New Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube faced off against his former team, who he led to the Stanley Cup in 2019, for the first time since being fired early last season.

Goaltender Joseph Woll makes his first start for the Maple Leafs after starting the season injured.

Timothy Liljegren is, once again, a healthy scratch.

Woll didn't fall apart on his first save, so far so good.

Oh. Oh no.

Things didn't go better for Woll after Philip Broberg took a point shot, and Auston Matthews' block attempt ended up screening the shot.

1-0 Blues.

The Maple Leafs got their first powerplay chance of the game after Mitch Marner is interfered with by Ryan Suter.

No powerplay goals, but they came close.

Jake McCabe gets his stick up too high on former Leaf Kasperi Kapanen, and gives the Blues their first powerplay. Kapanen is not happy, and he and William Nylander exchange words.

Dylan Holloway comes in hot and all alone on the net and puts the Blues up 2-0. Two goals from the two offer sheets.

2-0 St. Louis

Maple Leafs are given another chance on the powerplay when Jake Neighbours is called for holding Oliver Ekman-Larsson, but it doesn't result in a goal once again.

The first period ended with the Blues up 2-0. Shots were close, but not enough for the Leafs. They were caught flatfooted at times, outskated. The Leafs had some moments, but a team with this talent should have more than moments.

The second period is more of the first to start. No dominance, no overpowering the Blues with the all star offense.

...no calls.

OEL does turn the tide when he scores his first goal as a Leaf, as the team skates around the Blues zone and cycle the puck around.

Leafs down by one, Blues lead 2-1.

The Leafs build on this and head right back into the offensive zone, putting more pressure on Jordan Binnington to keep making the saves.

The joy only last a couple minutes for the Leafs as Alexandre Texier scores a wrister to make it 3-1 Blues.

Even the Leafs sticks aren't giving their all.

The Leafs just haven't been able to outskate the opponents.

Steve Lorentz draws a penalty for the Leafs third powerplay of the game, where they do not score on the powerplay.

They did come close, and got the crowd excited, but this isn't horseshoes.

Some late chances for the Leafs on Binnington, but he's able to make the saves and the second period ends with the Leafs still down by two, Blues lead 3-1.

Leafs lead in shots 27-19, so they're winning something?

Jake Neighbours opened the scoring in the third period, putting the Blues up 4-1 nice and early.

After the goal the Leafs come in on the Blues net, and things get a little hairy after Binnington makes the save. Neighbours and Knies get into it in the scrum and end up tossing each other down onto the ice, getting off-setting roughing penalties.

On the four-on-four, Max Domi and Nick Robertson team up to try and get a second goal for the Leafs. A line change doesn't move the play down the ice as the Blues remain trapped in their zone for the length of the four-on-four.

The Leafs are shooting, shooting, shooting. It doesn't exactly feel, to me, that they're this offensive but the counter doesn't lie. It does exaggerate, but it doesn't lie.

Scott Perunovich trips up a skating Ryan Reaves who goes down and slides into the boards. He gets up favouring his right shoulder and heads to the bench.

The Leafs get their fourth powerplay of the game and after 90 seconds of nothing happening the boos rain down from the stands. That doesn't help, and they go 0/4.

The Leafs pull the goalie for the empty net with over four minutes remaining. One goal per minute is what is needed.

Dylan Holloway gets the puck and easily pots it into the empty net, as he was left alone at the blue line and got the jump on the loose puck.

5-1 St. Louis.

The fans head for the exits, and I would too but I'm already home.

The frustration comes out at the end with Max Domi getting into it with Scott Perunovich, but the Blue is the one getting a cross checking penalty with 30 seconds remaining.

The game ends with the Leafs almost 20 shots ahead of the opponent, but five goals shy of the win.

Game notes:

  • Tonight was Chris Tanev's 800th NHL game. 514 (VAN), 259 (CGY), 19 (DAL), 8 (TOR)
  • Morgan Rielly will skate in his 800th game on Saturday night in Boston.

Next game is Saturday night at 7:00PM at the ironically named Toronto Dominion Garden in Boston.

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