Toronto Maple Leafs Done in By Refs
By James Tanner
The Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the Florida Panthers last night.
But more realistically, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the referees last night. Despite another rough start to the game that saw them out-shot around 10-0 for the second straight time, the Leafs recovered and had themselves a decent game against an inferior opponent.
The Panthers started strong, but by the end of the game the Leafs passed them in total shot-attempts. The second period was pretty even, but the Leafs absolutely owned the third period, sending wave after wave at the Panthers in an attempt to win the game in regulation.
It might have happened, had the referees been doing their jobs. Last game ,against the Coyotes, the Leafs were screwed when a story-book ending (Matthews tying the game against his home-town team in his 100th game) was robbed from them by an objectively wrong goalie interference review.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Panthers
Last night, the Leafs weren’t done in by video review, just by the incompetence of noted worst referee in the game, Tim Peel. With the Toronto Maple Leafs looking to win the game on the power-play, Kadri was cross-checked in the spine in what should have given the Leafs a two-man advantage and assured them a regulation win. No call.
More from Editor In Leaf
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Nick Robertson Healthy and Ready
- Ryan Reaves Will Have Zero Impact on Toronto Maple Leafs
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Playing Max Domi In Top-Six a HUGE Mistake
- Top 10 Scandals in the History of the Toronto Maple Leafs
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Results from the Traverse City Prospects Tournament
Then, Kadri took not one, but two more cross-checks before understandably getting angry and retaliating. Of course the refs gave him an even-up penalty even though the Panthers took could have been a legitimate FOUR STRAIGHT PENALTIES.
Until the refs are more concerned with making accurate calls than being perceived as “fair” the NHL will always have bad officiating. No team would ever get called with four minors in the last minutes of a game, but if they commit the infractions, that should be exactly what happens.
It got worse.
In overtime, Auston Matthews was on a partial breakaway when he was attacked by a defender and knocked to the ice. Did the Leafs receive a power-play for their troubles? Would I be writing this if they did? Come on.
Throw in a couple posts by the Morgan Rielly and it was just an all-round unlucky night for the boys in blue. To be honest, they deserved to win the two games they lose probably more than any of the games on their six game win streak. Such is life!
Still, it’s hard not to lament the loss of three points in the standings that, by all rights, the Toronto Maple Leafs deserved to get. They should be on an eight game win streak right now.