night, only to fall to the Bruins. The Bruins benefited from a couple of goals on shots from the blueline, which didn't count as chances, something that's been relatively rare against the Leafs this season.
Toronto narrowly won the opening period in chances, and took the lead through Peter Holland. In the second, the Leafs again won the battle of chances, but two powerplay goals, and both of the goals that weren't chances, saw them surrender the lead to go down by two.
McClement scored early in the third to pull the lead back, but Toronto wasn't all that good in chasing the game, generating just two even strength chances after the goal. They did have a couple of late chances on the powerplay with the goalie pulled, but they were already down two at that point, after Iginla scored.
Toronto outchanced Boston in every period, a rarity for the Leafs this season. The advantage in each period was slight, and, as mentioned, the Leafs didn't do a great job of chasing the deficit, which is in strong contrast to how other teams have been chasing games in which the Leafs led.
A summary of the scoring chances:
| Status |
Overall |
ES |
| Team |
Toronto |
Boston |
Toronto |
Boston |
| 1 |
6 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
| 2 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
5 |
| 3 |
8 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
| Total |
21 |
14 |
16 |
12 |
Details below.
With a large, supportive crowd backing them in Ottawa, the Leafs continued their struggles with a lead, giving up two in the third period, but managing to survive to the shootout, where they were perfect to earn a second straight win.
The two teams exchanged powerplay goals in the first, but the Senators had the better of the chances. The second period saw Ottawa's strong performance in chances continue, but the Leafs struck twice to take the lead, Kessell scoring early in the frame, and Gardiner scoring on a shot from the blue line.
Toronto generated only one chance in the final period, and none at even strength, and with Condra scoring an early goal, and Karlsson adding a powerplay marker, the game was level halfway through the period. Both sides were fairly defensive after the tying goal, as only a single chance came for either team before the end of regulation.
While there was a flurry of chances in the overtime, neither team was able to score, and the Leafs had a perfect shootout, scoring twice and getting two saves to win a second straight game.
The Leafs lost every period, but the real concern for them is that they generated just one even strength chance in the last 29 minutes, continuing a disturbing trend of third period struggles.
A summary of the scoring chances:
| Status |
Overall |
ES |
| Team |
Toronto |
Ottawa |
Toronto |
Ottawa |
| 1 |
6 |
10 |
5 |
8 |
| 2 |
4 |
8 |
3 |
5 |
| 3 |
1 |
8 |
0 |
5 |
| 4 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
| Total |
14 |
28 |
11 |
20 |
Details below.
The Leafs have shown serious failings while trying to hold leads in the third period this season (and of course in the playoffs last year), and while they did manage to blow a late lead against Dallas, Jonathan Bernier held them in it enough to take them to overtime, where Trevor Smith scored to get the Leafs a win.
An even first period ended without a goal, but Toronto were rewarded for some good play early in the second, Kadri scoring on his return to the lineup. Toronto could have pulled ahead again midway through the period, but from then it went downhill, with Dallas dominating chances.
The Stars scored early in the third to draw level, but Kadri put Toronto back ahead five minutes later on the powerplay. However, Toronto would manage just one more chance in the remainder of regulation, while Dallas managed seven. Part of this was due to a couple of Dallas powerplays, with the extra man eventually providing a breakthrough through Horcoff.
Dallas had a couple of chances in overtime, but it was Smith who got the winner, deflecting in a Gardiner shot in the last minute of the period.
After a solid start, Toronto winning the first period overall, the Leafs were overwhelmed, especially in the third period. The game ended up similar to games against Columbus, Pittsburgh and Montreal, making it four bad blowouts in terms of chances in the Leafs' last six games. In particular, the Leafs' inability to defend a lead, along with their struggles chasing one, continue to hurt them.
A summary of the scoring chances:
| Status |
Overall |
ES |
| Team |
Toronto |
Dallas |
Toronto |
Dallas |
| 1 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
| 2 |
6 |
9 |
4 |
7 |
| 3 |
3 |
10 |
1 |
5 |
| 4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
| Total |
18 |
28 |
13 |
21 |
Details below.
