Falling behind 4-1 midway through the second, it seemed as if it could be another long night for Toronto, but this time they managed to get their game together, pulling back the lead in the dying minutes to earn a point, though they weren't able to survive to the shootout, where they've been so effective.
The Leafs were the better team in generating chances in the opening period, but some good opportunism from Winnipeg, and some less than effective goaltending from Reimer, meant that the home side finished the period with a two-goal lead.
The Jets had a much stronger second, and were rewarded midway through the period with a quick pair of goals, chasing James Reimer from the net with the Leafs down 4-1. The Leafs were able to cut the lead to one by the end of the period, without generating a lot of chances. Gleason and Phaneuf both scored goals from the point in the period, which counted on the scoreboard, but not as chances.
Toronto were able to get level in the third, with Phil Kessel getting the tying goal in the last two minutes, but they weren't all that effective in the period, as Winnipeg actually outchanced them in the final frame. Winnipeg then won the game in OT, converting one of their two chances.
After the Leafs' strong start, Winnipeg came back well, winning the last three periods 11-6, as the Leafs were ineffective in generating chances in the chase, and fortunate to end up getting level. Toronto did manage to win close chances, 5-3.
A summary of the scoring chances:
| Status |
Overall |
ES |
| Team |
Toronto |
Winnipeg |
Toronto |
Winnipeg |
| 1 |
8 |
6 |
6 |
4 |
| 2 |
4 |
8 |
3 |
6 |
| 3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
| 4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
| Total |
15 |
19 |
12 |
15 |
Details below.
These types of games are always awkward to assess in terms of chances, as the blowout scoreline ends up making the latter half somewhat meaningless. In Dallas, it was a disaster of a second period, with Dallas turning 4 of their 10 chances into goals, that ended up leaving the Leafs with their worst defeat for a few weeks.
Dallas won the first period, generating six chances and a pair of goals, but the Leafs were only down one when Kulemin responded to Dallas' opener quickly.
The second period saw the Leafs dominated in chances, but unlike a lot of games, in which their goalies bail them out, in this one there wasn't much help from the back end, with Dallas ending the frame up 6-1. With the game decided, Toronto didn't put up much of a fight in the third, outchanced substantially again in the final period.
Dallas took a big chance victory, 19-8 at ES and 22-8 overall, 3-2. Dallas also won the close chances, 8-5, as after the third Dallas goal things went very poorly for the Leafs, losing in ES chances 11-4 from that point.
A summary of the scoring chances:
| Status |
Overall |
ES |
| Team |
Toronto |
Dallas |
Toronto |
Dallas |
| 1 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
6 |
| 2 |
3 |
10 |
3 |
7 |
| 3 |
2 |
6 |
2 |
6 |
| Total |
8 |
22 |
8 |
19 |
Details below.
A very similar game in style to the Leafs' trip to Phoenix unfolded in Denver, as they pulled out to a 4-0 lead early in the second period, then managed to hold on, despite some resistance from the Avalanche to get a win. James Reimer was the goalie standing on his head this time, stopping a number of good Colorado chances down the stretch.
Toronto took the chances in the first, but it was only 3-2 at ES, and 5-2 overall, so the Leafs were in good shape with a two-goal lead after one. They added a pair more in the second, and could have had more, as they outchanced Colorado again in the frame, and in particular had a 5-1 chance lead after taking a 4-0 lead.
A goal at the end of the second gave Colorado some hope, and they dominated the third in the chase for the lead, genearting ten ES chances. The good thing for the Leafs was that they were able to shut down the Avalanche in the last five minutes, as they didn't generate a single chance in that time.
Colorado won chances at ES, 16-13, and 18-17 overall, but the ES close chances were won by Toronto, 3-2.
A summary of the scoring chances:
| Status |
Overall |
ES |
| Team |
Toronto |
Colorado |
Toronto |
Colorado |
| 1 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
| 2 |
6 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
| 3 |
6 |
12 |
5 |
10 |
| Total |
17 |
18 |
13 |
16 |
Details below.
A rare win in Arizona came for the Leafs, as they took advantage of their early chances to get out to a 3-0 lead, then held on, riding Jonathan Bernier, as they have so often this season, to a fifth consecutive victory, and a second straight regulation win.
The two teams were very even in the first period, but it was the Leafs who managed to finish the frame up by a pair, as Jake Gardiner got on the end of a loose puck as confusion reigned in the Coyotes zone, and Phil Kessel fired in a trademark shot.
Phoenix had a much sharper start to the second, but the Leafs were rewarded with a third, Carl Gunnarsson scoring his first in almost a full year. The Coyotes then dominated the remainder of the period, outchancing the Leafs 9-3, but weren't able to find a breakthrough.
The third period was an odd one, as the home team struggled to generate any chances at even strength, but pulled one back on the powerplay, and generated a raft of shorthanded chances. Nazem Kadri scored a PP goal with 6 minutes left, which turned out to be critical, as a shorthanded goal less than a minute later cut the lead back to two. Toronto allowed only one chance against after that, as they showed some decent ability to hold onto the lead, despite giving Phoenix a lot of possession.
Phoenix outchanced the Leafs 13-8 at ES, and 9-4 in the last two periods. In the short part of the game that qualified as close, the chances were more even, 4-3 for Toronto.
A summary of the scoring chances:
| Status |
Overall |
ES |
| Team |
Toronto |
Phoenix |
Toronto |
Phoenix |
| 1 |
6 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
| 2 |
4 |
11 |
4 |
7 |
| 3 |
2 |
9 |
0 |
2 |
| Total |
12 |
24 |
8 |
13 |
Details below.
