LEAFS FALL PREY TO NASHVILLE
The good news: they scored three goals. The bad news: they still managed to lose their 10th consecutive game.
NASHVILLE, TENN.— The best thing you can say about the Maple Leafs’ latest loss — their franchise-tying 10th in a row — is that they scored and put in a better effort than the last time they played the Nashville Predators.
The puzzling thing, however, is how they lost 4-3 to Nashville on Tuesday night and coach Peter Horachek’s odd decision regarding his goaltenders.
The Leafs were down 2-1 late in the second when starting goalie Jonathan Bernier pulled himself from the net after making a save on Matt Cullen. He had cut himself with his skate and needed 12 stitches. James Reimer finished the period and started the third.
With Reimer in net, the Leafs scored twice — Nazem Kadri and Mike Santorelli — to take a lead early in the third.
Then Bernier re-appeared, all stitched up, and gave up two goals.
“It was his game,” said Horachek. “He came back out ready to play, wanting to play. I felt like that kind of character in him, wanting to get back into the game, was important. Him being one of our leaders, I thought it was important for him to get back into the game.”
Bernier was in enough trouble with the fanbase after that goal from mid-ice last week at home to Arizona. And now a possible win became an absolute loss.
“I wanted to come back,” said Bernier. “It was tough. You ask if you should go out there when it’s 3-2 (for Toronto). I wanted to go out there and do my job and show the guys that I care.”
And the second-guessing of Horachek,
It was the Leafs’ 10th loss in a row (0-9-1), tying franchise record for futility
who took over a high-scoring team that sat in a playoff spot and now has a lowscoring team near the bottom of the standings, has hit fever pitch.
“Bernier was playing well, made big saves and kept us in the game,” said defenceman Stephane Robidas. “It was Bernier’s game.
“He wants to do so well. He puts a lot of pressure on himself. It’s not a one-man show, it’s a team game. We have to support him and give him some goals to help him.”
It was the Leafs’ 10th loss in a row (0-9-1), tying a franchise record for futility. That record of 10 losses in a row (predating today’s era of getting point for an overtime loss) happened in 1967, the last season the Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup.
The Leafs aren’t winning the Cup this year; that kind of history is simply not repeating itself. They’re not even giving themselves a chance, falling further and further away from playoff contention.
The Leafs got some good news earlier in the day when defenceman Dion Phaneuf worked out in full for the first time since injuring his right hand in a fight on Jan. 21. And Robidas returned to the lineup after missing seven games with an undisclosed upper body injury.
The better news was that the Leafs scored three goals and at least tried to erase the memory of that 9-2 loss to Nashville in November.
Daniel Winnik scored in the second period as Horachek juggled his lines in an attempt to generate some life after a lacklustre first period.
Early in the third, Kadri banged in a rebound and Santorelli scored on a wrist shot as the Leafs were rewarded for getting to the dirty areas. Horachek had been saying he wanted second and third chances, not just one chance off the rush.
Nashville’s Mike Fisher scored midway through the third to tie it and Colin Wilson jammed in a loose puck in the crease as Nashville re- took the lead.
“It really sucks to let this one slip,” said Winnik. “We did a lot of good things we haven’t done lately.”
Winnik had to a chance to tie it late in the third when a Tyler Bozak shot went off him and got behind Predators goalie Carter Hutton. But Hutton reached back with his goalie stick and batted the puck away just before it crossed the line.
“I thought it was going in,” said Winnik. “A remarkable save by him. That’s just how it’s going now for us.”