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Penguins end Leafs winning streak |
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As is normally the case when they play the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Leafs have no answer for stopping Evgeni Malkin. The Pens center scored a goal and his line was responsible for three goals in the Pens 5-3 victory at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday.
Connor Brown, Tyler Bozak and Patrick Marleau scored for Toronto, who had their winning streak end at five games mostly due to unforced errors in their own zone from their blueline.
The defensive pairing of Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev was particularly weak on the night, as they allowed the Pens forwards the time to create a scoring chance on Carl Hagelin's opening goal. After Brown and Bozak scored in a span of just under four minutes to give the Leafs their only lead, Malkin tied the game after intercepting a Gardiner pass up the middle.
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9:45pm - Bryan Rust gets an insurance marker to make it 5-3 Pens. The consistent theme of the game has been the Leafs inability to maintain some sort of order in their own zone. Pittsburgh have amazing talent up front and have won two Cups, but this game just illustrates how much Toronto's defense needs to improve to be able to matchup with a top level team like the Penguins.
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9:40pm - Hyman has not returned and the Leafs training staff was seen talking to Babcock on the bench. The winger could be in concussion protocol, as he clutched his head after going hard into the boards.
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9:27pm - Pens take advantage of the Leafs fourth line and win a puck battle along the boards to get the puck to Olli Maatta, whose point shot deflected and went through a screen past Andersen to make it 4-3.
Moments later, Maatta takes out Zach Hyman's skates from under him and the Leafs winger crumples into the end boards. Hyman got up under his own power but went to the Toronto dressing room.
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8:45pm - Leafs were outshot 11-2 but Tyler Bozak draws a penalty from Ian Cole and the power play comes through for Toronto. Nice passing from Matthews and Brown results in Patrick Marleau's 20th goal of the season.
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8:20pm - Leafs dodged a bullet, after a good Phil Kessel defensive play (and it is tough to say that with a straight face), Sidney Crosby scores but it was was waived off for being kicked in.
Moments later, rookie Zach Aston-Reese converts on a rebound and makes it 3-2. Toronto being outshot 9-0 in the second.
The game tonight is an illustration of why the Leafs need to upgrade their defense. They are getting overwhelmed by Malkin, Crosby and Kessel.
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7:45pm - This game is becoming a track meet and that is not the type of game that Mike Babcock wants to play. The Leafs do not hold the lead for long, as Jake Gardiner has a brain spasm and attempts to clear up the middle. That results in Evgeni "Leaf killer" Malkin tying the game 2-2.
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7:38pm - JVR-Bozak-Brown strike again. Rookie Travis Dermott gets the puck through to the net and Murray gives up a fat rebound that is converted by Bozak. 2-1
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7:30pm - Leafs rebound after the TV timeout, good work by the Van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Brown line, working it behind the net and JVR feeds Brown for his 13th of the season. 1-1
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7:20pm - First big save of the game, Murray robs Zach Hyman blind with a glove save.
The Pens come back and score the opening goal. Carl Hagelin on a deflection of a Bryan Rust pass. Soft play by Gardiner and Zaitsev. Gardiner gave Rust too much time and space and allowed him to make the play, Zaitsev got beat by the speedier Hagelin.
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7pm - Great opening on HNIC honoring Blue Jays announcer Jerry Howarth, who announced he will be retiring.
Unfortunately, they had to show Jose Bautista's bat flip a couple more times.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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