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With just over four minutes left in the second period, the Toronto Maple Leafs looked well in control in Tampa Bay, holding a three goal lead and appearing to have the Eastern Conference-leading Lightning on their heels, but that lead evaporated as Tampa scored four times before the halfway mark of the third period en route to a 4-3 win over Toronto at Amalie Arena on Tuesday.
James van Riemsdyk tallied twice (and leads the Leafs with 33 goals) and Zach Hyman scored to give Toronto a 3-0 lead, but the club sat back and were unable to slam the door on the offensively potent Lightning, who got on the board with a Victor Hedman goal before the end of the middle frame and scored three times early in the third on goalie Frederik Andersen, making his return to the lineup after missing two games with an upper-body injury.
“I thought we did a lot of good things through two [periods]. (Tampa Bay) pushed in the third and we didn't respond, didn't handle it.… Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said after the game. “The puck went in, we weren't good enough in the third and we have to be better. Tonight, we had lots of good players, but we didn't have enough good players. We need more guys on deck.…
The Leafs were able to take advantage of the Lightning’s weakness in short-handed situations (van Riemsdyk scored during a delayed penalty and on the power play) and used their speed to keep up with the skilled Tampa forwards, but after Hyman scored, Toronto became conservative and allowed the desperate home club to carry the play.
Andersen did not appear as sharp as he was before getting piled on by Alex Radulov last week, but the Leafs were undone by mostly by their defensive shortcomings, showing an eerie resemblance to last year's club who could not hold onto a lead.
A turnover at their blue line led to Ryan McDonagh’s goal to make it 3-2, Morgan Rielly’s giveaway behind the net resulted in Nikita Kucherov’s odd tying goal and Ron Hainsey’s unexplainable wandering to the top of the circle after a lost defensive zone faceoff directly led to Alex Killorn being wide open for his game-winning goal.
“Those are simple things we normally do a real good job of and we didn't.… Babcock said. “We gave up the (third and fourth goals) where we had possession of the puck and didn't go – one we lost our stick so tough break – but still should have been able to sort it out.…
Toronto is expecting to get Auston Matthews back in the lineup on Thursday in Nashville, when the Leafs take on the Western Conference-leading Predators.
Many considered Tuesday’s game as a potential first-round playoff preview, but the Tampa win in regulation actually makes the odds of a Leafs – Lightning match less likely, since Tampa moved five points ahead of the idle Boston Bruins with the victory.
Based on the depth and firepower that the Lightning displayed in their win, it would seem that Boston would be the preferred playoff opponent for the Leafs, but either way Toronto will be in for a difficult first round foe.
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