The Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets Saturday night not only ended any realistic chance of the Leafs making the post-season for a second year in a row, but it may be the last time that a number of players appear in Blue and White at the Air Canada Center.
The Leafs jumped out to a 2-1 first period lead on Phil Kessel’s club-high 37th goal of the season and a power play marker from Nazem Kadri, but any momentum or positivity going into the locker room was squelched by Jacob Trouba’s goal with four seconds remaining.
“It just seemed like we were a flat hockey club from that point. We chased the game and we didn’t seem to have any energy as a group.… Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said after the game.
From that point on, the Jets took over control of the game, outshooting Toronto 29-17 in the final forty minutes, dominating puck possession, showing more hustle, forechecking effectively and winning most battles along the boards.
“We seemed like we couldn’t make two passes. We must have had five opportunities to get that puck out of the zone on the one shift and we didn’t get it out.… Carlyle said. …Five different people had the opportunity to control the puck and make a play with it and we just couldn’t get it out and everything kind of snowballed from there.…
Winnipeg’s Tobias Enstrom scored the game winner on the power play late in the middle frame and veteran Olli Jokinen added an insurance goal midway through the third to hand Toronto their ninth regulation loss in their last 11 games.
LEAFS Fans taking it hard tonight. Drop a 4-2 game to @NHLJets pic.twitter.com/UKcEXHPFhf
— SiriusXM NHL Network (@SiriusXMNHL) April 6, 2014An alarming aspect of the defeat was the lack of response displayed by the Leafs once the Jets tied the game. As with most NHL clubs in the final week of the regular season, numerous Toronto players(Joffrey Lupul, Dave Bolland, Dion Phaneuf, Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk) are playing with bumps, bruises and perhaps significant injuries, but even more debilitating then that is the group’s inability to bounce back from moments like Darren Helm’s short-handed goal one week ago or Trouba’s tying goal on Saturday.
“The frustrating part for us(the coaching staff) is when we are able to execute and our work ethic is strong, that we’re a hockey club that can give teams difficulty and play to a high level.… Carlyle said. “But our consistency level goes from game-to-game and sometimes period-to-period.…
The inconsistency displayed throughout the season has been the cause of the Leafs downfall, not just during the recent eight game losing streak. Toronto posted impressive victories over top echelon NHL clubs such as Boston, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Colorado, but lost much needed points to non-playoff teams like Nashville, Vancouver, Winnipeg, N.Y. Islanders, Florida and two losses to the 30th place Buffalo Sabres.
The Leafs lost out on an opportunity to pull ahead of Columbus for the last Eastern Conference wild card spot and get to within one point of Philadelphia and two points of Detroit, who both lost on Saturday. Although not mathematically eliminated, Toronto would have to win their remaining three road games against Florida, Tampa Bay and Ottawa and witness a collapse of Biblical proportions by the Blue Jackets, Flyers or Red Wings to sneak into the playoffs.
The decision now in front of Leafs management will be to evaluate what went wrong with the club in the final month of the regular season. The chorus of boos emanating from the crowd at the ACC as the final buzzer sounded on Saturday likely will be ringing in ears of MLSE Chairman Tim Leiweke and GM Dave Nonis for months and may spur them to make dramatic and impactful changes over the summer.
The question is whether those changes will be limited to a roster in need of a talent upgrade or will result in changes to the coaching staff, including the head coach.
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Sam Carrick had two goals, Kenny Ryan tallied once and defenseman Eric Knodel added two assists for the Toronto Marlies in a 3-2 victory over the Utica Comets at Ricoh Coliseum on Sunday, clinching their third straight North Division title. The Leafs affiliate needed just one point to clinch their division, but lost 5-1 in Utica on Friday and blew a 3-0 third period lead to division rival Rochester on Saturday, allowing two goals in the final minute of regulation to lose 4-3.
Toronto is currently slotted third in the AHL's Western Conference with six games left in the regular season and look to be matched up with the Milwaukee Admirals for the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs.
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