Maple Leafs Lack Energy Five-on-Five Production and Other Observations in Loss to Kings
Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have combined for only three goals at five-on-five in nine games.
It was a Halloween night game in Toronto that came with the tricks but no treats.
This was the Maple Leafs' first game at home since returning from their five-game road trip, which could explain why it was a difficult game for them. But it also didn't help with how good the L.A. Kings were playing.
Add the fact that the ice conditions didn't look good and you have the perfect spooky game inside Scotiabank Arena.
Here are a few observations from the Maple Leafs' 4-1 loss to the Kings.
William Nylander is in the record books
The 27-year-old assisted on the Maple Leafs' only goal in the game, which gives him points in nine-straight games. That's a new franchise record.
Nylander passes Frank Mahovlich, Lanny McDonald, and John Anderson who all had points in the first eight games of their seasons. It's yet another stamp on the 27-year-old's impressive start to the season.
Fourth line struggles
Toronto's fourth line, consisting of Noah Gregor, Pontus Holmberg, and Ryan Reaves, has struggled at both ends of the rink at points during this season. On Tuesday night, the trio allowed a five-on-five goal from the Kings due to what looked like a miscommunication.
One of either Reaves or Holmberg should've had Phillip Danault at the back door, but they didn't get to him in time. And that's yet another goal against for that line this season.
Although that was the first goal against at five-on-five for Holmberg, it wasn't for the other two players on that line. Reaves has been on the ice for six goals against while Gregor has been for four at five-on-five, according to NaturalStatTrick.
Going the other way, the line has only scored one goal—in any situation this season—which was from Gregor in the Maple Leafs' season opener. It's still very early, and I understand that Reaves isn't there to score goals, but at some point there needs to be some scoring from that trio.
Top line changes to come?
Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews have had their fair share of success to start the year. However their third line mate, whether it's been Tyler Bertuzzi or Calle Jarnkrok, just hasn't been able to live up to the line's standards.
In the third period on Tuesday night, Maple Leafs head coach elected to start Nylander with the top line. It's a move that could help give a boost to both Matthews and Marner in the short term.
Matthews only has two even-strength points (both assists) since the Maple Leafs' second game of the season, according to Hockey-Reference.com. Three of Marner's seven points have come at five-on-five (two assists came in the second game of the season and one goal came in Dallas last Thursday, per Hockey-Reference.com.
Marner tallied an assist on the power play in the third period, which is positive. But he and Matthews need to find their success at five-on-five again. And maybe that help comes from the red-hot Nylander.
The other observations
- John Tavares tallied another point on Tuesday, putting his point totals at 12 in nine games to start the year. It was a hell of a shot from the 33-year-old who continues to have a strong start to the year.
That's points in all but one game this season for Tavares.
- This wasn't the best game, but it also wasn't the worst for Joseph Woll. The first two goals were difficult for him to stop (one going off Mark Giordano's stick and the other coming from Danault all alone at the back door).
The other two I'd say Woll had a chance on, but you do have to put some blame on the team defensively too. If I were Toronto, I'd go with Ilya Samsonov in Boston on Thursday. It's always a big game when it's against the Bruins and a win could go a long way for the struggling goaltender's confidence.
- John Klingberg was taken off the top power play unit in the second period. The 31-year-old only has two points on the power play thus far, and although he's looked like a threat, Toronto's power play hasn't been as successful as they'd probably like.
Morgan Rielly was returned to the number one unit, and in the third period assisted on Tavares' goal. That's a good sign early on.
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