They’re now a loss away from the first half-dozen defeats in such an extended residency in team history and odds don’t look great to change that with the Edmonton Oilers next at Scotiabank Arena.
asserted
odds → ’re → Arena
Thursday against the Minnesota had the promise of a point in an early third-period tie, before three Wild goals in a 5-2 defeat.
asserted
Thursday → have → defeat
Murderers Row comes to town
asserted
Row → come → town
This six-game stand was foretold as the Leafs’ most daunting first-half test, and that was before injuries and a poor finish to their Western road trip came into the equation.
asserted
injuries → foretell → equation
Utah, Montreal, New Jersey, Colorado and Minnesota, all at or near the top of their divisions, outscored the Leafs 22-9.
asserted
Utah → outscore → Leafs
“We’ve been all right but not good enough, not against this roster of teams we’ve been playing,” said coach Jim Hiller, who is coming under increasing pressure himself after so many Bay Street blahs.
asserted
who → play → blahs
When the Leafs do a decent job of containing the opposition stars such as the Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov to one even-strength assist and he and Quinn Hughes to a power play helper each, someone else breaks through, with Matt Boldy getting a hat trick.
asserted
Boldy → do → trick
“I see lots of hope, I see it all over the place,” Hiller insisted.
asserted
Hiller → see → place
“We’ve had tough losses.
asserted
We → have → losses
So how do we come out and start the game tonight?
asserted
we → come → game
With two breakaways in the first six minutes (Auston Matthews stopped by Jesper Wallstedt, William Nylander in too tight to make a move).
asserted
Nylander → stop → move
“We came out ready to play and that’s the answer.
asserted
that → come → ?
We have to solve some of the issues during the (rest of the game).
asserted
We → have → game
Nylander’s struggles continue
asserted
struggles → continue → ?
With his minus four no- show against Colorado, Nylander needed to elevate Thursday and was looking more engaged.
asserted
Nylander → need → Colorado
But he was part of two ineffective power plays and then involved in a neutral zone coverage error with John Tavares and Easton Cowan that allowed Ryan Hartman to let Boldy get by him for the winner.
asserted
Boldy → involve → winner
He had one shot on net that could’ve made an early difference in momentum.
uncertain
that → have → momentum
“We have to sort that out, who was taking Boldy and who was taking Hartman,” Nylander said.
asserted
Nylander → have → Hartman
“That one was tough to give up.
asserted
one → give → ?
But we’re building in the right direction.”
asserted
we → build → direction
Nylander was also the latest Leaf to bravely call this adversity a good character builder for later in the season.
asserted
Nylander → call → season
On the slightly bright side
Zack MacEwen went from a game-time decision to having a decisive role in keeping the contest close.
asserted
MacEwen → go → contest
The fourth-line winger, who was hampered by a wrist injury that necessitated Brendan Brisson getting called up from the Marlies as a precaution, set up a Matthews goal and scored himself.
“He had an incredible second period there and just gave us life,” Matthews said.
asserted
Matthews → hamper → life
“His line in general (with Brandon Duhaime and Teddy Blueger) has been our most consistent in the energy they bring.”
asserted
they → bring → energy
But MacEwen still feels the whole frustration of the team that it’s not paying off in points.
asserted
it → feel → points
“It’s those brief lapses that are killing us,” he said.
asserted
he → ’ → us
You want to win at home and in front of your fans.
asserted
You → want → fans
It’s going to come.”
asserted
It → go → ?
While Boldy burned Anthony Stolarz, the goalie stared down nine shots from Kaprizov and Hughes and kept the game in reach where Sergei Bobrovsky has not.
asserted
Bobrovsky → burn → reach
“You need that, especially where we are right now,” Hiller said.
asserted
Hiller → need → that
“Something when we break down, stop it, let us get one.
asserted
us → break → one
We’re a bit tight with the stick and tight with the leads.”
asserted
We → ’re → leads
But the much hyped goaltending plan will likely see Bobrovsky take on Connor McDavid and the Oilers.
asserted
Bobrovsky → hype → McDavid
The Aporia
