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Core stumbling, Hutch bumbling in loss to Sharks; Leafs vs. Pens

October 23, 2021, 2:26 PM ET [684 Comments]
Mike Augello
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The Toronto Maple Leafs emerged from a three day respite out of sync and struggling to get a save from Michael Hutchinson, as Logan Couture scored twice in the San Jose Sharks 5-3 victory at Scotiabank Arena on Friday.

Jason Spezza, Ondrej Kase and John Tavares scored for Toronto (tying their highest offensive output of the season), but that was not enough to make up for Hutchinson, who struggled in his first start of the season in place of the injured Petr Mrazek. The veteran backup was out of position on Couture’s opening goal and failed to stop an easy shot from Timo Meier and Erik Karlsson’s point blast in the second period.



The Leafs defensive play also had issues on the night, failing to cover Couture on the opening goal, giving up the puck in the defensive zone on Karlsson’s tally and standing around in their own end on Jonathan Dahlen’s game-winner. Toronto never held the lead and were continually chasing the Sharks, who were playing their third game in four nights.

“We’re in the early going here but certainly we felt we should have had a better start in terms of being able to really just dictate the pace and score first.” Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said after the game. “To get behind in the game is not ideal for us. It took us a while to find our way towards getting to the net and get some meaningful scoring chances. There was not a lot to be had out there, both ways really. A pretty dull hockey game all the way thought which is exactly what San Jose was looking for.”

The growing concern for the Leafs has to be the early struggles of the core players Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, and John Tavares. Matthews was dominant in his first game against New York on Monday, but he and Marner were unable to generate much offensively at even strength and on the power play (which went 0 for 4). Until Tavares goal late in the third period, the trio had not scored in a combined 12 games.

Keefe chose to shake up his forward lines after falling behind 3-2, moving William Nylander up to the top line in place of Nick Ritchie, but that was more to jump start the Leafs dynamic duo than a punishment of the big winger, who is pointless in five games.



"We got scored on, (and) it was more to me about the fact that the line wasn't going today. You should be asking as many questions about Matthews and Marner today as you should be (Ritchie).” Keefe said. “I just tell by the line of questioning that I’ve been getting the last number of days, everyone piling on Nick Ritchie, let’s not narrow the focus too much.”

Toronto plays their first game in the US since March 6, 2020 when they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday night. The only lineup change expected for the Leafs will be Jack Campbell starting in goal, but the Pens already without centers Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jeff Carter will not have Kris Letang in the lineup due to the defenseman entering COVID protocol.


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