Three Takeaways in Maple Leafs 3-2 Loss to the Canucks

Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 3-2. It was a game they could have and probably should have won.

How good are the Toronto Maple Leafs? Consider that the last time the Maple Leafs lost back-to-back games in regulation was during the first month of the season. On October 22, 23, and 25 the team lost three straight games in regulation times. They hadn’t lost two in a row in regulation since then – until tonight. That’s good. 

Make no mistake about it, this is a good team. But they started slowly tonight and gave up two goals before they decided to start a comeback. In the end, trying to come back from a two-goal deficit against the world-class goalie play from the Canucks’ Thatcher Demko cost them a victory.

In this edition of Maple Leafs’ takeaways, I’ll look at the three takeaways from the loss to the Canucks. 

Related: Three Takeaways from Maple Leafs’ 5-2 Loss to the Flames

Takeaway One: The Maple Leafs Offensive Is Amazingly Good

The one thing that was amazing to me watching the entire game against the Canucks – lose or win – was just how creative and overwhelming the Maple Leafs’ offense could be. As noted, this loss was totally due to two things. First, the two-goal deficit made it hard to claw back. Second, the amazing goalie play by Thatcher Demko saved the game for his team. 

Between those two points, the game feature of Maple Leafs’ offensive play. The shot difference between the Maple Leafs and the Canucks was 53 to 24, and that was about perfect. The Maple Leafs’ offense was better than twice as effective as the Canucks.

Yet, the better offensive team didn’t win. That was on Demko.

Thatcher Demko (51 saves) became the second goaltender in @Canucks history to record a 50-save win, joining Richard Brodeur (51 on Feb. 10, 1985).#NHLStats: https://t.co/yzrRQjcaHt pic.twitter.com/iVPuepl2XY

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 13, 2022

Demko was every place in the crease but the wrong place. He was solid to the puck; he was always in a good position; he was composed; he was catlike quick; and, in the end, he was the difference. 

The Maple Leafs should never have been two goals down; but, they were. And, in the end, that cost them the win.

Takeaway Two: Auston Matthews Keeps His Seven-Game Point Streak Alive

No surprise, Auston Matthews scored yet another goal last night. Following a creative play between John Tavares and William Nylander that put the puck on Matthews’ stick as he faced the goalie. He buried the puck. That goal, just past the halfway point of the second period, gave the Maple Leafs the energy they needed. 

The Maple Leafs soon tied it up, but a costly rebound that Maple Leafs’ goalie Petr Mrazek gave up cost the team the third goal. Demko then shut the door. 

On the season, Matthews now has scored 32 goals and 23 assists (for 55 points) in 42 games. He kept his seven-game point-scoring streak that started before the All-Star Game alive. During that streak, Matthews has scored 14 points (an average of two points each game). He’s dominant.

Takeaway Three: Although Mrazek Can’t Be Blamed for the Loss, He Wasn’t Good Enough to Pull His Team to the Win

Petr Mrazek gave up three goals on 24 shots in the loss to the Canucks. His team seemed slow to react on both goals; and, during the first goal, it was just freaky unlucky to lose your goalie stick because it got caught in another player’s skate.

Mrazek was behind 2-0 in the first period before his team woke up. Although the Maple Leafs’ offense came back to tie the game in the second period, Mrazek gave up a juicy rebound to allow Canucks’ fourth-liner Juho Lammikko to score just before the end of the second period.

That was all she wrote, and the game was over. 

Neither starting goalie Jack Campbell nor Mrazek has been able to win the team a game over the past while; however, Mrazek hasn’t played poorly. In fact, he hasn’t given up more than four goals in any game this season. He just wasn’t the best goalie on the ice last night.

Related: Maple Leafs’ Big D-Man Question: What About Luke Schenn?