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4 Takeaways from Maple Leafs 3-1 Loss to the Panthers

Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the Florida Panthers – again. What were three key takeaways from the game?

by
Old Prof
October 20, 2023

The biggest downside of this game was the result. The Toronto Maple Leafs fell 3-1 to the Florida Panthers, with the final goal scored into an empty-net goal with just two-tenths of a second left on the clock. This defeat evened the Maple Leafs’ season record at 2-2, a .500 trend that seems to plague the team in October. Over the past three seasons, their October record stands at 10-10-3.

In this edition of Maple Leafs Takeaways, I’ll share what I believe are the four key takeaways of the game from the Maple Leafs’ point of view.

Takeaway One: Panther Playoff Deja Vu – No Offense

The Maple Leafs returned to the scene of their playoff failure from last season in their first road game of the 2023-24 season. Unfortunately, the night left fans in Blue & White nation with an unpleasant sense of deja vu. The game had its challenges, the chief of which was the team’s lack of scoring.

After scoring a whopping twelve goals (counting the shootout winner against the Montreal Canadiens) in their first two games, the Maple Leafs struggled to find the net. They managed only two goals in their last two games. One goal per game is rarely enough to secure victory. It wasn’t on this night.

Takeaway Two: The Maple Leafs Had Multiple Defensive Lapses

The game took a turn for the worse after a sluggish yet defensively structured first period. The Maple Leafs gave up two goals on just two shots late in that period. As a result, they entered the locker room down 2-0.

The first goal resulted from a scramble behind the Maple Leafs’ net, with John Klingberg inadvertently feeding the puck to Florida’s Kevin Stenlund who was protecting way up the line. Klingberg’s attempt to block out Ryan Lomberg created a screen that prevented goalie Ilya Samsonov from seeing the shot.

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The second goal was a killer. It came with just seven seconds left in the first period from a point shot from a similar location by Oliver Ekman-Larsson. This time, Tyler Bertuzzi’s attempt to block the shot failed. As well, Auston Matthews and Evan Rodrigues provided another screen that left it impossible for Samsonov to see anything. He was helpless once more.

Takeaway Three: The Newcomers Have Not Fit in That Well

Bertuzzi was limited to just 13:53 of ice time. It could be that he was playing through an undisclosed injury that had him miss practice the day before. After the game, head coach Sheldon Keefe hinted that Bertuzzi might sit out a game or two to address his ailment.

Max Domi faced continued challenges, especially when he seemed to be indecisive with the puck. During the game, there was a noteworthy on-bench discussion between Domi and Keefe. I assume it was to emphasize his need to improve something in his play.

Takeaway Four: There Were Some Good Points in the Game

Although the loss was disappointing, the Maple Leafs had their best structural game of the season. Statistically, they dominated in high-danger scoring chances and expected goals at five-on-five, accounting for 67% and 65%, respectively (according to Naturalstattrick.com).

Second, the defensive pairings of Morgan Rielly and TJ Brodie, Timothy Liljegren and Jake McCabe, and Klingberg with Giordano showed promise. Despite Klingberg’s earlier error, he seemed a better fit alongside Giordano.

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Third, Mitch Marner scored his first goal of the season on the power play. After that score, he played a more dynamic game and gave the team some much-needed spark. It wasn’t enough, but it was a better performance from Marner.

In goal, Ilya Samsonov had his best game of the young season. He stopped 21 of 23 shots for a 0.913 save percentage. As noted, he could not be faulted on either goal.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

The Maple Leafs will face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night, crossing the state for the clash. The Lightning, holding a 2-2-1 record, recently defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 to end a three-game winless streak. The Maple Leafs need a win, but they must play better.