TORONTO – So much has fallen so neatly into the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2021 plans that the results of the last 10 days stick out like a coffee ring on the blueprint.
Turning in a splotchy performance from crease to crease in Saturday’s rubber match, the Maple Leafs didn’t just lose 5-2 to the Winnipeg Jets. They lost their second consecutive miniseries and their fourth game in regulation of the past five. Moreover, they lost their buffer on first place and the ability to write their own ticket.
In swiping five of a possible six standing points on the road, Winnipeg has crept within four points of the Kings in North — with two games in hand and, perhaps, a psychological edge between the pipes.
Connor Hellebuyck stood on his head and stole the first three points. Jets backup Laurent Brossoit — coach Paul Maurice’s surprise starter in primetime — wasn’t taxed heavily but held the fort for the final two.
By the numbers, Toronto’s Frederik Andersen was the third-best goaltender in this series, a potential playoff preview.
Coming off an undisclosed lower-body ailment, Andersen has posted a sub-.890 save percentage in four consecutive starts—his worst stretch since early February 2020.
In 11 of 21 appearances in this contract year, Andersen’s save percentage has been under .900.
Post-game, the Maple Leafs did a more admirable job of protecting their No. 1 than they did in-game.
John Tavares: “Freddie is playing great. We've got to limit the opportunities... They got some quality looks and got some quality players and shooters, so we've got to do a lot better job in front of him.”
Morgan Rielly: “The way that we managed the puck has to be better. I think as a D corps, I don’t think it was our best game in terms of breaking out and creating flow that way. I think as a group we have to take responsibility a little bit for that.”
Coach Sheldon Keefe, asked directly about Andersen’s play: “I didn’t think anybody had a good game for us tonight.”
To be fair, Andersen was outshot 32-22 in this one. Winnipeg clamped down defensively as well as it has all year, while the Leafs mustered all of three high-danger chances to their visitors’ 14 at even strength and committed a series of disputed interference penalties.
The Jets soared with lethal power-play shooters (Nikolaj Ehlers, Mark Sheifele), determined odd-man rushes (Mason Appleton) and nifty double deflections (Paul Stastny).
Andersen singled out Adam Lowry’s game-winner as the one of the five he wanted back. Travis Dermott was caught chasing passer Appleton behind the Leafs net on that one, and Lowry slipped a backhander five-hole on the big Dane.
“I thought he was going to go upstairs with it, and obviously he snuck it under me. That one hurt us. But besides that, I think there were some good things,” Andersen said.
“Not good enough to win.”
Right there.
That’s the crux: Not good enough to win. It is what a significant portion of Leafs Nation frets about when it comes to Andersen and tough series.
Earlier in the day, defenceman Jake Muzzin had likened the feel of this three-game set against the No. 2 seed to a playoff series.
Much like Toronto’s recent history of postseason defeats, the blame certainly does not fall to Andersen alone.
“I thought we had a real time stringing together two passes tonight,” Keefe said post-game, curtly.
“We weren’t sharp mentally, weren’t sharp physically, couldn’t get our game going. Credit to them and how they play. They forecheck hard, they had good sticks on puck and made it difficult on us, for sure. And, again, they made good on their chances. We just weren’t even close tonight with how we played.”
But Andersen didn’t outduel the guy standing 200 feet away either.
“He's dealt with a number of different things, even in the time that I've been here, injuries and such that he's had to deal with,” Keefe had said of his starter pre-game. The coach praised Andersen’s work ethic, noting how he showed up for Friday’s optional practice. Andersen, too, brought up his extra work. “Just another sign that he's serious about being that guy that's reliable for us and doing what you need to get from your starting goaltender.”
Thing is, Andersen’s work ethic has never been questioned. Performance under the highest pressure has.
So, about that grand plan.
The organization’s intent was not to have Jack Campbell (3-0-0) stuck at just three starts by the season’s midway point, to once again overload Andersen’s plate.
Campbell has appeared just once — a Feb. 27 shutout of the Oilers — since defeating the Flames in pain on Jan. 24. Keefe describes his concern level for the No. 2 goalie’s recovery as “low,” yet No. 3 goalie Michael Hutchinson continues to back up Andersen.
Keefe was unsure if Campbell (day-to-day) would be available to start Sunday in Ottawa, which Rielly is now billing as “a huge game” for the Leafs.
With four days off after they face the Senators, and the footsteps now audible from one province west, Toronto must seize the opportunity to bank a couple of points and build their confidence from the net out.
“We’re obviously very aware of the standings. Where we are, where [the Jets] are — we were aware of that going in,” Rielly said.
“It’ll be interesting down the stretch.”
ONE-TIMERS
• Scott Sabourin steamrolled Laval goalie Cayden Primeau on a net drive and sparked a fracas during Friday night’s Marlies victory. He was ejected… and now added to the Maple Leafs taxi squad. Interesting to see if the tough checker draws in for Sunday’s back-to-back at Ottawa, his former club, as Keefe continues to experiment with his fourth line.
“We don’t have much flexibility at all to be able to make lineup changes within our roster with how it is,” Keefe said. “Not expecting many.”
• With four practice days next week, Wayne Simmonds (broken wrist) is hopeful to make his return in next weekend’s back-to-back versus Calgary.
“We’ve really missed Wayne Simmonds. Since he left the lineup, it has been a different feel around our team, just because of the level of personality he brings,” Keefe said. “You really felt it when he left the lineup. We will be excited to get him back.”
• Joe Thornton notched an assist in his 1,653rd regular-season match, moving him past Mark Recchi for sixth place on the NHL’s all-time games played list.
