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Core concerns after lopsided loss to Lightning

October 11, 2019, 7:42 PM ET [741 Comments]
Mike Augello
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Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said prior to the contest with the Tampa Bay Lightning that the key to his club being ready for success this season was the ability to play right all the time, and not thinking that they can get away with playing wide open offensively and flick the switch to being more responsible defensively prior to the playoffs.

The 7-3 loss to the Lightning on Thursday at Scotiabank Arena was the Leafs third loss in a row and a sign that the club is not operating on all eight cylinders to start the season.

“Tonight was disappointing. It wasn't like any of the other games we've been in.” Babcock said after the game. “It was seven goals in the first period. I actually thought in the second we got it going but never got on the inside. (Tampa) scored late and then we had no answer whatsoever. Any way you look at it, even going into the third, you can still leave the building feeling good if you perform right in the third and we didn't. We didn't execute at a high enough level, we didn't play right, and they were better than us.”



While the panic button should not be pushed less than two weeks into the regular season, there has to be concern that players who were expected to perform at a high level has been slow off the blocks.

“We just didn’t do the right things that are going to consistently lead to good things and lead to results.” Leafs captain John Tavares said. “That kind of effort tonight isn’t going to win us many hockey games.”

Auston Matthews has continued his trend of quick starts with six goals in his first five games, and William Nylander has bounced back after a bad campaign with five points (2 goals, 3 assists), but the combo of Mitch Marner and John Tavares has not performed as well as they did last season. Marner has six points in five games, and Tavares scored his first goal on Thursday, but along with Kasperi Kapanen, the Leafs top line is a collective -11 in five games.

On defense, the greatest concern is the slow start of Morgan Rielly. Although Rielly is averaging a point-per-game, his defensive play has been less than stellar. Last Saturday, the Leafs top blueliner was on the ice for three Montreal goals, his intercepted stretch pass late in the second period was responsible for Brayden Schenn’s tying goal in the loss to the Blues on Monday, and he was undressed by Kevin Shattenkirk in the wide open first period.



Frederik Andersen has also not been at the top of his game early on, which has been the case in two of his three seasons in Toronto. Oskar Sundqvist’s goal from long range and Alex Pietrangelo’s game-winner in the loss to St. Louis were questionable, and the Leafs starter admitted he was not at his best in allowing seven goals before being pulled for Michael Hutchinson in the third period.

“I don't think I was without blame either. Definitely could have played some situations differently.” Andersen said. (Tampa is) a good team down there too. When you do make mistakes, they usually capitalize pretty often on it.”


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