Jets win it with their offensive skill

Very different beginning lineup without Auston Matthews compared to the prior game.

First Period

The Leafs started this game a lot better than the last one, but just playing hard doesn't get you goals on Connor Hellebuyck.

Hellebuyck just barely makes the save.

Hellebuyck had all the time in the world as this puck sat there unattended to get squared up for a shot.

Robertson made a neat poke of the puck back to the defenders to stop a Jets transition just outside their blueline. He is a better player without the puck defensively than he is offensively with it, and he made some offence killing dopey passes in this period. He's just not strong enough to make a defensive impact, and he can score goals, so once again, even in the midst of a little scoring streak, you have to ask if he adds up to a valuable player or not.

Woll made a save and avoided Niederreiter. Marner did not avoid the box.

Jets goal on what is absolutely a good power play. They don't have any doubts who to pass to or when to shoot. No one is thinking – that's a good thing in this case.

Woll didn't know where the puck was, McCabe was slightly distracted defending the guy at the net, and that's more than enough to make it 1-0 Jets after one.

Leafs brought more than just a heavier game (eventually), but Connor Dewar had most of their scoring chances. The Jets spent the bulk of the period blocking shots, then obliterated the Leafs PK, got a goal, won the period.

Second Period

Connor. This is a Kyle Connor game. The other Conner doesn't need to do much so far.

Max Domi picked a fight to "get sumthin' goin' here" with Alex Iafallo, a non-fighting guy. Domi took the extra minor for unsportsmanlike rather than instigating, which... okay. It fits. It's possible he said something to warrant that we didn't hear as well.

Mitch Marner on a shorty rush was stick-checked and he tried to argue it was a slash. That was the most exciting part of the Jets power play.

Just as the power play expired, Morgan Rielly was high-sticked in the mouth. It was reviewed and named a double-minor.

The Leafs actually did get sumthin' goin' on their power play. The goal came in the first two minutes.

Haydn Fleury went down suddenly grabbing his leg. He seemed to jam up his skate a little, but it didn't look like much until it looked like a serious injury.

After two is was 2-1 Jets.

Toronto with a very good PK on the long power play, and a not bad power play of their own. More domination at five-on-five, this time with a period that came out even. Dewar still leading the team in Expected Goals.

Third Period

Leafs let Mark Scheifele get to the net without any impediment and he doesn't miss.

The pass was outstanding.

Toronto had a power play for a puck over glass event, and it wasn't bad, they held the zone for long periods. They also held the puck and thought about what to do next a lot, and when they do that, it usually doesn't work.

Scheifele scored again when the puck was just not quite under Woll's feet, poked under Woll and then pulled back out. The Leafs do not challenge.

John Tavares with a rocket of a shot to get the second Leafs goal.

Nice to see another team do dumb things defensively.

Leafs pulled Woll with over two minutes left. Everyone finished the game tired and ineffectual on both teams. Scheifele finally got the ENG for a hat trick.

Final score was 5-2 Jets.

The Leafs weren't bad. They were just mediocre at everything. Woll was okay, the offence was often extremely weak, the defending okay barring some mistakes. They were also without their best forward, their best defender and their best goalie. Some of that was very forgivable, but the weak offence is an everyday thing now. It makes it hard to win a game like this without a lot of luck.

Late in the game the Corsi at five-on-five was 56-32 Leafs, the Fenwick (unblocked shots) was 37-27 and the Shots on Goal 21-19. And that's how you take a 64% Corsi and nullify it completely by shooting from distance.

Next game is Thursday in Detroit, see you then.