Senators feast on Leafs defence
SEASON’S FIRST BATTLE OF ONTARIO GOES TO OTTAWA
The Battle of Ontario, we were led to believe by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the past couple of days, was going to have some renewed intensity.
The Leafs had confidence in themselves and were tipping their caps to the Ottawa Senators, who have made some improvements and have been telling everyone they won’t be pushovers in this abbreviated 2020-21 National Hockey League year.
In the first of nine games between the clubs in the one-timeonly North Division, it was the Senators who performed with resolve and gumption on Friday night at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, beating the Leafs 5-3.
Frederik Andersen had a tough night in the Leafs’ net despite facing just 24 shots, and new defenceman TJ Brodie, soft deep in the defensive zone, was no better.
All in all, it was an ugly effort by the Leafs, who can’t be any worse in the rematch in Ottawa on Saturday night.
Ottawa, playing its first game in 310 days, got a goal from veteran Derek Stepan a little more than six minutes into the third for a three-goal lead. Leafs captain John Tavares scored less than a minute later on a Toronto power play, but Sens goalie Matt Murray didn’t allow another shot get past him and finished with 20 saves.
The Leafs were done in by what we will nicely call a shoddy second period.
An Alex Kerfoot goal at 9:15 of the second period capped some serious keepaway on the part of the Leafs, and there was no reason to believe the possession would not continue.
Well, it didn’t. And what transpired — three Ottawa goals in less than five minutes — was brutal.
The Leafs are the last team one would call hard on opponents, especially in the defensive zone, and that rang true as the Sens started a barrage at 10:28 when Brady Tkachuk deflected a Nikita Zaitsev shot past Andersen.
Next was an Austin Watson goal at 12:32 when the forward roofed a shot past Andersen. And there was Chris Tierney at 15:03, jamming the puck past Andersen on a delayed Leafs penalty as a bunch of Toronto players stood around and watched.
Morgan Rielly was on the ice for those three Ottawa goals. Auston Matthews, Joe Thornton and Brodie were on the ice for two.
Some 11 months ago, Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas used the words “Jekyll and Hyde” to describe the team’s inconsistencies. The term continues to ring true, even after the off-season additions and belief the core would grow.
Oh, two games, small sample size, sure. Still shouldn’t be happening.
And this was coach Sheldon Keefe during his morning availability: “As great as it is to be resilient (in coming back to beat the Montreal Canadiens in the season opener), it’s not a great strategy to be playing from behind.”
Perhaps his players are trying to perfect it.
The first period featured a goal from both sides, and the Leafs were bitten after taking a bench minor for the second time in as many games.
Ottawa’s young stud defenceman, Thomas Chabot, tied the game in the final minute of the opening period on a two-man Sens advantage, the second Toronto penalty coming for too many men.
Chabot blasted a shot past Andersen at 19:16 to send the teams to their dressing rooms tied 1-1.
Keefe has a small issue brewing — that was the Leafs’ second minor for too many men in as many games. Communication clearly has to improve.
New father Zach Hyman, whose wife Alannah recently gave birth to the couple’s first child, son Theo, got the Leafs on the board at 9:59. Hyman’s goal came on a Toronto power play and resulted when Hyman batted the puck out of the air and past Murray. After a review for a possible high stick, the goal stood.
With the clubs playing again on Saturday night in Ottawa, Keefe said during his morning availability that no decisions had been made about who might come out of the lineup, and who might be inserted, for the second game of the back-to-back set.
“We will take it a day at a time with everything,” Keefe said. “Obviously, the goaltending situation is one where (backup goalie Jack) Campbell will play (Saturday) for us, but even that as we get going is something we should assume won’t be the case all the time in terms of the back to backs or how we will play the goaltenders. It’s one day at a time throughout the season.”