Toronto Maple Leafs Should be 3-0 vs Canadiens

I’m not usually one for just doing a game recap, but last night was the first time the Toronto Maple Leafs have played the Montreal Canadiens on a Saturday Night, in a meaningful game, in what seems like (and probably is) years.

Sure, it was their third game against each other this year, but this is the first one where people didn’t give you the googly eye if you said you believed the Toronto Maple Leafs were going to the Playoffs.  (As I did in September).

A loss sucks, especially to the Habs, however, those Habs are in first place in the Atlantic. They are one of the best teams in hockey, and while it was the 3rd straight loss to them, it’s also the 3rd straight game the Maple Leafs – maybe  – deserved to win.

Don’t get me wrong. A loss is a loss and ‘deserved’ doesn’t pay the bills, but it’s encouraging for a young team, nevertheless.

October 29

Leafs lose 2-1, but control 52.9% of the shot-attempts at 5v5. They put 38 shots on net, while allowing 31, but cannot solve Price at even-strength.

As everyone who watched that game knows, Price stole it for the Canadiens.

November 19

Once again, the Leafs go down 2-1, and once again, they control most of the play (just slightly, 50.9%, but still).

Price was the difference again as the Leafs again outshot the Habs (32-29) and once again, could have easily won this game while doing nothing different.

Last Night

While at least it wasn’t 2-1 again.

This one just came down to goaltending and I hate to say it, Mike Babcock.

The guy isn’t infallible. He’s the best coach in the NHL,  and you’ll get no argument here. But the historic record of goalies on the second game of a back-to-back is not good.  There is no argument for every playing a goalie twice in a row.  Babcock should have known better.

Andersen, as could have been expected, was brutal.

The Leafs outplayed the Canadiens for the third straight game, and they lost, again.

If anything, this was their best performance against Montreal this year.  At even-strength, they controlled 60% of the play. Mitch Marner was unreal. They outshot the Canadiens 36-31.

For once, at least, Price didn’t steal the game. This time, Andersen lost it.

That’s OK. It’s the coaches fault for playing him.

Conclusion

Results matter.  But results aren’t the whole story. You have to look at the big picture, and the big picture is this: The Canadiens are first in the Atlantic, and the Leafs should have beaten them three times this year.

They didn’t and that’s an important distinction, but if you’re dressing 8-10 rookies on any given night, and if you’re ‘deserving’ of more wins than you have, that’s a pretty great situation to be in.

It hurts double to lose to the hated Canadiens, but had things gone a little more in the Leafs favor, they’d be tied right now in the standings (and the Leafs would have a game in hand).

Not bad.

Stats via Corsica.Hockey