Maple Leafs Fail Another One Before Their Canucks Test

If I were to grade last night’s 5-4 Toronto Maple Leafs loss to the Seattle Kraken, the mark would be mixed. There were good points and bad ones, but not being able to grab a point with less than a minute left tipped the scales toward failure.

First, what was some of the good news?

Gavin McKenna had a really strong night. Two power-play goals, three points, and the first overall pick looked right at home. Hiller said McKenna and Auston Matthews were great together on the power play, and the Leafs went 2-for-3 with the man advantage. Then, with the goalie pulled, McKenna helped set up Matthews’ tying goal with 1:30 left. That’s the kind of moment you put in the scrapbook.

The Maple Leafs also out-shot Seattle 21-17 and out-hit them 32-23. Hiller said they competed hard and kept the Kraken to the outside most of the night.

Second, what was some of the not-so-good news?

Here’s the problem in a nutshell. Seattle took 17 shots and scored five times. That’s the eighth game this season the Maple Leafs have given up five or more. Hiller blamed six or seven key breakdowns, including two two-on-ones and a handful of breakout turnovers in the first period. In a tight game, that’s all it takes.

And then there’s the ending. The Maple Leafs tie it, the bench is buzzing, and Brandon Montour scores with about 30 seconds left. Hiller called it a dagger, and he’s not wrong.

Hiller said Bobrovsky was “all right” but would probably want it back. Two others went in off a toe and a stick. The last one is the one people will remember. Hiller also grumbled about some of the penalty calls, but those are the breaks.

What’s the bigger Maple Leafs’ picture?

Nearly a month into the season, the Maple Leafs have seven wins, and only two came when they scored fewer than five goals. That’s a team winning shootouts, not hockey games. Without John Tavares and Kirill Marchenko, Hiller admitted the lines still aren’t settled. Those guys play 18 to 19 minutes a night, and you can’t just plug that in. Five-on-five play, in my humble opinion, was anything but stellar.

Next up is Saturday in Vancouver, against a Canucks team sitting at 3-10-1. Now, you’d think that’s an easy game. But that’s exactly the kind of game that sneaks up on this team. Still, if the Maple Leafs can clean up the turnovers, tighten up the defence, and avoid letting a bad opponent teach them a lesson, they should have a good chance to get back on track.

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