The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the midst of a solid season so far, and currently find themselves in a heated battle with the Florida Panthers for first place in the Atlantic Division, and their loss yesterday to the Jets did not help.
Monday's defeat came during the Maple Leafs annual Next-Gen game, and as someone who was lucky enough to attend the December 2019 (which was an 8-6 victory) and December 2022 editions of this game, both ending in wins, let's just say I was OK missing out on this one.
The Jets took down the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first time since December 2021, and oh boy, they showed why they're the #1 team in the NHL Standings.
Let's dive into this game a little deeper and see what went right for the Jets, and what went wrong for the Leafs.
Maple Leafs Drop Second Straight, Get Beat By Jets 5-2
Jets Power Play Stays Hot
The Jets, currently owning the league's top power play at a ridiculous 32.1%, stayed hot, going 1/2 on the night with a goal by Kyle Connor. The Leafs added a power play goal of their own, coming from John Tavares, but it was not enough to keep up with the Jets.
Star Power Leads Winnipeg to Victory
The Jets star players came to play tonight, with the aforementioned Connor registering four points, and Mark Scheifele adding four of his own (including a hat-trick). Connor Hellebuyck was also spectacular, continuing his Vezina-contending ways with a 23-save performance.
On the Leafs side, John Tavares scored both goals for the squad, including his 200th in a blue and white uniform. Tavares is quietly having an amazing season, with now 17 goals and 34 points in 34 games.
Besides him and the odd offensive chance from William Nylander, most of the Leafs had quiet games. Joseph Woll let in four goals, but he was hardly at fault for any, and the team lacked a real killer instinct for most of the contest, especially in the final minutes with their goalie pulled.
The fourth line of Connor Dewar, Steven Lorentz, and Pontus Holmberg played pretty well, but other than that, most of the team looked pretty average compared to the group on the other side of the ice.
Final Words:
The Leafs have now dropped their second straight home game, both coming in regulation. While their 5-5-0 record in their last ten games isn't pretty, they've gone 12-6-0 in their last 18, which makes it look a little better.
However, the Leafs are a shell of themselves without Auston Matthews (who has no return timeline), Chris Tanev (who should be back next game), and Anthony Stolarz (who will be out until February).
They have a three-day break until Friday, where they take on the Detroit Red Wings.
As of now, there is no need to panic, but another lackluster game is a cause for concern, especially against the Red Wings.