Another wasted opportunity for Leafs
Team’s shootout record falls to 1-6 after loss to Senators
Maybe the Maple Leafs can lobby the league to change the shootout to an actual coin flip.
Calling heads or tails would surely give the Leafs a better chance at getting that extra point after overtime proves fruitless.
Tom Pyatt scored in the shootout as Toronto dropped a 3-2 decision to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night. The Leafs are 1-6 in the shootout, and missed an opportunity to move back into a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
“It’s pretty much a coin flip, for the most part,” said James van Riemsdyk, who missed his shootout attempt but nonetheless picked up an assist to extend a personal points streak to 10 games. “You can’t get too high after winning them, and you can’t get too low after losing them.
While the Leafs have done a remarkable job on just about every other front this season, the shootout question has left coach Mike Babcock searching for answers. “Maybe the other goalies are good, maybe we’re not good at it,” he said. “We work on it every single pre-game skate. It’s something we have to get better at, because we’ve left points on the table. We just keep working on it like we do. Same as power play, and penalty kill, and faceoffs.”
Mike Hoffman forced overtime with Ottawa’s net empty and the Senators on the power play with 1:11 to go in the third. Martin Marincin, playing his first game since Dec. 10, was off for delay of game. Hoffman’s shot was redirected by Matt Hunwick on a failed block attempt.
“It was unfortunate, I thought we were doing a good job at that point,” Babcock said. “It was a tough break from Marincin.” Tyler Bozak and Matt Martin scored in regulation for Toronto as the Leafs rallied to take the lead after Bobby Ryan scored in the first for Ottawa.
But the Leafs failed to hold a 2-1 third-period lead in losing their second game in a row for the first time since a three-game skid Dec. 11-15.
“It was disappointing to lose in the shootout. I thought we did a lot of good things. It was the game I expected. I expected it to be 2-1,” said Babcock.
The game started slow, but the finish was fantastic, even if it wasn’t the result the wanted as Battle of Ontario games have refreshingly meant something this season.
Whether it was Auston Matthews’ four-goal performance in the season opener, or the Leafs’ win last week, or Saturday night’s contest, a Leafs-- Senators game has buzz again. That’s because the Leafs have climbed the standings, joining the Senators in the playoff conversation.
“It’s great to have buzz around games like this, especially in the dog days of January to play for something, instead of constantly playing spoiler,” centre Nazem Kadri said before the game.
Mitch Marner was the only Leaf to score in the shootout, a controversial goal that had to be reviewed to ensure he kept the forward motion required these days in the shootout, and didn’t interfere with the goalie.
“Soft hands on the kid, and a nice touch,” Kadri said. “(Senators goalie Mike Condon) bit on a fake, and Marner pulled it off.”
But Ottawa got two goals in the shootout, that went four rounds.
“It’s a tough way to go down,” Kadri said. “Getting to the shutout is a bit like going to the judge’s. It’s a tough way to lose, but nothing you can do about it.”