Last night was an example of the kind of game the Toronto Maple Leafs have been winning all season long. They were outplayed, listless and boring - the only difference between last night and most of the rest of the season was that last night they didn't get outstanding goaltending to paper over their problems.
Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs goalie, Joseph "Jo-Jo" Woll, was objectively awful, letting in multiple soft goals and failing to make any momentum changing saves.
When this happens, the Leafs don't win because they tend to play games where the other team gets more shots and scoring chances than they do.
The Leafs have no scored just one goal over their last two games, both at home, and both of which ended with the home team being booed off the ice. Deservedly.
The Toronto Maple Leafs Were Booed Off the Ice After Pathetic Performance
The Leafs played an awful game - from their coach right down to the goalie, it was one of their worst games of the year.
Berube made a bizarre lineup that defied common sense and played like it. Lorentz on the top line? That means 4 x 4th liners are playing! Knies-Tavares-Nylander? How many time you gonna roll that out before you realize it's not a line that works? Marner with Matthews, again? What is this, Groundhog Day?
Some of the problems weren't Berube's fault. He didn't force Jake McCabe to make the ill-advised decision to get into a fight, and thus you can't blame Berube that OEL and Myers were in the top four last night, but you're not going to win many games with that set-up.
Making it worse though is just how brutal Simon Benoit and Conor Timmins played. Remember when the Leafs had a 3rd pairing that crushed their minutes automatically, but everyone said hey it's just the third pairing anyone can do that. Turns out, anyone can't do it.
With the loss, the Leafs have no lost 3 in a row after previously winning 5 in a row. They will play the New Jersey Devils and former *(better)* coach Sheldon Keefe on Thursday and then they will take on the upstart Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, which will mark the first Leafs vs Habs game in years that actually matters.
I look forward to it immensely. Hopefully before then the Leafs bring in some reinforcements, because this is getting ridiculous.