The initial response to the firing of Randy Carlyle from the Maple Leafs was an all-too-familiar dysfunctional performance, as the Washington Capitals benefited from lackadaisical line changes and good fortune in a 6-2 victory over Toronto at Air Canada Center on Wednesday night.
The game marked the debut of Peter Horachek as Leafs interim head coach, who tried to get more out of the struggling club by shaking up line combinations and tweaking the roster slightly.
Other than limiting Washington to under 30 shots on goal, Toronto continued their pattern of carelessly turning over the puck and losing key battles, which has grown more frequent during the club’s recent 2-8-0 slump.
“We out-chanced them. Our possession numbers were better. We outshot them, but we gave up some poor, (untimely) goals.… Horachek said following the game. “We’ve got to eliminate those issues where we’re making things happen to ourselves but we did a lot of things that we wanted to do and sometimes it’s just going to be harder at first than we want it to be to get back into the win column.…
Washington took advantage of some questionable decision making and effort, as Phil Kessel and Nazem Kadri's slow progress back to the bench during a line change allowed Marcus Johansson to score the opening goal. Daniel Winnik tied the game early in the second on a deflection of a Cody Franson point shot, but the Caps took the lead back for good less than two minutes later, when Morgan Rielly’s decision to go to the bench allowed a two-on-one break and Eric Fehr’s short-handed goal.
Brooks Laich increased the lead to 3-1 when his shot off a clean faceoff win deflected off the shaft of Franson’s stick past Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier, but Trevor Smith responded with his first of the season late in the middle frame to narrow the lead to 3-2.
Any momentum was quickly snuffed out by Washington, as Johansson responded just 42 seconds after Smith’s goal with his second of the game.
“The shorthanded goal was bad but the fourth goal was a real breaker right after we scored that goal, we might have had some momentum back on our side.… Horachek said. “If you take away those two goals, then it’s 2-2 and we’re right in the game.…
With the loss and Boston winning in overtime win against Pittsburgh on Wednesday, the Bruins have moved one point ahead of Toronto for the final wildcard spot in Eastern Conference playoff race, but the Leafs tumble down the standings could gain momentum if they don't begin to straighten out their game prior to the daunting schedule ahead in the remainder of the month of January.
Following Friday night's meeting the Columbus Blue Jackets at ACC, Toronto plays nine of their next 11 games on the road, starting with a four-game road trip that includes a swing through California(LA, Anaheim and San Jose) and a match against the St. Louis Blues.
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While the Maple Leafs hope to reverse the recent trend of losing and undisciplined play, comments made by current and ex-Leafs after Carlyle’s dismissal seem to back up the former coach’s feelings regarding the lack of willingness of certain key players to play two-way hockey.
“Guys didn’t want to buy into the system.… former Leaf goalie JS Giguere indicated in an interview on Sportsnet’s Hockey Central on Monday. “(Carlyle) tries to come in and install his system, but you need guys to buy in and that doesn’t work when guys go in their own direction, you can’t be successful that way.…
The recently retired Giguere, who played with Phil Kessel, Dion Phaneuf, Tyler Bozak, Joffrey Lupul and Nazem Kadri in 2011, believes that the Leafs will continue to have the same problems.
“I don’t think(the coaching change) it’s gonna make any difference. The players seem to want to play the way they want to play and you can’t just be playing a pond hockey style of game in the NHL anymore.…
Giguere: Coaching change shouldn’t make difference in Toronto. Watch: http://t.co/3r3YApsN8a
— Hockey Central (@SNHockeyCentral) January 6, 2015Similar sentiments were echoed by defenseman Roman Polak after Wednesday’s loss. The veteran defenseman acquired by Toronto in exchange for Carl Gunnarsson last June knows what it takes to play a more defensive-minded system as he did under former Stanley Cup winner Ken Hitchcock and why it is not happening with the Leafs.
“Because it’s hard work,… Polak said to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. “It’s always tough to do something you know you don’t like to do. I think we have lots of guys that just want to play offence.…
The responsibility for the Leafs performance may result in the firing of GM Dave Nonis after the season, but in the wake of Carlyle’s departure, the focus now has shifted to the likes of Kessel, Phaneuf and Lupul and whether Team President Brendan Shanahan has made the determination that this team cannot play consistent winning hockey with this leadership group.
If Toronto continues to struggle, you will definitely see Nonis shopping players with expiring contracts (Mike Santorelli, Daniel Winnik, Cody Franson, David Booth) for prospects and/or draft picks, but there will also be a concerted effort to start the house cleaning of players with longer terms deals.
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Notes
The Leafs sent center Greg McKegg back to the Toronto Marlies on Thursday and recalled winger Troy Bodie.
Bodie was recalled earlier this week when Peter Holland was placed on injured reserve, but was immediately sent back to the AHL.
Holland is not expected to travel with the Leafs when they depart for their West Coast road trip on the weekend due to a slower than expected recovery from an upper body injury.
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