Everyone knows that the Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to make the playoffs, and after a rough stretch, it’ll be tough to get there.
After last night, it looks like the Toronto Maple Leafs are falling behind in their push for the post season.
While they still have 3rd in the Atlantic locked up, ahead of the Florida Panthers by two points, there’s still a chance they don’t squeeze through.
And what if they don’t? It’ll be a big disappointment to the players, management and most importantly, the fans.
Their overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night was a testament to them still not being ready. A 1-0 lead, which was eventually cut down and saw the Canadiens take the game over, then win it in overtime.
“I thought all night our team did a great job,” said goaltender Jack Campbell, who surprisingly took part of the blame for that loss (via MapleLeafs.com). “You know, we got one, but I take responsibility for that second one lost.”
It seems to be a rut that the Toronto Maple Leafs are caught in. Leading games and then giving up a few goals to allow the other team to get back into it.
Toronto has given up seven 3rd period goals in the last four games and are third among NHL teams who allow the most goals in the final frame.
One thing is for sure though — at least they’re not down right losing those games. Part of how their maturity has developed throughout this season is that they’re finding ways to win games, or at least get a point.
Their last 10 games have seen them secure 12 of 20 possible points and they still have the fifth-best record in the NHL since they hired Sheldon Keefe. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been shutdown to one goal in only five games this season and have lost them all.
“You don’t win games when you score one goal, it’s very difficult.” Said Keefe after the loss to Montreal (via MapleLeafs.com). “We let that team hang around, and just have a one goal cushion like that, you leave the door open for a point shot to get you.”
There’s nothing to be worried about, yet.
Even though this has been a tough stretch for the Toronto Maple Leafs, they still have the most goals of any team in the NHL. And the second most under Keefe.
Some players are starting to catch fire including the captain, John Tavares. He has four goals in four straight games and seven points in his last four.
Auston Matthews has 11 points in his last seven games.
Mitch Marner has 13 points in his last ten games.
William Nylander has 11 points in nine games.
And Tyson Barrie, who a lot of people blamed for the loss against the Canadiens has seven points in his last nine.
As the Toronto Maple Leafs are without Cody Ceci and Morgan Rielly for the foreseeable future, Timothy Liljegren and Rasmus Sandin have had a chance to impress, and they’ve taken full advantage of it.
Newly acquired goaltender, Jack Campbell has played great after starting in back-to-backs for the first time in his career. Through those games, it seems like the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing well in front of him and the fanbase is trusting him too.
The bottom line is — the Toronto Maple Leafs are doing fine. With a few tough losses to swallow in their last four games, there’s still light at the end of the tunnel. That light though, will be fairly difficult to get to.
Out of their final 26 games, eight of them are against teams who likely won’t make the playoffs. The rest are against teams who are in the playoff race alongside the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It won’t be easy, nor do the players think it will. But one thing that will be interesting is to see how they react and how Kyle Dubas reacts when he hears the news on Rielly and Ceci.
This will be the hardest part of the season for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The work will be tough, but at the end of it all, I think they will be in the playoffs by the end of it.