Toronto Maple Leafs: Lucky Results Weekend

The Toronto Maple Leafs came back from their CBA mandated five-day break to go 2-0.  Here’s some notes from the weekend.

Kapanen Injured

In an AHL game Friday vs the Syracuse Crunch, Leafs top-prospect Kasperi Kapanen was injured.

That was a pretty low, cheap hit. You can clearly see that Kapanen is favoring his leg as he gets up.  The Marlies’ coach, Sheldon Keefe, said he’ll be out a “lengthy” amount of time.

Leafs vs Rangers

The Leafs beat the Rangers 4-2 in a road game, so you can’t really complain – especially coming off of a five-day layoff – but this wasn’t a great game.

Toronto scored early and then made it 2-0 before the end of the first.  They spent most of the game with the lead, so score-effects may account for the lopsided possession stats a little, but  New York dominated possession.  Despite it being a weakness for them, the Rangers put a 56% CF rating and (to my eye) looked like the better team most of the night, even though they lost.

Andersen was excellent, but the Toronto Maple Leafs have to play better. I think got lucky and seemed to benefit from an unusually shaky looking Henrick Lundqvist.

Morgan Rielly looked to me to have an awful game, and the 28% CF rating seems to bear that out.

The Maple Leafs also took six penalties and did not allow a goal (which isn’t going to happen often).  Overall, I’d say they were lucky to escape New York with two points.

Leafs vs Senators

This was a similar game to the one in New York the night before. On the road, up 2-0 early and finishing in a 4-2 final.  Like the Rangers’ game, the Leafs probably didn’t deserve to win this one either, but…..like they say, a win is a win.

New back-up goalie Curtis McElhinney had to make 35 saves, and the Senators (like the Rangers) dominated the Leafs in possession.  Again, with the Leafs holding a 2-0 goal lead for a significant part of the game, it’s worth pointing out that score-effects probably came into play, but you still can’t excuse being out-possessed so badly by mediocre teams like Ottawa and New York.

That being said, the Leafs have to play better if they want to maintain the torrid pace they’ve set since a couple rough losses in early to mid December.

Pet Peeve

This is just a personal observation, but it drives me nuts how the broadcasters mention the amount of goals scored by Leafs’ rookies, literally every time one of them scores.

Next: Zaitsev's next contract?

While it’s a no doubt impressive achievement, the Leafs have dressed about eight rookies per game all year (to most teams’ one or two) so of course they will have scored tons and tons more rookie-points and goals than any other team.

Next up, the Leafs are back in Toronto to take on the Sabres tomorrow night.