Rabu, 20 Desember 2023

Maple Leafs vs. Rangers observations: Auston Matthews scores twice in unlucky loss - The Athletic

The New York Rangers got their revenge, defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 and ending their nine-game point streak that started at the end of November against the Florida Panthers.

Not only were the results different between this game and last week’s 7-3 victory, but the style and flavour of the night were unique as well. It had a slower start as it seemed like both teams were figuring each other out before the scoring chances began. Unfortunately for the Leafs, the scoring chances they gave the Rangers were far more frequent, and maybe that’s who the hockey gods decided would get all the luck Tuesday night.

The game wasn’t going to be easy. The Rangers are the top team in the East (now with 45 points) and are putting wins together after a pair of lopsided losses to the Washington Capitals and Ottawa Senators. Given the goals against, I think this is a night where you look at some of the things that can be tweaked and chalk the rest to it just not being your night. And if you don’t believe me, look at the Rangers’ goals.

Three stars

1. Auston Matthews 

The team’s only goal scorer of the night tied the score at one in the first period and at two in the opening minutes of the second. He’s now up to 25 goals on the year.

2. Martin Jones 

Ignore the save percentage. I know that screams “moving the goal posts” (pun intended), but three of those four goals can’t be held on Jones. A lot of the Rangers’ legitimate scoring chances from the hash marks and point-blank in front of the net didn’t cross the goal line thanks to him.

3. Tyler Bertuzzi

Bertuzzi put together another great performance for the Leafs. He was around the net the majority of the game making plays and trying to convert on them himself. He also led the entire team in expected goals for in all situations (87.3 percent).

Quick shoutout

John Tavares

He was honoured ahead of the game with a silver stick for his 1.000th point and threw five shots on goal. His most dangerous came from Mitch Marner who found him alone in the slot.

Gotta be good to be lucky 

Three of the Rangers’ four goals came from an unseen force. The first goal against was your usual player deflection. Alexis Lafrenière ripped a shot, which looked as if it was going wide, and it went off Morgan Rielly’s arm. Jones had his glove up tracking the shot, and instead, it beat him through the five-hole.

Artemi Panarin got his revenge on Jones for that glove save after his power-play goal. His initial shot went off Timothy Liljegren’s skate to William Lagesson and in off his skate.

The first goal is something you throw your hands up at and laugh at. It took at least three separate bounces, with Mika Zibanejad getting the eventual credit for the goal.

Turning in neutral

We can’t completely discredit the Rangers. Their forecheck was strong, and they made it difficult for the Leafs to string together shift after shift in the offensive zone. The Matthews and Tavares line had a few shifts at 30-plus seconds moving the puck around with a few flurries, but the Rangers kept them to the outside for the most part.

There were times when the Leafs made the Rangers’ job of stopping their transition and offensive generation easier. There were three separate turnovers in the neutral and defensive zones that sent the puck right back into the Leafs’ end. Conor Timmins, Nick Robertson and Rielly had noticeable ones and thankfully Jones stopped them. The last one was in the final minute of the period, and Rielly did a good job getting back for some extra pressure on Jonny Brodzinski. Braden Schneider was also a pest on the blue line and stopped at least three Leaf clearing attempts.

Matthews’ two goals

The Leafs benefitted from their D playing lower in the zone on both of Matthews’ goals.

The first started with Bertuzzi getting an underrated second assist as he banked the puck off the boards and into the neutral zone after an extended shift. Rielly quickly transitions from covering the slot to getting the puck from Matthews and skating into the offensive zone. Three Rangers — including the top pair of Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox — focus on him instead of Matthews. Lindgren thinks he has body and stick position on Matthews but he receives the pass and fires a shot past Igor Shesterkin.

The second goal started with Jake McCabe who is low in the offensive zone along the boards. The Rangers don’t pressure him, so he waits with the puck as Lindgren, Zibanejad and Chris Kreider watch him instead of paying attention to Matthews. Kreider misses the stick lift, McCabe finds Matthews and he beats Shesterkin’s glove side for the second time.

Poor reads don’t pay off

The blue line got the green light to pinch and join the rush to create offence. It worked for the most part, and there were some moments where it cost them. Schneider had an open path to the net ahead of his goal after McCabe set up a pick at the defensive blue line against Blake Wheeler. T.J. Brodie was also caught deep in the Leafs’ end and was a bit late getting back before Zibanejad’s blooper reel opening goal went in.

Game scorecard

Final grade: B+

The Leafs and Rangers were relatively evenly matched at five-on-five, although the latter was the better team overall after the first. Scoring chances were fairly even in magnitude and location, with the Leafs getting a few more low-danger chances by the crease. The puck was on New York’s side and the Leafs didn’t score on the gifts and opportunities they got. The highest danger shot was Barclay Goodrow’s rebound chance from the first period that Jones stopped with his stick. William Nylander had a few chances to score including a sequence where he couldn’t control the bouncing puck and tuck it behind Shesterkin. Tavares had a look that was stopped by Shesterkin’s blocker, Marner had a shot go just wide of the far post, and Bertuzzi should’ve had at least two the way he was playing.

They weren’t dominated, shown up, or run out of the building. The Leafs didn’t get the bounces — or calls — made a few mistakes and lost the game.

Next for the Leafs

The Leafs are in Buffalo on Thursday (7 p.m. ET).

(Top photo: Claus Andersen / Getty Images)

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2023-12-20 14:17:51Z
CBMiSGh0dHBzOi8vdGhlYXRobGV0aWMuY29tLzUxNTA4NTkvMjAyMy8xMi8xOS9tYXBsZS1sZWFmcy1yYW5nZXJzLW1hdHRoZXdzL9IBTmh0dHBzOi8vdGhlYXRobGV0aWMuY29tLzUxNTA4NTkvMjAyMy8xMi8xOS9tYXBsZS1sZWFmcy1yYW5nZXJzLW1hdHRoZXdzLz9hbXA9MQ
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