Follow Colin on Twitter!: @ColinDJD
As expected after back to back, to back losses, Toronto Maple Leafs fans are likely separated by those who want to cheer this team to an unlikely playoff chance, and those who would rather not get their hopes up.
It’s a tough experience to get through, really. Just two weeks ago most fans were convinced that their team were making the playoffs. In fact, many were talking about home ice advantage! Since, however, the Toronto Maple Leafs have ultimately let them down with a terrible last minute collapse, essentially making the playoffs a distant reality.
That being said, the team has finally broken out of their losing streak…which I suppose was bound to happen either way, right? I suppose how you feel about the situation depends on how optimistic a fan you can be, or better yet, how few times the Leafs have let you down in the past. With such a history of turmoil and let downs, most fans typically accept defeat and move on with their lives in situations such as these, while others seem to never lose hope.
Last night, Toronto played well enough to beat the 26th place Calgary Flames who, despite being among the NHL basement dwellers this year, have played some very strong hockey. And while the Leafs walked away with two points which edged themselves a little closer to a possible playoff picture, was their game really any better than displayed during their most recent eight game slide?
For those who were too busy actually watching the game and enjoying it for what it was (tsk tsk, right?), you might be surprised with some of the improvements which the game resulted in with respect to the home team stat sheet. Known to allow a high number of shots on average (36+), the Leafs allowed a measly 24 shots against Jonathan Bernier last night, in comparison to 22 shots of their own against Karri Ramo.
Toronto would also end the night with a respectable number of hits(20), blocked shots(12), blocked attempts(16), but unfortunately kept their total giveaways a little too high for comfort at 13 for the night. While some areas of their game have been improving, this particular stat continues to be a thorn in their side. What I also noticed was that Randy Carlyle has been trying to limit Dion Phaneuf’s minutes, keeping him closer to the 20 minute mark which appears to be most effective. Playing a total of 22:10 last night, Phaneuf was good for 3 blocked attempts, 1 blocked shot and, well, 24 penalty minutes. Unfortunately, another unflattering moment for the captain came with just ten seconds left in the game where he would take a cross checking penalty, causing a 6-4 in their own end to finish off the game. That said, I felt Dion had a slightly better game than he has displayed of late; his game was quiet and simple, as it should be.
Outside of Phaneuf, there were a few who had decent individual performances. Nazem Kadri, despite being held off the score-sheet and being limited to 12 minutes for the night, would go 6-2 in the faceoff dot which would be team best. Still looking to earn his coaches trust, Kadri needs to continue working on his overall game. With respect to faceoff wins, neither of the team’s leaders (Bozak & McClement) had great nights, registering 46% and 58%, respectively. This will need to be more consistent for Toronto to find success.
While the Calgary Flames shouldn’t be considered an offensive power house by any means, they have averaged 30.1 shots per game over their last ten games in which they won six. Moreover, of the four games which they lost, three were within one goal meaning that they have kept themselves in most games played of late. With that established, I would give credit to the Toronto Maple Leafs for limiting Calgary’s chances, coming out of the gates with intensity and desperation, getting an early lead, and most importantly, holding on to it.
And that's where things get interesting.
With so many losses of late and just two wins in their last ten games played, an interesting notion held by fans which has been floating around is that the Leafs need to continue to lose in order for management to make necessary changes. The thought is that if the Leafs were to win out the rest of the season that perhaps Leafs GM Dave Nonis would not make some much needed changes to the team such as perhaps firing Randy Carlyle, acquiring added defensive depth, even possibly trading or removing the C from Dion Phaneuf, etc.
But now I ask you – is their apparent improvement in play, even by the slightest margins, ultimately too late? Will you as a fan cheer them on just the same, or have you already hung up your skates with respect to this clubs playoff chances?
As always, thanks for reading!