The first period seemed to signal another brutal game for the Leafs, but they recovered well, pushing San Jose close, and managing to hold them to a goal until the final couple of minutes.
San Jose dominated much of the first, but most of their chances came on the powerplay, as did their second goal. They ended the frame up 10-3 overall, but only 5-1 at even strength. Toronto had a similar second period to San Jose's first, some early powerplays letting them get some momentum, generating 11 chances, five at even strength, in the first half of the period to get level. San Jose came back to take the second half of the second, including scoring the ultimate winning goal, which banked off a Leaf in front.
Toronto weren't able to do much chasing a tying goal in the third, similar to the Montreal game. They managed three chances in the period, but only one hit the net, and one of those three came after the empty net goal had already made the lead 4-2.
Overall, the game ended up fairly even, with San Jose taking a marginal victory both in overall and even strength. This advantage all came from a eleven minute stretch from the end of the first to the middle of the second, which the Leafs won 13-2 overall, while losing the rest of the game 6-18.
A summary of the scoring chances:
| Status |
Overall |
ES |
| Team |
Toronto |
San Jose |
Toronto |
San Jose |
| 1 |
3 |
10 |
1 |
5 |
| 2 |
13 |
7 |
7 |
6 |
| 3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
| Total |
19 |
20 |
11 |
14 |
Details below.
Toronto had one of its worst games of the season in Montreal, further extending a streak that has seen the Leafs drop four straight games. While there was a moment when it looked like Toronto might rally, they weren't able to get a strong push in the third period.
It was a spectacular start for Montreal, which saw Pacioretty generate four scoring chances on his own in the first minute when left alone for a powerplay breakaway. Even after that minute, Montreal continued to better the Leafs in terms of chances, getting a second goal late in the period through Subban.
The Leafs had a couple of chances early in the second, but Montreal took over again; Toronto held out for most of the period, but in the last five minutes surrendered a pair of goals, seemingly putting the game out of reach. Toronto then struck back from nowhere, scoring twice and bringing the game back to life. Their momentum didn't last into the third, though, as they didn't generate a chance for the first nine minutes, and only two in the first 15 minutes of the period. A couple of chances in the closing minutes didn't go in, leaving the Leafs to another defeat.
Relatively narrow losses at even strength in the first two periods weren't that concerning (though the special teams performance was poor), but what was really discouraging is how clearly the Leafs got beaten while chasing a two-goal lead in the third.
A summary of the scoring chances:
| Status |
Overall |
ES |
| Team |
Toronto |
Montreal |
Toronto |
Montreal |
| 1 |
2 |
8 |
2 |
4 |
| 2 |
5 |
10 |
5 |
7 |
| 3 |
5 |
8 |
3 |
8 |
| Total |
12 |
26 |
10 |
19 |
Details below.
Toronto's third game against Buffalo was a fairly even, back-and-forth encounter, settled by a strange goal that went through a gap in Carl Gunnarsson's skate en route to the back of the net.
Toronto looked solid in the first, and took an early lead through Phil Kessel, but faced a Sabre pushback in the second, with the home team getting back level in chances, and on the scoreboard, first equalizing on the powerplay, then getting another tying goal late in the period from Luke Adam.
The third was a tighter affair, neither side generating a lot of chances, but there was a good period of play in the last 6 or 7 minutes, in which either team could have won it. A late penalty against the Leafs ended up costing them, with Buffalo getting a couple of chances in regulation, then getting the winner with the penalized Ranger still working his way back into the play.
After back to back poor performances, the Leafs just managed to outchance Buffalo, though only by one, mostly on the back of that strong first period performance.
A summary of the scoring chances:
| Status |
Overall |
ES |
| Team |
Toronto |
Buffalo |
Toronto |
Buffalo |
| 1 |
7 |
3 |
7 |
3 |
| 2 |
4 |
10 |
4 |
7 |
| 3 |
5 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
| 4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Total |
16 |
19 |
14 |
13 |
Details below.
