The Next Generation game crowd loved it when the Leafs jumped out to an early lead. But the youthful crowd energy at Scotiabank Arena failed to rub off on their heroes.
Some nights, the maple leaves look great. Some nights, they look terrible. And some nights, like Thursday’s 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators, they’re a bit of both.
Drake Batherson scored twice and Brady Tkachuk added an empty-netter as the Senators rallied to win a game that the Leafs essentially gave away.
Maple Leafs suffer a rare regulation loss despite another multi-goal game by Matthews…
The Toronto Maple Leafs experienced an uncommon regulation loss despite Auston Matthews’ continued goal-scoring prowess on Tuesday night against the New York Rangers at Scotiabank Arena. Matthews, who missed a game due to illness, managed to net both of the Leafs’ goals, marking his ninth multi-goal game of the season. However, the rest of the team struggled to support him, resulting in a 5-2 loss in their final home game before Christmas.
The defeat seemed more severe than the gameplay suggested, with three of the Rangers’ goals originating from fortunate bounces off Leafs players. The decisive goal came midway through the third period when New York’s Braden Schneider capitalized on a defensive breakdown, maneuvered past John Tavares, and slotted the puck beneath Leafs goalie Martin Jones.
Despite a competitive five-on-five performance, where Toronto held a slight advantage in shot attempts (59-53) and created nine high-danger scoring chances while limiting the Rangers to four, the Leafs faced an unusual situation of not having a power play—the first time since March 10, 2022, against Arizona.
Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe acknowledged the unusual circumstances, emphasizing that three goals resulted from unpredictable bounces and the absence of power plays hindered their chances. Despite the loss, Keefe expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall performance, noting their offensive zone time superiority, but credited the Rangers for disciplined defense.
The Rangers, boasting the third-best power play in the NHL, capitalized on both of their power plays during the game. Artemi Panarin’s shot on a man advantage deflected off William Lagesson, contributing to the fourth New York goal. Mika Zibanejad sealed the outcome with an empty-net goal.
The loss interrupted the Leafs’ recent successful streak, where they had a record of 10-1-4 in their previous 15 games. It was only their seventh regulation loss of the season, with Boston, Vegas, and Los Angeles being the only teams with fewer losses in regulation in the 2023-24 season. On the other hand, the Rangers extended their positive run, improving to 10-4 in their past 14 games.
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