The Toronto Maple Leafs ended their longest road trip of the season on a losing note, as Gustav Nyquist scored twice and much-despised adversary Daniel Alfredsson tallied the game winner with 2:33 left in regulation to give the injury-riddled Detroit Red Wings a 3-2 victory at Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday.
Jake Gardiner and James van Riemsdyk scored for Toronto, who have lost two games in a row and earned four of a possible 10 points during their five game road swing through California, Washington and Detroit.
At the beginning of the 10 day sojourn, the Leafs were in second place in the Atlantic Division, but have been passed by Montreal and Tampa Bay within the division and find themselves holding the top wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with 80 points, just four points ahead of the Capitals and five points in front of the Wings, who have two games in hand.
Toronto does not get much of an opportunity to shake off any road weariness, as the take on the Lightning in a critical match and second of back-to-back games at Air Canada Center on Wednesday.
The Leafs continued the dangerous trend of falling behind early, as they had in every game during their lengthy trek with the exception the 3-1 win in Anaheim.
Nyquist scored the opening goal on a breakaway in the first period, taking advantage of defenseman Tim Gleason’s indecision at the blueline and backhanding a shot initially stopped by James Reimer but knocked into the Toronto net by the shaft of his goal stick. The Swedish forward made it 2-0 early in the third on a very similar play, catching blueliner Paul Ranger flat-footed and firing a wrist shot off the far post and into the goal past Reimer, who made 28 saves on the night.
Toronto finally got on the scoreboard midway through the third on the power play, as rookie Morgan Rielly launched a long bomb pass from his own zone that rebounded off the lively boards behind Jimmy Howard to a waiting Gardiner, who calmed cut towards the goal and slipped the puck past the Wings goaltender for his third goal of the road trip and ninth of the season.
The Leafs thought they had tied the game on another power play moments later, but video review concluded that Nazem Kadri had directed the puck in with a kicking motion.
With Toronto pressing for the tying goal late in the third, Gardiner’s pinch along the boards led to a Detroit counterattack, with Wings newcomer David Legwand dishing to Alfredsson, who quickly fired a shot between Reimer’s pads. Head coach Randy Carlyle pulled his goaltender with more than two minutes remaining and after a lengthy siege, van Riemsdyk scored on the tip of a Dion Phaneuf point shot to narrow the lead to one, but Toronto was unable to score again to tie the game.
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Carlyle was not in a great mood following the game and had things to say about the officiating, the team’s recent schedule and their performance over the last couple games.
“I thought interference was supposed to called in the NHL, but tonight was a clear cut difference maker in that area for us.… Carlyle said of the Wings tactics to hinder Toronto’s offensive attack. “We felt that there was a tremendous amount of interference all over the ice.…
Carlyle’s comments did not have their usual diplomatic tone than and sounded more like the coach during his more caustic tenure in Anaheim.
“This game and the last game, I don’t think we’ve played as well as we have been playing or can play.… Carlyle said. “We battled back, we didn’t quit, we found a way to get two goals tonight and make a game of it.… The club has a tough task against Tampa Bay at the ACC on Wednesday in their first day back home. The Lightning are well positioned, one point ahead of the Leafs with two games in hand and will be well rested as they spent Tuesday in Toronto following their 4-3 victory over Vancouver on Monday.
“It’s the first time in my career that you go out on a 10 day road trip and you come back and you have to play back-to-back at home in your first game back.… Carlyle said “I don’t know where that one came from, but that’s scheduling and everybody has their challenges, it’s just that this is a bigger challenge for us.…
The response that drew the most attention was when the Leafs coach was asked about the performance of his goaltender.
“I thought he was OK…..just OK.… Carlyle said of Reimer.
Reimer appeared unflustered and took the comments in stride following the game.
“So he said I was just OK? I thought it was good. I don’t know if I was great and I’d like to be great but I thought I made some good saves when I needed to.… Reimer said. “And unfortunately at the end, especially that third one, I know you want to come and make a big save for the team, but unfortunately it wasn’t the case tonight.…
Reimer’s agent Ray Petkau was not as genial, taking to Twitter following the game to defend his client by throwing an accusatory barb at the Leafs coach or the team:
As is customary in Toronto, when your team plays poor defensively game after game you blame your goalie.
— Ray Petkau (@RayPetkau) March 19, 2014Less than an hour later, Petkau pulled back slightly by clarifying that his comment was not directed to anyone in particular and was more a general observation.
“I hadn’t heard the post game interviews at that time.… Petkau said. “If I wanted to stir the pot, that would have been perfect! Nothing to see here folks……
It is clear that Reimer’s situation with Toronto has deteriorated after the traumatic Game 7loss in Boston last May and the acquisition of Jonathan Bernier last June.
Outwardly it appears that Carlyle is more comfortable with Bernier in goal and has given the newcomer a bit lengthier leash than the incumbent Reimer, but in general that different treatment is justified as Bernier has been better statistically and gives up significantly less rebounds than Reimer.
The Leafs need Reimer to step up his play with the health status of Bernier uncertain and the race tightening in the East. If he does rise to the challenge, it will be an easier task for GM Dave Nonis to find a home for him this summer, because it is clear that the relationship between James Reimer and the Maple Leafs is drawing to a close.
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