Regulation victories have not come often for the Leafs, but they got a satisfying one on Saturday, fighting off the Montreal Canadiens. While the game did feature a strong push by Montreal to level it late, the Leafs were much more competitive in chances they managed to be against Boston.
Toronto took an early lead, Kadri showing some sublime skill to set up Franson, and while they carried the play for the better part of the first, a late powerplay for the Habs allowed them to get level before the end of the period. The second was a definite 'period of two halves', as there were no chances in the first 6 minutes, and 11 minutes in, Montreal led the chances 3-0. After that, Toronto started pressing much harder, rewarded when Kessel scored from Raymond, and Raymond then adding a third himself on the powerplay.
Montreal scored what could have been a critical goal right at the end of the second, but Toronto's response was solid, killing off an early Montreal penalty, and keeping the Habs mostly under control, until Desharnais managed to tie the game midway through the frame on an shot that took a couple of deflections on the way in. The Leafs then answered quickly, generating the next four chances, including the winning goal through Van Riemsdyk. Montreal came up with five chances in the last five minutes, but Jonathan Bernier stood strong to earn the win for his team.
Toronto were narrowly outchanced in the game, 16-13 5-on-5, but much of that came while the Habs chased the game, as the Leafs won 5-on-5 close 13-6.
A summary of the scoring chances:
| Status |
Overall |
ES |
| Team |
Toronto |
Montreal |
Toronto |
Montreal |
| 1 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
| 2 |
8 |
7 |
6 |
7 |
| 3 |
4 |
9 |
4 |
7 |
| Total |
16 |
20 |
13 |
16 |
Details below.
A game between two teams coming off games last night featured a couple of pretty entertaining, offense-filled periods, before the third saw fatigue and the hopes of a point lead to a less adventurous conclusion. The game went to another shootout, and the Leafs were the better in the skills contest again, with Tyler Bozak continuing his roll.
The first was even until Kessel scored, picking up a bad giveaway by Christian Ehrhoff and firing it in. After that, the Leafs took the chances 5-1, but weren't able to add another goal. That seemed like it could come back to haunt them in the second, with Buffalo scoring early through Ellis, then getting a penalty shot chance when Girgensons was hooked by Gardiner while in alone, and eventually taking the lead through Moulson. Toronto's response was perfect, though, as Kulemin had an equalizer less than a minute later, and Rielly then jumped in to give them the lead.
Buffalo started pressing again, and got a goal after Phaneuf took a penalty late in the second, Hodgson scoring early in the third. That was pretty much it for the period; JVR earned a couple of chances in the last five minutes, but couldn't cash them, and the game progressed to overtime. There were a lot of shots in the period, but most from the outside, very little action inside the prime scoring chance areas. Toronto had a couple of great OT chances, and Buffalo almost ended the game in the last 30 seconds through Myers, but it was the shootout that determined the bonus point, with the Leafs securing it, as they have so often this season.
A very even chance game, as Toronto's solid first period was offset by Buffalo's good second. There were just two chances in the last 19 minutes of regulation, and the Leafs narrowly took the overtime session, 2-1.
A summary of the scoring chances:
| Status |
Overall |
ES |
| Team |
Toronto |
Buffalo |
Toronto |
Buffalo |
| 1 |
8 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
| 2 |
3 |
8 |
3 |
7 |
| 3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| 4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Total |
15 |
13 |
12 |
11 |
Details below.
Some eerily familiar moments in Toronto's trip to Boston, as it was hard not to think back to May when Boston was chasing a lead late, pouring a ton of pressure on. This time, though, the Leafs held out, in no small part due to some great play from Jonathan Bernier. They were badly, badly outchanced, even when you look only at chances while the game is close, and it hardly seems like the basis for long-term success, but for one night, at least, the success was sweet.
It looked like it might be a very long night inside the first five minutes, as Boston came out and generated the first four chances, including a goal through Brad Marchand. Toronto had a quick response, though, Bozak getting a goal just two minutes later. Boston pulled back ahead again midway through the period, Bergeron sneaking one in, but again it was Bozak, this time finishing a pass from JVR on the powerplay.
The Leafs held on into the second, and it was the powerplay that did the damage again; Toronto were down 10-3 in ES chances, and 12-4 overall, when Jake Gardiner added a second powerplay goal to put them back ahead. Milan Lucic hit the post less than a minute later, and Toronto had a chance to extend the lead too, Van Riemsdyk getting a few chances in close.
A huge goal for Toronto came just at the start of the third, as Van Riemsdyk scored in the first minute to extend the lead. The goal would prove crucial, as Boston cut the lead again midway through the period, leaving them to chase in the last ten minutes.
Given the Leafs' poor performances defending third period leads, they actually weren't bad in this game, as despite some heavy pressure from Boston, they didn't get too many good chances, and the Leafs almost got an insurance marker through Kadri. Boston managed only a single chance in the last five minutes,
A big Boston win in chances, holding the Leafs to just 7 at even strength. The Leafs generated six powerplay chances, but also allowed Boston a couple of close chances while the Bruins were shorthanded.
A summary of the scoring chances:
| Status |
Overall |
ES |
| Team |
Toronto |
Boston |
Toronto |
Boston |
| 1 |
4 |
8 |
3 |
8 |
| 2 |
5 |
6 |
1 |
4 |
| 3 |
4 |
8 |
3 |
5 |
| Total |
13 |
22 |
7 |
17 |
Details below.
