The Toronto Maple Leafs have a long way to go before they’re Stanley Cup Playoff ready.
In the latest edition of the Battle of Ontario Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena, the Ottawa Senators used a physical tight-checking style of play to take down the Maple Leafs 4-2. For what was supposed to be a playoff-like game, the intensity was lacking from the Leafs, and their sense of urgency was non-existent throughout most of the matchup.
Craig Berube put the lines in a blender entering Saturday’s contest, which certainly turned some heads considering he had Toronto’s leading goal scorer William Nylander starting on the third line. Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and Nylander were split up to start the game, and spent most of the night apart, besides a stretch later in the third period when Marner and Matthews reunited with Matthew Knies on the top line.
Matthews and Nylander both scored, so Berube can hang his hat on that, however, with just over a month until the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and with two key additions at the trade deadline, the Leafs have chemistry problems right now, which is becoming slightly concerning.
Speaking of key additions, Scott Laughton tried to spark the Leafs once they were down a goal late in the second period, dropping the gloves with Mr. Slap Shot himself Ridly Greig:
It was Laughton’s first scrap in blue and white and while it may have given the Leafs some legs to finish the second frame, the crowd’s response generated some ‘noise’, for all the wrong reasons. Take it away, Jay:
It wasn’t all bad for the Maple Leafs on Saturday night. Matthews got back on the scoresheet, potting his 24th on the season. Nick Robertson was re-inserted on the Leafs fourth line, and wound up making his way up the lineup throughout the game, finishing the night with a shot on goal, and two blocks. The Leafs outhit the Senators 39-24, but it was Ottawa’s attention to details defensively, and the strong play of goaltender Linus Ullmark, who is coming into form in a major way for the Sens.
At the end of the day, game No.66 was one to forget. The Senators continue to dominate the Maple Leafs this season, winning their third straight, and they are quickly becoming a problem as the playoffs approach.
It was nice to have a Battle of Ontario this late in the season mean something for once, so let’s give the Senators some credit. Regardless of how Berube structured his lines Saturday night, it wasn’t enough, there was no sustained offensive pressure. Frankly, the Maple Leafs have a long way to go until they’re a finished product.
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