It’s late. That’s your intro.

PERIOD ONE

Starting off strong...

McDavid wants to score 15 goals this game and I’m scared.

Hutch with a good start, the Leafs’ defending the neutral zone... not so much.

GOAL: Rielly with the brilliant pass, Hyman with the slick finish. 1-0 Leafs.

GOAL: Two shots, two goals thanks to Willy’s backhand shelf goal

Leafs are actually generating more offense now, even if they’re not sustaining a 100% shooting percentage anymore.

GOAL: Morgan Rielly rips a one timer on the powerplay, 3-0 Leafs

First Period Thoughts

Offense: It started out rough, but the Leafs finished the period tied in shot attempts (15-15) and leading in expected goal share (62%). It wasn’t a dominating offensive performance, but it got better as the period went on.

Defense: The defense is what really came to play. They gave the Oilers almost nothing that period, as the heatmap below will show. They started with the Oilers moving through the neutral zone at will, but after that the Leafs really tightened up and Edmonton have gotten nothing.

Special Teams: One powerplay, one goal. Or I guess technically two but I’m not counting the 3 second powerplay, just like I’m not counting the 3 second penalty kill.

Heatmap:

PERIOD TWO

Hutch still standing tall when he needs to...

The Leafs, always looking for more of a challenge, continue to get banged up...

Leafs have started the second like they did the first, getting nothing going. This time they’re giving up a handful of powerplays to Edmonton, but so far it hasn’t come back to bite them. But they’re getting their chances, still...

Through 12 minutes of the second period, the Leafs do not have a single shot attempt at even strength. They have all their offense on the penalty kill... recipe for success! But now they get their own powerplay with a chance to build on their lead.

Second Period Thoughts

Offense: The Leafs generated two shot attempts at even strength all period. TWO.

Defense: They gave up fewer shot attempts than in the first, but much better quality. There was also only 12:00 at even strength. It was not a good period by the Leafs at all, offense or defense.

Special Teams: No goals were scored for either team, but special teams kept it more even as a period. Oilers had 88% of shot attempts and 85% of the expected goal share at evens, but all situations it was only 52% shot attempts and 52% expected goal share for the Oilers.

Heatmap:

PERIOD THREE

I’m getting very familiar with how the Leafs have started periods this game.

Hutch doing his job to keep the lead at three.

Leafs continue the trend, giving the Oilers a powerplay. Hutch came up big again. Leafs aren’t making it easy on him this game.

Leafs get some chances this period, so they’re not as bad as they were in the second. But not as good as they were in the first either.

Final Thoughts

Offense: Leafs still struggled to generate much offensive threat in the third, but seemed content to attempt a shut down defensive game that they kinda failed at in terms of shot attempts and scoring chances against.

Defense: Score effects, etc, but Leafs gave up a good share of scoring chances against. It was not, as Mark Spector tweeted, defense “on another level”

Special Teams: They scored the only special teams goal of the game, so that’s a win!

Heatmap:

Game Coverage