Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Keefe, Tavares & Matthews’ Game

The Toronto Maple Leafs faced a tough 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night, leaving little for their fans to celebrate. Other than hitting six goalposts, the only thing worth celebrating was the valiant effort to mount a comeback in the third period. But, close doesn’t count, and the Maple Leafs fell short in their quest for redemption from their stunning 5-4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.

With a three-goal deficit looming over them to start the third, William Nylander scored on a power play, followed by goals from Tyler Bertuzzi and John Tavares. However, give Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson credit. He made huge saves in the closing minutes, and Toronto lost its chance to tie the score.

Reflecting on the game, head coach Sheldon Keefe expressed disappointment in his team’s performance, particularly in their defensive play. He highlighted a lack of sharpness, both mentally and in execution, citing difficulties in passing, handling the puck, and defending effectively.

Item One: Maple Leafs Face Goal Post Woes

If hockey is a game of odd bounces, Tuesday’s game was riddled with them. Notably, Toronto hit goalposts six times. Although the team didn’t play well defensively, it did generate scoring chances. However, the Maple Leafs were unlucky in converting those chances into goals. 

The abundance of near misses highlighted the unpredictability of the game. The game result (and the resulting angst about the team) would have been different if any two of those pucks had bounced into the net. 

Item Two: Maple Leafs’ Performance Analysis Suggests the Team Lacks Playoff Intensity 

It was evident that the Maple Leafs lacked the urgency that should be associated with playoff-ready teams. Facing a Flyers team that is likely out of playoff contention, the Maple Leafs failed to assert dominance from the start. They allowed the Flyers to capitalize on their scoring chances and did not capitalize on their own.