The Toronto Maple Leafs struggled to generate scoring chances and continue to have problems in their own zone, but benefited from bounces and scored two third period goals to earn a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames at Air Canada Center on Tuesday.
"I don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves, we didn't paint the Mona Lisa here tonight." Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said foliowing the game. "We know we are going to play a Boston team, but we should feel good about ourselves because we've had a lot of things that have been negative for us."
The victory ends Toronto’s eight game losing streak, the longest for the organization since the 1985-86 season and keeps them alive in the race a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Jay McClement, Dave Bolland and David Clarkson scored for Toronto and Jonathan Bernier made 22 saves in his first victory since March 10 in Anaheim. Former Leaf Matt Stajan and Kris Russell replied for Calgary.
After an uneventful first period, the Leafs scored the opening goal for the third time in the last four games 50 seconds into the middle frame, as Cody Franson fed a pass to McClement, who headed to the net and directed the puck past Flames starter Karri Ramo.
Calgary looked to have tied the game moments later as Curtis Glencross deflected a shot past Jonathan Bernier, but the redirection was waived off because it was knocked in with a high stick.
The Flames finally broke through with just over three minutes remaining in the second as a TJ Brodie stretch pass connected with former Leaf Matt Stajan, who split the defensive pairing of Franson and Jake Gardiner and slid the puck under Bernier to even the score.
Toronto responded with two quick goals early in the third. Rookie defenseman Morgan Rielly dashed into the offensive zone and dished to Dave Bolland, whose shot deflected off of Brodie past Ramo. The goal was Bolland's second in six games since returning from a 56 game absence for a lacerated ankle tendon.
The Leafs extended their lead to two goals as David Clarkson scored his fifth of the season on a breakaway. The goal broke a 16 game pointless streak for the struggling forward and marked the first time Toronto held a multi-goal lead in over three weeks.
"It's no secret, it's been tough." Clarkson said following the game. "Personally I'm not happy with the season and I hold myself accountable. I'm someone that's got to be better, but the big thing is we've got five games left here and as a team we've got to play hard every night and be good in our own zone and take care of what we can."
The comfort zone lasted a grand total of 97 seconds, as disorganized defensive zone coverage allowed Calgary's Kris Russell to move in from the point and wire a blast off the iron and into the goal.
The Flames pressed for the equalizer late in regulation, but the Leafs were able to hold on and preserve the lead their first win at the ACC since Joffrey Lupul’s goal gave them a 4-3 overtime victory over Philadelphia on March 8.
The scoreboard went in Toronto's favor on Tuesday, as New Jersey's momentum was slowed by a 3-2 shootout loss in Buffalo and the Capitals were shutout 5-0 by the Dallas Stars in Washington. Columbus earned a point in a 3-2 overtime loss to Colorado, but squandered a 2-0 lead as the Avs' Gabriel Landeskog scored the tying goal with less than five minutes remaining in regulation and winner with 33 seconds remaining in extra time.
Tuesday's results improved the Leafs playoff chances slightly, increasing their chances to 8.5% according to the website SportClubStats.com.
The Leafs trail Detroit by two points and Columbus by one for the final two wild card spots, but both clubs have two games in hand. The Red Wings host the Boston Bruins at Joe Louis Arena on Wednesday before the reigning Eastern Conference champions face the Leafs at the ACC on Thursday. Columbus has a difficult back-to-back in Philadelphia on Thursday and returning home to face Chicago and may have to do it without star forward Nathan Horton, who missed Tuesday's game with a lower body injury.
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Former player agent and Maple Leafs Assistant GM Bill Watters joined me to discuss the current state of the club, the future of Randy Carlyle, Dave Nonis and a number of players on the Toronto roster:
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