First Period

Leafs finally get a SOG after five minutes. Meanwhile they've been passing the puck to no one or to the wrong team.

Leafs score on a bouncy lob.

1-0 Leafs

It's Max Domi's as indicated by Pontus Holmberg right after the goal.

Moooooooo!

2-0 Leafs

I love a defenceman scoring unassisted.

This Timothy Liljegren goal is brought to you by Pontus Holmberg.

3-0 Leafs

Thoughts

Main though: it's 3-0.

Other thoughts: Keefe is playing that Domi line against the Avs fourth line and is trying to let them never share ice with the top six.

John Tavares and Auston Matthews are handling the top six well enough so far.

Avs with a typical heavy Corsi advantage that they give away with point shots. The Avs GM said recently he was worried about Alexandar Georgiev's workload, and I'd say he's right to.

Second Period

The third line fun continues as Holmberg nearly scores.

Mark Giordano needs to take a penalty to clear the puck.

Jo Drouin scores almost immediately. And just before the goal, David Kämpf takes a penalty.

3-1 Leafs

Brodie should have frozen the play right after the penalty call.

Naturally after that kill, the Leafs get a power play but they aren't feeling it tonight, it seems.

Okay then. MacKinnon gets loose, and the Leafs just never really catch up to defend the Avs' rapid passing.

3-2 Leafs

Knies losing his stick doesn't help, but they're chasing this play from the second MacKinnon takes off.

Bobby McMann has disappeared off the bench, so the lines are a bit mixed up.

Thoughts

Leafs got outplayed by one of the best lines in hockey for that last goal.

In other news, the Leafs don't have a shutdown line, not even a pretend one. It's Matthews or no one.

The Avs repeated their shotshare dominance in a much lower event period and added Expected Goals dominance as well.

Third Period

McMann is back. Saving us all from too few Mann.

Colorado, who are playing 11/7, don't have Jack Johnson in the third.

Leafs take another penalty because MacKinnon is fast. Tavares is guilty.

The Leafs survive it, just, and by the way, as of this point in the game Max Domi and his line have played one shift against MacKinnon.

Speaking of Domi, he falls down, and the Avs get possession which leads to this:

Tie Game

Matthews takes a cross-check crossed with a punch, and no call.

Rielly takes MacKinnon right to the end boards and out of the play, which cheers me up.

Leafs take and interference penalty right after Liljegren takes a slash to the hands – uncalled. This is always called. Stupid play by McCabe, though.

Three Leafs go off shorthanded which is likely one too many against the Avs, but the post has the Avs shot when they come roaring back.

Another power play survived.

MacKinnon shoots from distance and the Avs take the lead.

4-3 Colorado

Leafs have had some chances this period, but they have no answer to the Avs top line.

The Avalanche gets an ENG and that's the ball game.

Thoughts

I'm with Keefe on this one. I don't think the Leafs were really all that hot in the first period even. Goals just obscured how much better Colorado played.

Leafs did not do anywhere near enough to win this game, but the line matching of the third line sure worked! Too bad nothing else did.

Next game is tomorrow with a "guy" in net.

Game Coverage