If moral victories counted in the standings, the Maple Leafs would have earned an impressive two points on Saturday night.
asserted
Leafs → count → night
Alas, only actual wins count and that went to the Edmonton Oilers.
asserted
that → count → Oilers
The Leafs played them tough and kept it close, but an Evan Bouchard slapshot and a Devon Levi shutout were the difference in the Oilers’ 1-0 win.
asserted
slapshot → play → win
Anthony Stolarz deserved a better fate, providing some of the finest goaltending witnessed all season by either Leafs goalie.
asserted
Stolarz → deserve → goalie
He stymied scoring leader Connor McDavid in particular.
asserted
He → stymie → McDavid
But then so did Leafs captain Auston Matthews, making a save on McDavid with Stolarz pulled as the Leafs tried for the tying goal with the extra attacker.
asserted
Leafs → do → attacker
It was an entertaining affair and the Leafs did almost everything right.
asserted
Leafs → do → everything
Still, the Leafs lost.
asserted
Leafs → lose → ?
It was the first time they have lost every game in a six-game homestand.
asserted
they → lose → homestand
All losses were in regulation as they plummeted down the standings.
asserted
they → plummet → standings
The Leafs were in second place in the division when they beat the Oilers 7-2 in Edmonton on Oct. 24.
asserted
they → beat → Oct.
They’ve won only once in the nine games since.
asserted
They → win → games
“It sucks, it’s not fun,” Stolarz said.
asserted
Stolarz → suck → ?
“You want to put on a show for the fans and get everyone excited.
asserted
everyone → want → fans
We dug ourselves a little bit of a hole here, and we have no one to blame but ourselves.
asserted
we → dig → ourselves
It’s gut-check time.”
asserted
It → ’ → ?
The Leafs can’t even win video reviews these days.
asserted
Leafs → win → reviews
John Tavares had a potential game-tying goal called back when the Oilers successfully challenged it had been tipped by a stick that was higher than the crossbar.
asserted
that → have → crossbar
The disastrous six-game homestand took a lot out of the Leafs.
asserted
homestand → take → Leafs
The visiting teams were largely elite teams in the league, with four of the opponents — Montreal, New Jersey, Minnesota and Edmonton — among the top seven in the standings.
asserted
teams → visit → standings
They play the Blackhawks in Chicago on Tuesday, then return home for games Thursday and Saturday against Los Angeles and Columbus.
asserted
They → play → Angeles
The Leafs deserved full marks for emerging from the first period unscathed, with neither side managing to beat the other goalie.
asserted
side → deserve → goalie
Toronto went toe-to-toe with the Oilers and arguably had the better chances.
asserted
Toronto → go → chances
Levi was at his acrobatic best as the Leafs took the puck to him with purpose.
asserted
Leafs → take → purpose
The Leafs played a much cleaner first period than has been their custom during this losing streak.
asserted
Leafs → play → streak
They made one big mistake — McDavid stripping William Nylander of the puck at the Leafs blue line — but Stolarz came to the rescue.
asserted
Stolarz → make → rescue
It was the first time this season Stolarz has played in consecutive games.
asserted
Stolarz → play → games
He was in net when the Leafs beat the Oilers 7-2 three weeks ago, and he’s generally been steadier and more predictable that No. 1 goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
asserted
he → beat → Bobrovsky
“He’s been good for a long time,” Hiller said of Stolarz.
asserted
Hiller → say → Stolarz
“He’s big.
asserted
He → ’ → ?
He played well against Edmonton last time.”
asserted
He → play → Edmonton
It felt like a whole lot of nothing was happening in the second period.
asserted
lot → feel → period
If one thing was obvious, it was the Leafs’ commitment to protect the front of the net.
asserted
it → protect → net
All five bodies collapsed in front of Stolarz to help keep the puck out.
asserted
bodies → collapse → puck
Bouchard finally broke the logjam late in the middle period.
asserted
Bouchard → break → period
His bomb through traffic beat a screened Stolarz for a 1-0 Edmonton lead.
asserted
bomb → beat → lead
With an assist on Bouchard’s goal, Connor McDavid became the fifth different player in NHL history to record 50 points in 21 games or fewer, joining Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, both of whom did it three times, as well as Bernie Nicholls and Mike Bossy.
asserted
both → become → it
Though it took until the second period, it was a familiar theme for the Leafs.
asserted
it → take → Leafs
They have given up the first goal in 13 of their 22 games, including five of the six games on this homestand.
Notes:
asserted
They → give → homestand
Leafs defenceman Chris Tanev returned to the lineup after missing Thursday’s game due to load maintenance.
asserted
Tanev → return → maintenance
…and 1 more, not listed.
The Aporia
