The Maple Leafs don’t need their scorers to go cold, as concerns are growing about their capacity to use cunning and
goals to overcome the opposition’s grit this spring.
However, Toronto has lost three games in a row for the first time this season and has played three games without
scoring a goal for the first forty minutes of each of them, with the NHL trade deadline just four days away.
Thursday’s disappointing 3-2 loss was part of their hopes for a comeback against the Washington Capitals, the
reigning Stanley Cup champions, whom they had previously outgunned twice this season.
“We had great looks,” head coach Mike Babcock stated, choosing to focus on his team’s 42 shots. “Only Mitch
(Marner) was homeless twice. In the second, Austin Matthews was unattached, while Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas
Johnsson had excellent looks.
After having to shift William Nylander to the middle due to Nazem Kadri’s concussion, Babcock felt Johnsson should
be promoted even further and moved him to Matthews’ line with Kapanen, moving Patrick Marleau in the process.
Toronto’s first goal was scored by Johnsson, who had an amazing ten shots during the match. With Frederik
Andersen on the bench, John Tavares scored a late goal to prevent himself from joining Marner in losing three
straight games.
Babcock continued, “After returning from the (six-game) trip, we skated better than I thought.” In the end, though,
we only managed one point in three games, so we need to refuel in preparation for Montreal on Saturday.
The Leafs lost both of their remaining games against Boston, who is still four points ahead of them for home ice in a
potential playoff clash, on Thursday. Matthews surmised that early goals in Arizona, St. Louis, or on Thursday may
have altered the outcome of any of three games.
