Maple Leafs lose to split home-and-home with last-place Columbus

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The Maple Leafs often can reside in Splitsville after a home-and-home set, however not when the opposite get together is last-place Columbus.

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And never after they’re at residence and have struggled all yr to evict the NHL’s basement-squatters. Their observe report towards the underside 5 groups stays under .500 after Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the Blue Jackets, who had been there for the sweeping after 20 minutes.

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However the Leafs additionally blew an opportunity to get again to inside single-digit factors of division-leading Boston — who had been dealt a uncommon residence loss earlier within the day towards Washington — and are listening to louder footsteps from Tampa Bay. Heading into the night time, Columbus had simply 4 street wins all yr and failed to attain in any respect towards Ilya Samsonov on Friday at Nationwide Area.

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But, there was no jet lag, firing 40 photographs because the Leafs let down rookie goalie Joseph Woll after taking a 2-0 lead, additional hurting themselves with giveaways and bone-headed penalties.

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“They out-worked us, out-chanced us and we had been type of chasing it for the third interval,” stated defenceman Morgan Rielly of the misplaced alternative.

Two days earlier than, normal supervisor Kyle Dubas claimed to have seen indicators that the Leafs had been making progress with their odd penchant for battling the very best within the league, then letting down towards non-playoff sides.

“It’s been an space of focus,” Rielly assured. “We’ve talked about it some time now. I believed we had been actually good within the first, we simply type of had a lapse. There are many good gamers on this league and on groups by means of the standings.

“We’re simply attempting to play our greatest hockey. What (Tampa Bay and Boston) do is on them, and what we do is on us.”

Earlier than Rielly’s power-play objective knotted it 3-3 early within the third, the Leafs had been being out-hit, out drawn in maybe their worst second interval of the season.

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After a sequence of breakdowns in that body, coach Sheldon Keefe sat winger Pierre Engvall for the steadiness of the interval. Engvall’s failure to clear led to Columbus’ second objective, which tied it 2-2. One night time earlier, Engvall had been the gamers’ option to obtain the MVP belt after scoring a objective and Keefe began his trio — with David Kampf and Joey Anderson — as a reward within the rematch.

“It’s simply (work) habits. It was not simply Pierre, it’s the entire line,” stated Keefe of the benching. “They’ve received to be aggressive, received to be nice defensively.

“Woll was nice, however we gave them an excessive amount of, too many photographs.

“We had an enormous alternative within the third, an enormous power-play objective (Rielly’s). We received some life within the constructing, however clearly not sufficient.”

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Michael Bunting’s misguided try to fireside up his workforce resulted in an unsportsmanlike conduct name within the third interval to hinder the comeback.  The Jackets took the lead for good as John Tavares was leaving the penalty field, Kent Johnson scoring with a excessive tip on Woll that survived video evaluation.

William Nylander, foiled on an early breakaway the night time earlier than and held pointless the remainder of the sport, received proper to work again on residence ice, opening the scoring at 2:39. Off the bench undetected, he slapped his stick for a cross and Alex Kerfoot heard it. Nylander’s shot banked excessive off the stick of Columbus defenceman Nick Blankenburg previous Elvis Merzlikins.

Then, at 10:40, Mitch Marner received a puck battle on the wall to provide Bunting objective No. 16.

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Toronto held the Jackets to simply 4 photographs within the opening interval due to glorious back-checking. Woll, nonetheless, did must make a few tough saves in his first residence begin in spite of everything 4 of his video games final season (3-1) got here on the street.

His changing Samsonov was the one lineup change as Keefe opted for one more take a look at Marlies call-up Alex Steeves on the fourth line with Zach Aston-Reese and Pontus Holmberg.

Toronto was absorbing a variety of hits within the second interval and that led to the Jackets’ first objective. Engvall couldn’t exit after a tough Columbus press and Boone Jenner was the eventual beneficiary from the slot. Columbus then tied it after backing the Leafs in, Justin Holl over-skating a rebound that Kirill Marchenko knocked in.

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The residue of a TJ Brodie giveaway then allowed Sean Kuraly to provide his workforce the 3-2 lead, earlier than Rielly tied it.

“It is a powerful one,” Tavares stated. “You may see the power and life they began to construct and we didn’t do job of slowing it down and grabbing it again.

“At instances groups will combat again and discover some life. At many factors this season we discovered a option to get an enormous objective and tie it. Positively now we have to have a look at this one tonight and perceive the way in which now we have to be for 60 minutes.”

The Leafs have an out of doors apply at Nathan Phillips Sq. on Sunday, then two extra days off earlier than dealing with the Chicago Blackhawks right here Wednesday.  There’s an opportunity Auston Matthews makes his return from his knee harm for that one.

lhornby@postmedia.com