It’s another night where you may not be happy with the overall process, but you’re happy with the result nonetheless. And to be honest, anything was an improvement over Tuesday’s game in New Jersey.
Was the start to this game as bad? No. Was it a good start? Kind of? The Anaheim Ducks had jump off the bat and after a few saves, the Leafs found their legs and started generating more offence. Max Pacioretty put the team on the board first for his third of the year while William Nylander doubled the lead after the power play. Simon Benoit’s holding penalty put the Ducks on the man advantage which they converted on via Frank Vatrano.
The second didn’t get any better for the Leafs even though Pacioretty increased their lead with his second of the game. The Ducks pushed further and ironically looked more energetic. The Leafs had a few chances, but it was far too back-and-forth. Pacioretty made it 3-1 and Jackson LaCombe restored the one-goal deficit. The Leafs took charge in the third period outshooting and outchancing Anaheim. Lukas Dostal kept his team in it as long as he could and Woll stood up when he was needed, securing the 3-2 victory.
Considering where the Ducks are in the standings and the fact they were the road team on the second half of a back-to-back, the game was too close for my liking. The Leafs are still trying to get back to that consistent heavy, ice-tilted pressure they had in November as this game was too loose. The odd-man rushes and missed assignments could’ve been the end of them tonight and although they’re getting points, they have to know this isn’t sustainable.
That said, it’s December. Playing poorly and winning is better than playing poorly and losing. The Leafs get a final team grade of C+.
Player reports
William Nylander: A
His skating through the middle of the ice and the Ducks’ end were signs of a good Nylander night. He was all over the puck tonight all game and could’ve had another two goals with better luck taking shots on the rush, right in front of Dostal or taking the puck to the net. His mid-air bat up and over Dostal brings him within two of the league lead in goals.
Max Pacioretty: B+
Three-point night for Pacioretty after scoring the first of the night and getting the primary on Nylander’s first goal. He continues to go to the net and he continues to get rewarded for it. Pacioretty got his second deflecting Conor Timmins’ point shot bringing his season total to four.
Joseph Woll: B+
Woll started the game in the second making 14 saves with the Ducks pushing to stay in the game. He had some tough moments including two turnovers trying to advance the puck and the lone goal he allowed was deflected at least two times. Woll added another five saves in the third to cap off a .950 performance.
Jake McCabe — Chris Tanev: B+
It was good to have McCabe back on the blue line defensively but he contributed a lot offensively. He got a secondary assist on the opening goal and started to let them fly more in the third, almost scoring himself off the post. Tanev didn’t put up his usual raw numbers, though the dynamic between the two and how they cover and read for each other was sorely missed.
John Tavares: B+
The Tavares formula for a goal: wins the draw, wins the net-front battle and finds Pacioretty with a nice backhand feed. Another good O-zone win got him another assist in the game on Pacioretty’s second and he had a chance in the blue paint from Nylander in the third.
Auston Matthews: B+
You got the feeling that the gates would open for Matthews similar to the Devils game. He was almost as productive offensively as Nylander, throwing six shots and 10 overall attempts. His steals off Leo Carlsson led to the first scoring chance of the game and he got another later.
Matthew Knies: B
Good to see Berube reunite Knies with Matthews and Mitch Marner full-time. He has the quick thinking to free space for him and showed that with his disruption on Jacob Trouba to allow a pass to get to Matthews and later on trying to capitalize on a defensive breakdown by the Ducks who left him alone by the net.
Mitch Marner: B
He got more scoring chances in the second and had two looks at an empty-net goal. He proved he’s a good option to be defending an odd-man rush.
Fraser Minten: B
Two chances to score including a good slot shot from Max Domi in the first. Dostal made another save on him in the second.
Connor Dewar: B
The Leafs’ best faceoff player by far winning seven of his nine draws (77.8 percent).
Oliver Ekman-Larsson: C+
I know he looked good with Rielly in the past, but the two didn’t look too good together tonight.
Pontus Holmberg: C+
Shame the team couldn’t do anything with it, but he managed to draw two penalties with his skating.
Max Domi: C
He had his first and only shot in the third and made a good pass to Minten in the first.
Steven Lorentz: C
Finished the game with two hits and helped keep the puck in the zone during those moments in the game where the fourth line kept the Ducks in their end.
Simon Benoit: C
Rightly or wrongly, it’s starting to feel as if Benoit is getting a call once a game and the Ducks scored on this one.
Ryan Reaves: C
Showed some good offensive instincts in the first and tried to set McCabe up for a tap-in.
Conor Timmins: C
Gets the primary assist taking a play out of McCabe’s book to throw the puck on net off the draw. That 54-second hem-in, however, started with him as he couldn’t get the puck out of the D-zone.
Morgan Rielly: C-
It was an interesting night for Rielly. He had a tough shift to end the first period after he got bit pinched as LaCombe got to the loose puck first and batted it to Mason McTavish for a rush and shot against. It happened again seconds later at the spot. He fanned on a pass and got tangled up with Robby Fabbri leading to another odd-man rush. The offensive plays were strong, but the timing on the pinches gave the Ducks life. They continued into the third as Rielly was late getting back up after getting hit in the corner by Alex Killorn.
Anthony Stolarz: N/A
He didn’t have as busy of a night as he did in New Jersey, but he had to bail the Leafs out after a less-than-OK first. It started with a point-blank save off a turnover and got worse toward the end of the frame as the odd-man rushes started to pile up. The goal he allowed, which wasn’t the best goal to give up, may have been the reason he left the game. Hopefully whatever it is doesn’t keep him out long.
GO DEEPER
Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz exits vs. Ducks with injury
Game score
What’s next for the Leafs?
The Ducks were a team the Leafs should’ve beaten and they did. They’ll have a similar game against the Detroit Red Wings on the road Saturday at 7:00 p.m. on CBC.
(Photo: John E. Sokolowski / Imagn Images)
