The Toronto Maple Leafs are no ordinary hockey team.
A miraculous five-goal comeback in the third period gave Toronto one point against the Blue Jackets after many fans had already left the building in frustration. Auston Matthews scored twice with 75 seconds left to tie the score, but Kent Johnson spoiled the party by scoring the game-winning goal in overtime. The Leafs were absolutely terrible for the entire 40 minutes, but they finally showed what they were capable of in the final frame.
Columbus scored twice in the first period, but Ilya Samsonov had no chance on either goal. Without his strong play, the Blue Jackets could have easily taken a three or four point lead. The leaves were completely asleep. The second period did not improve either. Justin Danforth increased Columbus’ lead to three points with about eight minutes to go as Samsonov failed to cover the angle. Less than three minutes later, Egor Chinakhov scored on a rush, and Johnny Gaudreau added a goal on the power play shortly after. You could hear a pin drop at Scotiabank Arena.
Toronto finally appeared in the third game, scoring two goals in the first four minutes. Jake McCabe cut the deficit to two points with minutes left, and Matthews was the hero late on. It was a fun game in the end, but Sheldon Keefe couldn’t be happier with his team’s effort in a 6-5 loss.
3 stars
1. Auston Matthews
His line was the only one that showed up in at least some way in the first game, and in the second he hit the post. He then set up William Nylander to lead off the Leafs’ third score. Just when everyone thought the game was almost over, Matthews cut the lead to his one point with 75 seconds left.
Did he end there? of course not.
2. William Nylander
Nylander scored the Leafs’ first goal in the first minute of the third game.
They had a good chance to win the game in overtime, but Matthews’ third-period goal gave them the extra point. He wasn’t a great player, but he was still talented enough to earn a star.
3. Bobby McMann
There weren’t many obvious options, so kudos to McMann for getting the assist on the third shot. When he was on the ice, the Leafs scored 72 percent of their 5-on-5 expected goals in games, and it felt like he was one of the only players to show up early. He could get more chances this week as Ryan Reeves is out with an injury.
A miraculous comeback after a terrifying effort
Max Domi deserved an assist on Columbus’ first goal, as he made a perfect pass to Kent Johnson, who immediately found Patrik Laine. Morgan Rielly deserved the assist on Columbus’ second goal, but on defense Noah Gregor was in Thunder Bay’s half instead of in a defensive zone position. Connor Timmins and Jake McCabe struggled in front of the third point, and TJ Brodie was crushed on the fourth point rush. William Rajeson kicked two penalties, including the one that led to Gaudreau’s goal.
Matthews’ men created a few middling scoring chances, but the rest of the team created little to no chances on the first score. Matthews, Gregor and McMann were the only Leafs forwards with shots on goal after 20 minutes. The third line didn’t get a single shot on goal, and John Tavares’ line completely fell apart. This felt like a David Ayers game, where anyone could have made a play on the other team’s net.
What’s so disconcerting to the Leafs is that they clearly showed what they’re capable of in Game 3. Nylander, Mitch Marner and Matthews all scored and spent most of the game on the Blue Jackets’ side. Did you all think the game would start at 9pm?
Keefe leaves Samsonov in third place
Samsonov entered the game with an .884 save percentage, but did not look confident all season. In fact, he played pretty well in his first game, but Keefe had plenty of reasons to pull up his goaltender after 40 minutes. He chose to hang on until the third, but the majority of the frame was spent on Columbus’ side. Martin Jones will probably be eligible for Saturday night’s game against Pittsburgh.
You too can be a judge:
The Leafs are nowhere near an elite team right now.
Meanwhile, the Leafs have earned at least one point in eight straight games. On the other hand, they have only won 8 regulation wins through 27 games. Elite teams regularly win by multiple goals, and Elite teams should have no problem getting the job done at home against a thin Blue Jackets roster.
Toronto entered the game ranked 20th in the league in expected goal percentage at 5-on-5. The Leafs lost 5-on-5 and had never been a team that created many power-play opportunities. Their fourth line is one of the worst in the league, and defensively they look like the team that gave John Klingberg $4.15 million this offseason.
Fortunately, the Leafs don’t have to give back the points they saved by sending the game to overtime. Mark Giordano and Timothy Liljegren will return eventually, and it looks like they’ll end up trading a defenseman or two. It’s relatively easy for teams to upgrade their fourth line, and a player like Marner should be able to turn things around at some point. In some ways, this game could be considered a bit of a one-off, and Leafs fans can appreciate the historic comeback. But being completely battered for 40 minutes against Columbus is unacceptable.
game score
Final grade: C-
The Blue Jackets entered the game with the worst record in the Eastern Conference in scoring percentage. The fundamental metrics couldn’t be more favorable, as they also ranked last in the East in 5-on-5 expected goal percentage. With Damon Severson, Boone Jenner and Jack Roslovic out of the lineup and Laine injured by midway through, one would expect the Leafs to dominate at home. Instead, the Blue Jackets looked like his 2010 Canadian Olympic team.
The Leafs raised their grade from an F to a C- thanks to a truly great performance in the third period, but they can’t dig themselves into a hole like that.
What’s next for the Leafs?
He will be at home to face Kyle Dubas’s Pittsburgh Penguins on “Hockey Night in Canada” Saturday at 7 p.m.
(Photo: John E. Sokolowski / USA Today)