The Maple Leafs played well at times in their 4-2 loss to Philadelphia on Friday, but as has been the case throughout the current seven game losing streak, the club was unable to put forth a 60 minute effort and were done in by miscues and bounces that they were getting earlier in the season.
The main culprit at the Wells Fargo Center was Toronto’s special teams, who went 0-4 with the man advantage and allowed two quick power play goals off of lost defensive zone faceoffs. Vincent LeCavalier scored off a faceoff taken by Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf, who was pressed into service after forward Jay McClement was thrown out of the faceoff circle during a two-man disadvantage.
The Leafs thought they had tied the game midway through the first, but Carl Gunnarsson’s goal was waved off after Joffrey Lupul headed to the net and bumped Philadelphia goalie Steve Mason. Toronto tied the game just four seconds into the middle frame as ex-Flyer James van Riemsdyk fired a wrist shot over the shoulder of Mason, but special teams again failed the Blue and White as another lost faceoff led to Scott Hartnell’s deflection of Kimmo Timonen’s point shot to put the Flyers in the lead for good.
“Again……it’s one of those things that those bounces are definitely not going for us right now and we have to climb out of the hole here.… Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said following the game. “It seems like we played some decent hockey and overall we didn’t think we had that bad of a night, but we were on the wrong side of the score.…
Philadelphia delivered the coup de grace early in the third as a van Riemsdyk pass deflected off a skate right to Claude Giroux, who wired a shot off the post and past Jonathan Bernier.
Toronto narrowed the lead to 3-2 less than two minutes later on a delayed penalty, as Mason Raymond’s shot rebounded to Dave Bolland for his seventh of the season and first goal since late October, but Philadelphia responded after Dion Phaneuf flubbed a dump in by Phaneuf and Nazem Kadri had the puck stolen by Wayne Simmonds, who quickly fired it by Bernier.
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Toronto has what has to be considered a must win as they take on the Detroit Red Wings at Air Canada Center on Saturday. Detroit is tied with the Leafs with 80 points, but has two games in hand and is the last game that Toronto has with the three teams they are currently deadlocked with for a Eastern Conference playoff spot.
Columbus and Washington also have two games in hand but the Blue Jackets lost a 2-1 decision to Pittsburgh on Friday and travel to Raleigh to take on the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, while Washington plays Boston in a Saturday afternoon matinee and travels to Nashville for a Sunday night contest against the Predators.
The Maple Leafs recalled winger Jerry D'Amigo from the Toronto Marlies Saturday morning and the 23-year-old forward will be inserted into the lineup against the Wings.
D’Amigo has 19 goals and 11 assists in 46 games for the AHL's North Division leaders, as well as one goal and one assist in 19 NHL games and being called up to provide some energy and speed in a bottom six role, as well as stepping in as a penalty killer.
D'Amigo did not play in both Marlies victories over Rochester Americans this week, so his addition may be to give Toronto a fresh player in the second of back-to-back games.
Jonathan Bernier will make his third straight start for Toronto, while Jimmy Howard will be between the pipes for Detroit.
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