Despite Outstanding Win, Toronto Maple Leafs Still Have Work To Do – Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs hosted the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night and won 6-2, pushing their record to 3-1-0 to start the season. The win showed a solid first half for the Maple Leafs but highlighted some areas that still need to be improved as the game progresses.

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The Maple Leafs got off to a good start, scoring three goals in the opening period and controlling most of the night. At the same time, the stars of this group of six arrived for the first time this season. However, the team’s struggles in the second and third half left room for concern. Here, I’ll break down what has worked for the Maple Leafs and what areas need improvement going forward.

Five Things That Worked For Maple Leaves

1. Maple Leafs Core Players Step Up

The Maple Leafs’ key players delivered in a big way. Auston Matthews, who was looking for his first goal of the season, ended up breaking the deadlock with two assists. Mitch Marner got into his usual game mode, registering three assists. William Nylander also added a goal and an assist in his impressive start to the season. John Tavares also scored, which shows that the talented players on the team were firing on all cylinders.

2. The Nylander-Domi-McMann Line Is Bright

Head Coach Craig Berube decided to split his top four players into three lines, and the move paid off. Nylander, Max Domi, and Bobby McMann were Toronto’s best line of the game. McMann, who is known for scoring goals, scored two goals. During that time, Domi added two assists, and Nylander was all over the ice, contributing offensively and defensively. Each member of the lineup finished the game with a plus-3 rating, underscoring their outstanding performances.

3. Special Groups of Map Leaves Delivered

The Maple Leafs power play struggled early in the season, but they finally found their rhythm in this game. The team went 2-for-4 with the man advantage, providing a needed boost. On the penalty kill, Toronto was perfect, killing all four Kings’ power play opportunities. Berube credited special teams and goaltending as reasons for the team’s success on the night.

Related: Maple Leafs Stars Steal Spotlight With 6-2 Win vs. Kings

4. Stellar Goaltending by Anthony Stolarz Once More

Anthony Stolarz continued his strong start to the season by stopping 32 of 34 shots. After three starts, Stolarz boasts an impressive .941 save percentage and 1.74 goals against average. He came up big, especially in the second half when Amakhosi started to apply pressure. His strong play ensured that the game did not go away from the Maple Leafs. His performance is likely to solidify his position as Toronto’s reliable backup this season.

5. The Maple Leafs Got Off to a Good Start During the First Dominion

Unlike their previous games, where the Maple Leafs got off to a slow start, Toronto came out flying in the first half against the Kings. They controlled the game from the start and registered the first seven shots on goal. By the time the period ended, the team had scored three goals to take the lead. That strong opening set the tone for the rest of the game.

Three Things Maple Leafs Need to Get Ready for Saturday

Although the Maple Leafs had a solid game against the Kings, some things still need to be fixed moving forward. Here are three:

1. Defects in Melulu Leaves in the Second and Third Periods

After a strong first half, the Maple Leafs struggled to maintain control. The Kings outscored Toronto 11-0 in the first five minutes of the second half. Surprisingly, the Maple Leafs didn’t register their first frame until 6:03. Although they weathered the storm and added two more goals at the end of the period, their lack of focus needs to be addressed.

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The third period again saw the Maple Leafs falter. The Kings outscored Toronto 10-1 in 9:03 and scored twice in that span. Without Stolarz’s strong play in net, the game could have taken another turn. Toronto can’t afford to let teams back into games after getting early leads, especially against strong opponents on the road.

2. Timothy Liljegren Still Struggling

Defenseman Timothy Liljegren played in his first game of the season and had a chance to solidify his playoff spot after being healthy in the first three games. He didn’t. While Berube publicly supports Liljegren’s play, his time on the ice tells a different story. Liljegren looked struggling and unsure of himself in his 14 minutes of ice time.

Liljegren’s basic analysis was concerning. He was on the ice 5-on-5 on just 21% shots. Furthermore, the percentage of his expected goals was 16%. If Liljegren wants to keep his spot on the roster, he has to step up.

3. Where was the product from the sixth column of the maple leaf?

While the top six were firing on all cylinders, the bottom six were struggling. None of the top six registered a point at 5-on-5, and each finished the game with a minus-1 rating. The line of Tavares, Nicholas Robertson, and Pontus Holmberg had an expected goals percentage of zero, a rare and troubling number for any line. Tavares scored, but it was on the power play.

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The fourth line of David Kampf, Steven Lorentz, and Ryan Reaves wasn’t much better. They netted less than 0.02 expected goals. Deep scoring remains a concern for the Maple Leafs, and they will need more contributions from their bottom six as the season progresses.

What’s Next for Maple Leaves?

With the win, the Maple Leafs improved to 3-1-0 on the season. Next, they will face the New York Rangers at home on Saturday night (Oct. 19.) The Rangers are off to a strong start to their season, with a 2-0-1 record heading into Thursday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. The matchup will be an early test for the Maple Leafs, who must fix their second- and third-period woes if they hope to keep up with an equally talented Rangers team.

Berube’s experiment of splitting up his top players seems to have worked for now, but he will need to continue tweaking the system to ensure the team stays competitive throughout the season. If the team can address its lack of focus and find a way to generate more offense from its depth players, it has the potential to build on this win and maintain its strong start to the season.