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Comeback squandered in loss to Senators; Leafs vs Hurricanes

February 19, 2017, 2:51 AM ET [764 Comments]
Mike Augello
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The Toronto Maple Leafs fell behind early, rallied to tie the game and took the lead on William Nylander’s power play goal early in the third, but surrendered four goals in the final 20 minutes in a 6-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators at Air Canada Center on Saturday.



Morgan Rielly, Nazem Kadri and Nylander scored for Toronto, who have lost eight of their last 11 games and have fallen out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, with the Florida Panthers winning in Los Angeles.

Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen was victimized by a pair of deflected point shots in the opening period, as a Chris Wideman blast bounced off of Rielly for the opening goal and Marc Methot’s shot 20 seconds later was deflected by Ryan Dzingel.

Toronto began their comeback thanks to a momentum-changing five-on-three penalty kill midway through the second.

The penalty-killing unit of Leo Komarov, Ben Smith, Roman Polak, Matt Hunwick and Andersen killed off an Ottawa two-man advantage for 1:49 and the Leafs began to take the play to the Sens.

With Zach Hyman creating havoc in front of the Sens goal, Rielly’s point shot eluded Anderson to get Toronto on the scoreboard. Kadri tied the game late in the second on a bank shot off of Dzingel’s cranium and over the goal line.

Nylander’s power play tally gave Toronto a 3-2 lead, but it lasted less than four minutes, as Kyle Turris set up Mike Hoffman for the tying goal and Derrick Brassard slid the puck past Andersen during a mad scramble to put Ottawa back in front. Brassard and Mark Stone added empty netters to insure the Sens victory, who move six points ahead of Toronto.



Babcock was non-committal after the game regarding any possible lineup changes for the second of back-to-back games in Raleigh on Sunday, but TSN's Kristen Shilton reports that Andersen, Martin Marincin and Alexei Marchenko were the only players to skate Sunday morning, which is an indicator that backup Curtis McElhinney will get the start.

*******

The Maple Leafs revealed in a pre-game ceremony on Saturday that four players will be added to the club’s Legends Row monument.

Former first overall pick and team captain Wendel Clark, Hockey Hall of Famers Charlie Conacher, Red Kelly and Frank Mahovlich will be honored with bronze statues that will be unveiled this fall.

“Throughout the Maple Leafs Centennial anniversary season, we have celebrated the great players and accomplishments of this iconic franchise while also looking towards the future and the opportunity to write the next great chapter in the club’s history,” said Brendan Shanahan, Toronto Maple Leafs President and Alternate Governor. “The addition of these four great players to Legends Row will mark another important moment during this anniversary season and is a testament to all that they have meant to this franchise. On behalf of the Maple Leafs, and the team’s many fans, our congratulations go to Wendel, Red, Frank, and the family of Charlie Conacher, on this great honor.”



Clark was selected first overall in the 1985 NHL Draft and became arguably one of the most popular players in team history because of his willingness to take on all comers, even players that were bigger and heavier.

The Kelvington, Sask native was an integral part of the Leafs two straight Western Conference Final appearances in 1993 and 1994 and returned to the Leafs twice after being traded to Quebec for Mats Sundin.

Conacher was a prolific goal scorer in the 1930’s, led the NHL in scoring five times, scored the first goal in Maple Leaf Gardens and won a Stanley Cup in 1932. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1961 and was named to the NHL’s Top 100 at the Centennial Classic last month.

Kelly played eight seasons for Toronto after winning four Stanley Cups as a defenseman with the Detroit Red Wings. Converted to center by Leafs coach Punch Imlach, “Red” added four more Stanley Cups with the Leafs in 1962-64 and 1967.

Mahovlich joined the Maple Leafs late in the 1956-57 season and won the Calder Trophy in 1958. “The Big M” led Toronto in goal scoring in their Cup winning years of 1962-64 and won a fourth Cup in 1967, before being traded to Detroit in 1968.

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