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The Toronto Maple Leafs snapped their two game losing skid with a 4-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets at the MTS Centre on Wednesday and have a perfect 5-0 record on the road. Kasperi Kapanen, Tyler Ennis, Nazem Kadri and John Tavares scored and Frederik Andersen made 38 saves for his fifth victory of the season for Toronto, who in spite of keeping the Jets on their heels for the first two periods, once again showed an inability to play shutdown hockey and allowed Winnipeg back in the game in the third.
Unlike their home losses to Pittsburgh and St. Louis, the Jets failed to neutralize the speed of Toronto’s forwards and appeared passive defensively until the third period, when the Leafs sat back and tried to preserve a three-goal lead. That resulted in 20 shots on Andersen in the final 20 minutes and a pair of Winnipeg goals from Nikolaj Ehlers and Mark Scheifele 91 seconds apart to narrow the lead to 3-2, but Tavares put a stop to the Jets momentum two minutes later with his seventh goal of the season, converting after a dazzling dash by Mitch Marner.
Just taaaaap it in, JT ðŸ‘
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) October 25, 2018
Watch now: https://t.co/9PPd006h6g pic.twitter.com/zkvPIjwZ9s
“We've still got to learn how to win. There's no reason to play in your own zone. Play in the offensive zone and keep your foot on the gas.… Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said after the game. “That was a huge goal for us by (Tavares), but it's winning faceoffs, it's stopping in the right spots, it's staying composed so you keep attacking instead of backing up.…
Toronto was forced to go with five blueliners late in the game, as veteran Ron Hainsey left the ice the shift before the Tavares goal and did not return for the last 12 minutes of the third period.
The Leafs head coach was not asked after the game about the status of the 37-year-old (who played 18:13) and Babcock leaned heavily on Nikita Zaitsev, Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner, who all played in excess of 23 minutes, while the bottom pairing blueliners Martin Marincin and Igor Ozhiganov saw less than 14 minutes.
Fredward pic.twitter.com/q1djQ89ya1
— Flintor (@TheFlintor) October 25, 2018
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The goaltending depth crisis in the Leafs organization may be addressed in the near future, as both Curtis McElhinney and Calvin Pickard are third goaltenders with their current clubs after the Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers activated goalies Scott Darling and Michal Neuvirth on Thursday.
Darling, who disappointed in the first year of a four-year contract with the Canes, is expected to start against the San Jose Sharks on Friday. Neuvirth, who made 31 saves in an AHL conditioning stint in Hartford on Wednesday, will backup Brian Elliott for the Flyers in Boston on Thursday.
There is nothing forcing either club from carrying three goalies and with players just returning from injury, Philadelphia and Carolina may not rush into a decision, but it is possible that either Pickard or McElhinney could be placed on waivers in the next week or two weeks.
Since both were lost by Toronto when they attempted to send them down to the AHL, the Leafs have the first shot to claim either netminder and place them with the Marlies.
Kasimir Kaskisuo is out long-term with a lower body injury and the Marlies goaltending tandem is veteran Jeff Glass (on an AHL-only contract) and Eamon McAdam.
There’s some new Leafs Convo for you. We’re sizing up the Winnipeg win, and stacking up what’s next for the Buds. Enjoy.#TMLtalk #TheLeafsConvo #NHL @MikeInBuffalo @TheLeafsConvohttps://t.co/Ab1CiTl93Q
— Norman James (@NormanJamesTLC) October 25, 2018
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