SAN JOSE, Calif. — Under Sheldon Keefe, the Toronto Maple Leafs tend to feast during the second period.
That’s when opponents face a longer change to the players’ bench and Toronto’s ability to control the puck for extended stretches yields dividends. They usually skate the other team into exhaustion and let their talent take over.
Except here at SAP Center, where the San Jose Sharks are already playing for nothing more than pride, the script flipped on Tuesday night. The Leafs found themselves completely under water in a middle frame where the shot attempts were 28-8 against and they lost grip of a game that became a 5-2 loss.
“I think we just got caught out there and they were able to just continue to play in our zone and kind of tire us out, tire our back end out and just kind of wear on us,” said Leafs forward Auston Matthews. “They came with a good push there and we just really had no answer.”
It felt like a step back after a week where they notched consecutive regulation wins over Tampa, Florida and Vancouver. Those were building block games where the Leafs tightened things up defensively and established a five-point cushion over the Florida Panthers for the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.
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They thought they’d found something. Then they were sent back to the drawing board to kick off a swing through California that may end up being tougher than originally anticipated.
“They played really hard,” said Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe.
“We just finished a stretch of games here where we played against some of the top teams in the league and, for me, that was a harder game for us to play today. Just the pace that the puck moved, the pace that their feet moved, how competitive they were.
“Our inability to respond to that and find another level in our game caused us a problem where the ice tilted in that second period and we just couldn’t get it back.”
The funny thing about that second period is they actually outscored San Jose 2-1. They generated three even-strength shots and managed two goals on superior individual efforts from Matthews and linemate Mitch Marner, who authored a goal-of-the-year candidate by bringing the puck up between his legs on the rush and beating Martin Jones with a backhander.
But the underlying issues were impossible to ignore as backup Jack Campbell kept them alive during that frantic 20 minutes.
“Most of that second period they dominated us,” said Marner. “They did what they wanted to and we didn’t win enough puck battles. The only reason we really had a chance going into that third period was because of Jack. He played great tonight like usual for us and made it feel possible, got us through that second period and that third we just gave up too many chances.
“We weren’t stopping on pucks or being strong enough on pucks and it came back to haunt us.”
They were beaten by a bad bounce off the end boards that produced Stefan Noesen’s eventual game-winner and a 2-on-1 rush against where Evander Kane scored his second of the night to salt it away.
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Earlier in the day, one of the things Keefe praised his players for was how they’d recently started limiting the odd-man looks.
There was some frustration in seeing that progress halted here. The Leafs were kicking off a three-games-in-four-days stretch in California and have travelled across the continent for more than just a little extra sunshine.
“If there’s anything to learn it’s that the other teams have good players, too,” said Keefe. “They played really well today. We didn’t play nearly good enough or didn’t find another level, but they also didn’t let us get going or let us have our way. … They’ve had a tough season here, but they played a good game.
“When they get saves they’re a tough team to play against.”
The Leafs can be much tougher than this.
They’ll need to find another response before the puck drops in Los Angeles on Thursday night.
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