There was a time beneath Craig Berube the place back-to-back video games and accidents did not outcome within the 6-3 loss Toronto turned in Wednesday.
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A memorable objective for John Tavares got here on a a evening the Maple Leafs need to neglect.
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Tavares’s five hundredth was overshadowed by the membership’s worst lack of the 12 months, a 6-3 defeat to the Columbus Blue Jackets, a remaining outcome that flattered Toronto as Tavares and Nick Robertson scored with the sport out of attain and lengthy after the Jackets had crushed Cayden Primeau and a lax Leafs’ defensive play 5 instances on the primary 13 of 24 pictures.
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Our takeaways from a troublesome sport at Nationwide Area:
NO TRAVEL EXCUSES
Each golf equipment gained and travelled to Ohio the evening earlier than, which is hardly a sapping west coast journey. So, why did the Leafs look so flat?
Transition objectives in opposition to have been a sore spot all 12 months and Cole Sillinger’s straightforward rush after a Leafs breakout was thwarted precipitated coach Craig Berube to make use of an early trip to bark on the bench. The problems solely acquired worse when three Columbus defencemen acquired in on the scoring celebration by means of odd-man rushes, although one got here with Steven Lorentz in a heap on the different finish after he slammed head-first into the boards and play was not whistled useless with the Jackets in possession.
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Toronto’s defencemen have been tagged for 11 of 23 groups giveaways, six by the often reliable Oliver Ekman-Larsson, three by frequent offender Morgan Rielly.
The Leafs additionally fell to a document of 0-3 on the highway to date this 12 months, shedding to Detroit, Buffalo and Columbus, giving up a complete of 17 objectives.
HURTING TUNE
To an inventory that features William Nylander (decrease physique), Calle Jarnkrok (decrease physique), Chris Tanev (higher physique) and Scott Laughton (foot), there could be extra time on the sidelines for winger Lorentz.
Already rattled by a suspected head harm that price him three video games earlier this month, Lorentz snapped his stick in frustration as soon as he made it to Toronto’s bench. He didn’t return for the third interval and Berube stated he’d be re-evaluated on Thursday, which is a break day following the back-to-back.
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Extra lineup information shall be identified Friday after follow previous to assembly the Philadelphia Flyers. That’s a sport Laughton and Tanev need to be again in after prolonged time away, whereas Berube indicated sitting Nylander for the second time in three video games was extra precautionary than something.
Not less than the absentees gave the coach an opportunity to attempt some new strains in small pattern sizes, together with Robertson and Matias Maccelli in excessive profile roles and by the top of the evening, rewarding Sammy Blais by placing him with Auston Matthews after a objective and help in his Toronto debut, taking Nylander’s spot on the roster.
Good to see Blais get that after almost a month of exhausting practices with none sport motion. Berube stated his former Cup-winning St. Louis Blue nonetheless had some juice and he was definitely energetic and artistic in scoring his first NHL objective since 2023-24.
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NET LOSSES
Primeau benefited from 11 Toronto objectives in his first two wins, however this was his first task to steal a highway level or two from his tuned-out teammates. As soon as Sillinger drove the online and fooled him with a flowery deke, the remainder of the Jackets smelled blood.
A stronger sport from waiver pick-up Primeau would’ve taken the narrative away from when Joseph Woll will rejoin full follow and doubtless get in some conditioning time with the Toronto Marlies.
THE 500 CLUB
Tavares completed a 2-on-1 from Matthew Knies, however despite the fact that the Leafs have been down 5 on the time and he’d missed a few probabilities when the rating was nearer, it was one other instance that the 35-year-old by no means quits.
Attending to 500 instantly tied him with Lanny McDonald for forty eighth in NHL historical past and there’s no motive Tavares gained’t get one other 45 by subsequent 12 months to catch Maurice Richard, who was the primary NHLer with 500 and has the league objective trophy named for him.
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