The Toronto Maple Leafs were back in action last night at home against the Los Angeles Kings. After their performance against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night, this game had to be better. In fact, most fans were thinking of it as a must-win because now there is talk about firing Craig Berube amongst the fan base. Unfortunately, they didn’t win despite a really good first 20 minutes. Their second period woes continued and they couldn’t hold down the lead, which led to the Kings coming back and winning in overtime 4-3.
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Now after another loss, the Maple Leafs are searching for answers. The biggest one is why they can’t put forth a solid 60 minutes this season. It has only happened a few times, and it is hurting them big time. They need to figure it out and fast or else they risk being near the bottom of the Eastern Conference by Christmas. And history suggests that they are going to have a hard time pulling themselves back into a playoff spot.
Before we worry about that, let’s look at a few takeaways from last night’s game.
Maple Leafs’ Struggles to Hold Down Leads Continue
Last season, Toronto was a club that was a lock to win if they had a lead heading into the final 30 minutes. By the time the 10 minute mark hit in the second period, if they were in front, you could essentially put a tick in the win column. They were one of the best defensive teams in the league. Now, flash forward just one season and they are one of the worst. They have mounted a handful of comebacks, but when it comes to leads, it’s not the same at all. They struggled mightily in the second and third periods, and because of that they have a much harder job holding leads.
Last night, they played very well in the first 20 minutes and jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. It looked like they had made the realization that if they play solely based on skill, they can beat most teams. But then the second period started and it was game over. They had seven shots on goal by the 10 minute mark in the game. The Kings made life tough on them and they crumbled like a cheap cookie. By the time the second period ended, it looked like the same old Maple Leafs team that has struggled all season. They did manage to add a goal in the middle frame and regain the lead heading into the third. Unfortunately, again, they gave it up, which sent the game to overtime.
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Again, last season, this team would have been the betting favourite to win a game in OT. But this season, they definitely wouldn’t be. And they proved why last night. Just 35 seconds into the period, Quinton Byfield ended it against his hometown team. This left pretty much every member of the fan base wondering where they go from here. It is quite clear a change or two need to be made and it looks like it starts on the ice before behind the bench.
Hildeby was the Maple Leafs’ Best Player
Aside from the first period, there was only one bright spot for the Maple Leafs and that was Dennis Hildeby. He was peppered with shots all night, saving 33 of 37 that he faced, which gave him a .892 save percentage to end the night. It isn’t the sexiest save percentage, but if it wasn’t for him, last night’s game could have ended a lot worse. Toronto allowed 88 scoring chances, which is 1.47 scoring chances per minute as per Adam Wylde on X, which shows just how under fire he truly was.
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At times in the game, he made some huge stops to keep his team in it. That included a play where a dumped in puck hit the heel of his stick and bounced out front. He managed to get back in his crease and make a right arm save to keep the puck out of the net. He also had some clutch saves on Corey Perry, who is usually a Maple Leafs killer. But again, Hildeby was able to shut the door and help send the game to OT. Unfortunately, he was the losing goalie in the contest, but he definitely was one of the best players on the ice for either team, which is a bright spot for a group that is struggling with goalies making saves and dealing with injuries.
