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The Perils Of The Five-Forward Power Play; Leafs vs. Jets

January 19, 2023, 7:23 PM ET [293 Comments]
Mike Augello
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
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The Toronto Maple Leafs decline since the Christmas break can be blamed on their overall team defense and perhaps a market correction in goal, but also some issues on special teams. The Leafs are hoping to get back on a positive path as they take on the Winnipeg Jets at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.

Toronto snapped a two-game losing skid with a 5-4 comeback win over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, but their woes in their own zone have been painfully apparent since late December, as they have gone 6-4-1 over that stretch and allowed four or more goals in seven of the 11 games. Matt Murray allowed four goals on eight shots before being pulled for the first time early in the second period, but Ilya Samsonov provided stability between the pipes in the victory, and head coach Sheldon Keefe indicated that Samsonov will get the start against the Jets, who lead the Central Division with 59 points and who are 6-2 in January.

Since the injuries to Morgan Rielly (November 21) and Rasmus Sandin (December 20), Keefe has gone primarily with a first power play consisting of five forwards (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Michael Bunting). In that time frame, the Leafs are fifth in the NHL (27.3%) in efficiency with the man advantage but have allowed two short-handed goals, including one to Anton Lundell on Tuesday.



While it was out of necessity that Toronto went the five-forward route, since using a defenseman would pull in Mark Giordano or Timothy Liljegren for more special team minutes, it should have been abandoned with Rielly and Sandin back in the lineup.

The chances of using five forwards on a power play during the postseason would be flirting with disaster, so it should be abandoned forthwith. On Tuesday, Rielly was inserted on the man advantage after Lundell’s shorty and also quarterbacking the power play during the morning skate on Thursday, so perhaps the experiment has finally reached its end.

Sandin replacing Conor Timmins on the bottom pairing is expected to be the only lineup change for Toronto, and Connor Hellebuyck (22-11-1, 2.41 GAA, .924 SV %) will be between the pipes for Winnipeg.


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