The Toronto Maple Leafs have played eight games on the road and other than Frederik Andersen’s herculean 42-save effort in Buffalo earlier this month, the club has gone winless away from the friendly confines of Air Canada Center.
The 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins at Consol Energy Center on Saturday was not a weak effort by Mike Babcock’s squad, but more a consequence of playing the battle-tested Stanley Cup champions and in the second of back-to-back games.
Zach Hyman scored Toronto’s only goal 82 seconds into the game, but Penguins rookie goalie Matt Murray slammed the door after that, making 35 saves for his fourth straight win after returning from a hand injury suffered in the World Cup of Hockey.
Andersen, who for the first time played both ends of back-to-back games, kept the Leafs in the game, making 45 saves, but Chris Kunitz’s go-ahead goal with 17 seconds left in the middle frame seemed to sap what energy was left from Toronto.
WATCH: Kunitz's game winner pushes the @penguins past the @MapleLeafs @budcanada https://t.co/v6W6VcXPfP
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 13, 2016
“I thought the second goal really hurt us. Just stop at the net and it doesn't go in. I thought fatigue showed a little bit in the third period.… Babcock said after the game. “I didn't mind some of our guys, we had good effort early, we generated lots of chances as well but we gave up way too many chances with our D zone play. We've got to fix that, obviously.…
Defenseman Morgan Rielly, who had a career-best four-point night in a 6-3 win over Philadelphia on Friday, led the Leafs blueline with nearly 22 minutes of ice time, but was on the ice for all four Pittsburgh goals.
Babcock sat Roman Polak, Connor Carrick and Ben Smith in favor of the ‘well-rested’ Frank Corrado, Matt Hunwick and Peter Holland.
Corrado saw the least amount of work of any of Toronto’s six defensemen (16:24) in his first start of the season, while both Hunwick (his first game off of injured reserve), Jake Gardiner and Martin Marincin all played over 20 minutes.
Holland centered the fourth line with Nikita Soshnikov and Matt Martin, but Babcock did not utilize them heavily, as all saw less than 10 minutes in the game.
The Leafs have been successful at home (5-2-0) and youngsters Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and others have shown flashes of what they may become down the road, but being able to win on the road and having more consistent effort from core players are the trademarks of a team has what it takes to be competitive.
Matthews and Nylander are in prolonged slumps and have been split in hopes of rekindling their scoring ways. Rielly continues to be the workhorse of the Leafs blueline, but needs a defense partner to compliment his offensive instincts.
Andersen has stepped up after struggling in October and has performed up to expectations this month, but Toronto management now has to work at adding quality defenders to keep the big goaltender from being overwhelmed.
Reasons for optimism are plentiful, but that does not mean that the Leafs are ready to win now.
Killer and Darcy
Gilmour and Tucker enjoying The Leafs Official Centennial Publication between periods of the Haggar HHOF Legends Game. #TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/Xr6o8gDQDk
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 13, 2016
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