Hockey can be unpredictable, and the Toronto Maple Leafs experienced this firsthand in their 4-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Monday night. Following their strong performance against the New York Rangers just two nights prior, it was like a different team showed up.
Against the Bruins, the Maple Leafs lacked the energy and drive they had shown in their last game. Boston came out with intensity from the start, leaving the Maple Leafs struggling to keep up. Despite having opportunities, Toronto was unable to capitalize on them.
Related: Today in Hockey History: March 5
The pressure fell heavily on goaltender Joseph Woll, who needed to deliver a flawless performance to keep his team competitive. Unfortunately, he was unable to do so. The Bruins took control of the game and never looked back.
Item One: Three Reasons the Maple Leafs Lost to the Bruins
Three main things contributed to the Maple Leafs’ loss. First, they struggled defensively. The team allowed the Bruins to capitalize on opportunities and score four times. Despite goaltender Woll’s 23 saves, the defense in front of him couldn’t contain the Bruins’ offensive pressure. The result was two goals by Pavel Zacha and one each by Jake DeBrusk and Morgan Geekie.
Second, the special teams play was poor. Toronto’s penalty kill faltered. In addition, the team couldn’t convert on their chances, including a late power play when Auston Matthews came close to scoring but was denied by Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo. The Maple Leafs had a chance to make it a game but just couldn’t do it against a pressuring penalty kill.
Related: Bill Barilko, The Hip & the Most Famous Goal in Maple Leafs History
Third, the team’s offense was ineffective. While John Tavares scored for the second straight game, the Maple Leafs’ offense struggled to generate consistent pressure. The team’s inability to break through Boston’s defense and capitalize on opportunities ended their ability to mount a comeback.
Item Two: Joseph Woll Has a Tough Outing
Joseph Woll faced a determined Bruins team Monday night. The game marked his second start since returning from an ankle injury, and unfortunately, it didn’t go as smoothly as his first outing. He looked as calm as ever, but the puck just kept getting by him.
Fortunately, his issues didn’t seem injury-related. Instead, they seemed more defense-in-front-of-him related. The fact is that Woll put up a commendable effort, making some solid saves. Three of the goals simply were not his fault. That said, the third goal by DeBrusk was one that Woll would likely want back. It was a well-placed shot, but he wasn’t screened, and the shot was stoppable. It just found the top corner on Woll’s glove side.
(Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images)
Interestingly, the DeBrusk goal was the same kind of shot that Tavares scored against Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman. In a game where the margin between a save and a score can be a centimeter or two, sometimes the puck simply eludes a glove, a pad, or a shoulder.
It will be interesting to see how the Maple Leafs deploy their goalies for the rest of the season. With Ilya Samsonov’s solid performances, the team will likely assess the goalie situation game by game.
Item Three: John Tavares Scores Maple Leafs Only Goal
Tavares found the back of the net late in the game for his 19th of the season. This goal adds to his recent number of four goals in the last seven games. However, compared to his impressive 36-goal, 80-point campaign last season, he’s falling short of replicating that level of production this season. He’s currently tied with Morgan Rielly for fourth on the team in points, trailing Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner by quite a significant margin.
Item Four: Ilya Lyubushkin Registers an Assist
First, given his injury the game before, it was good to see Ilya Lyubushkin on the ice. Insofar as I recall his play from when he joined the team from the Arizona Coyotes just before the trade deadline in the 2021-22 season, he seems to be more offensive-minded this go-around. Last night, he contributed an assist on the lone Maple Leafs goal.
Related: 4 Predictions for William Nylander’s 2023-24 Season
The assist was Lyubushkin’s first point since he was traded back to Toronto from the Anaheim Ducks last week. This season, he’s played 57 games with five assists. He doesn’t have a score yet. Will his numbers increase in Toronto over the remainder of the season?
Item Five: Morgan Rielly Gets a Rare Assist Since His Return
Morgan Rielly also contributed an assist on Tavares’ goal. Following Rielly’s suspension for cross-checking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig, he had experienced a drought, going four games without a point. However, last night was his second straight game with an assist. The Maple Leafs need his help to generate offense.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
Before the game, there was a bit of a kerfuffle about who would start in the net. Samsonov was first reported to be the starting goalie and was the first off the ice after the Monday morning skate. However, there seemed to be a change of mind, and Woll got the start.
The decision suggests Samsonov might be slated to start on Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres. It would also seem that the team might throw Woll out there against the Bruins on Thursday in Boston. But, we’ll see tomorrow.
