The Toronto Maple Leafs dropped a 3-1 decision Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena to the New York Islanders. The Islanders scored twice on the power play in the first period and then played a disciplined, defensive game to take the win.
The Maple Leafs had some push; they spent time in the offensive zone, and they even had stretches where it looked like they might tilt the ice a bit. Too much of the play stayed on the outside, and the Maple Leafs couldn’t generate traffic or second-chance opportunities.
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Steven Lorentz gave them a moment in the second period, snapping a long goal drought, but it never really felt like they were in this game. New York allowed goaltender Ilya Sorokin to see everything clean, and when the third goal went in, it had that familiar “this one’s over” feeling.
Item One: Woll Holds the Line, But Maple Leafs Leave Him Exposed
Joseph Woll deserved better. Again. He stopped 31 shots, and outside of the two early power-play goals, he gave his team every chance to hang around. But that’s the problem; right now, “hanging around” is about the best he’s been getting in front of him. When your only offensive support comes from the fourth line, you’re asking your goalie to be perfect and that’s just not realistic over time.
(Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images)
Since the Winter Olympic break, Woll is 1-5-1 with an .893 save percentage. On paper, those numbers don’t jump out in a good way. But watching the games, you know it’s more complicated. He’s not stealing games, but he’s not the reason they’re losing either. He’s stuck in that in-between space where he’s playing well enough, just not well enough to cover everything breaking down in front of him.
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And right now, there’s too much breaking down in front of him to have a chance at a win.
Item Two: Steven Lorentz Steady Despite Goal Drought
Lorentz finally getting one should feel like a small positive, and it is. The goal itself was a good one. The Maple Leafs fourth-line stalwart showed quick hands, a clean release, and confidence you don’t always see from a guy who hasn’t scored in 30 games.
But the more interesting part is what hasn’t changed. Lorentz is basically the same player he was last season when the Maple Leafs were rolling to winning the Atlantic Division. Back then, he put up 19 points and finished plus-13. This year, he’s on a similar pace with 15 points in 59 games and still sits on the positive side of the plus/minus ledger. On a team that’s struggled with its overall goal differential, that’s something to note.
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He’s doing his job. He hits, he forechecks, he plays straight lines. There’s value in that. The issue is that, when his offence starts to matter this much, the team has to be suffering. If Lorentz scoring is the thing that needs to spark your team, something’s off higher up the lineup. The Maple Leafs aren’t getting enough consistent five-on-five production from the guys who are supposed to drive it, and that’s putting a spotlight on players who were never meant to carry that load. Bottom line? Lorentz is earning his paycheque.
Item Three: Maple Leafs Add to the Blue Line with Vinny Borgesi Signing
Away from the game, the Leafs made a quieter move, signing Vinny Borgesi to a two-year entry-level deal. He’s an undrafted right-shot defenceman out of Northeastern University who’s put up steady numbers for a few NCAA seasons now. He’s solid and consistent; he moves the puck well, contributes offensively, and seems to have a high hockey IQ.
The question, as it often is with players like him, comes down to size. At 5-foot-8 and 173 pounds, that’s hardly the kind of DNA current Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has favoured in the past. In that sense, skilled blue-liner or not, the signing is a bit surprising. That said, the Montreal Canadiens’ Lane Hutson is 5-foot-9 and 162 pounds, and his skill has overcome his size. He delivers elite blue-line play, so size in itself isn’t the defining factor.
Borgesi will have to prove he can handle the grind at the pro level. And this signing might matter more over time than it does today. The Maple Leafs have been trying to build the organization’s defensive depth, not just plugging holes every summer.
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Now, the task is to see if Borgesi can play well enough in the American Hockey League (AHL). Can he show something there? Maybe he won’t, maybe he will. But these are bets you make if you want to develop from within.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
If you want to boil this loss down to one thing, it’s special teams. The Islanders went 2-for-6 on the power play. The Maple Leafs didn’t score on theirs. That’s the difference right there.
Toronto’s penalty kill has been solid for most of the season, so you can live with the odd off night. But the power play is where the frustration creeps in. Last night, it looked predictable and nowhere near dangerous enough. It couldn’t create enough chaos, and without that, good goalies will look great.
The Maple Leafs return to the ice Friday when they host the Carolina Hurricanes.
