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The Toronto Maple Leafs are going through one of those stretches when you are just waiting for them to make a critical mistake or a series of errors that will cost them a game. That once again was the case in the finale of their disastrous five-game Western road swing, a 4-3 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.
Toronto appeared to be in control of the contest after Calle Jarnkrok’s short-handed goal early in the third made it 3-1 and the Leafs had a chance to bury the struggling Ducks when Alex Kerfoot was awarded a penalty shot. Kerfoot missed and seconds later Anaheim tallied to start their third-period comeback. The Ducks tied the game, took the lead before Frank Vatrano’s goal was overturned on a questionable goalie interference video review, but finally prevailed on Trevor Zegras goal at 2:15 of overtime.
Auston Matthews, Denis Malgin, and Jarnkrok scored for Toronto, and Erik Kallgren made 35 saves in the loss, a contest where Toronto once again was undone by defense faux pas and carelessness. On Sunday, winger Mitch Marner was the guilty party, turning over the puck behind the net on Jakob Silfverberg’s tying goal in the first, and once again in the third that led to Zegras breakaway tally to narrow the Toronto lead to 1.
Keefe during his timeout
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 31, 2022
mentions how both goals were given to the Ducks, looks like he might've gestured at Marner (both goals were from his turnover) pic.twitter.com/RSqP1PUJ7P
"(We gave) life back when we have the game under full control.… Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said after the game. “You’ve just gotta know what’s going on in the game. Everybody has to be responsible for their touch of the puck…… On both (goals), were well-intentioned and everything like that – it’s just, they’re tough plays. We gotta manage those plays better we also have to have better support around it."
The Leafs end the road swing with one win (Winnipeg), two regulation losses (Vegas and Los Angeles), and two overtime losses (San Jose and Anaheim), who have two of the NHL worst records. While Toronto similarly struggled last October before getting red hot in November, the club is bleeding points against some of the NHL’s bottom dwellers and is in a five-way tie for third place in the Atlantic.
Opinion
Toronto right now has a number of issues, some based on injuries (the absence of Jake Muzzin and Timothy Liljegren), some due to a lineup that has shown no identity (bottom six forwards like Pierre Engvall, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Zach Aston-Reese, Denis Malgin, Wayne Simmonds are being cycled through the lineup by Keefe in hopes of finding some magic) and is now resorting to shaking up line combos and defensive pairings in hopes of finding a spark and some consistency (and they have not found it).
With a short-handed blueline, Keefe has been forced to overplay the players he trusts (Morgan Rielly averaged 26 minutes against SJ, LA, and ANA), and relying on players who perhaps have proven they do not belong in the NHL (Justin Holl being responsible for two penalties that led to PP goals, and being on the ice for the other two in Los Angeles would be enough for other organizations to place him on waivers).
You can tell that there is an increased level of desperation regarding the blueline. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Toronto had an interest in Carolina defenseman Ethan Bear, but was unwilling to give up a draft pick as Vancouver did in the deal.
What may have been a factor is that Toronto has only four 2023 draft picks and would have had to include a player in the deal since they are at the 50 pro contract limit.
Keefe was asked about his future by media members after the game and the Leafs head coach and GM Kyle Dubas’ name were both trending on social media on Sunday night, but it is highly unlikely that Dubas will make any move to dismiss him.
According to Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star, a request was made to have Dubas available to talk to the media, and it was denied. That is understandable since the questions would be about the future of the coach, the status of Muzzin, what he can do to improve the roster or whether it is flawed……all questions he does not want to answer or cannot answer at this point.
What the Leafs are hoping for is to get out of October and hope that this November is as successful as it was 12 months ago.
But what if it isn’t??
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