It is not wise to gauge an evaluation of Toronto Maple Leafs based solely on their play in Buffalo over the years, because it may make you believe that the club has been bereft of talent since 1970.
With a lineup comprised mostly of players that will be on their 23-man roster to begin the regular season, the Maple Leafs displayed many of the last season’s shortcomings in a 4-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center on Tuesday night.
"When you don't score any goals and they get four and all four come on turnovers, you can't sugarcoat that part." head coach Mike Babcock said after the game.
The Leafs veteran players who are locks to start the season and play prominent roles failed to make an impression, while the most noticeable performers were rookies William Nylander and Connor Brown.
The pair of youngsters are fighting to make the club but are expected to be demoted to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL after a weekend home-and-home against Detroit finishes up the exhibition schedule.
“I didn’t think we got anything from our top two lines.” Babcock said. “I thought our second (period) we got caught out, our shifts were too long. Got caught out there, turned the puck over, dug it out of our net. Those are self-inflicted wounds, you can’t have them, so you just gonna have to fix it.”
Dion Phaneuf’s center ice hit on Sabres rookie Brendan Guhle in the second period.
Boston University teammates Jack Eichel and Evan Rodrigues scored three of Buffalo’s four goals along with veteran Matt Moulson, while Toronto struggled to generate scoring opportunities on goalie Robin Lehner, who made 26 saves for the shutout.
The Sabres were able to take advantage of mistakes made by the Leafs, who are toying with a new system under Babcock and a restructured power play with four forwards and one defenseman.
Joffrey Lupul’s offensive zone turnover sprung Eichel on a short-handed breakaway, which the 2015 second overall pick fired past goalie Jonathan Bernier for the opening goal. Nylander had the best scoring chance of the period for the Leafs, but shot wide on after being setup by Brown on a two-on-one late in the opening frame.
The Leafs blueline was victimized on the other Buffalo goals. Team captain Dion Phaneuf lost a loose puck battle to Brian Gionta, which led to Moulson’s deflection goal early in the second. Morgan Rielly’s neutral zone pass was intercepted by Markus Foligno, leading to a wraparound goal by rookie Rodrigues and Jake Gardiner’s attempt to intercept a pass along the boards resulted in an odd man break and Rodrigues second goal.
After scoring four goals in a 6-4 loss to the Sabres last Friday, the Maple Leafs have been held scoreless for the last 138:56 of regulation play, which has to be a concern for Toronto after scoring only 211 goals last season and the trade of Phil Kessel over the summer.
“I don’t think we play heavy in the offensive zone and spend enough time in there, especially in the second period when we turned over like we did.” Babcock said. “I didn’t think the people that you perceive as our good players were good enough. Not even close, they have to lead the way, that’s their job.””
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Winger Curtis Glencross played over 18 minutes and was -1 for the Colorado Avalanche in a 2-0 loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday. The 32-year-old veteran was released from a professional tryout contract by Toronto last week.
Winger David Booth, who was invited to the Florida Panthers training camp after not being re-signed by Toronto over the summer, was released from his PTO on Tuesday.
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