It’s the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Winnipeg Jets in the third game of their three game series for this week. Both teams have one win so far.

GO LEAFS GO!

PERIOD ONE

Leafs get as good a start as you could hope for... with a goal! Shame that Dermott gloved it down as an illegal glove pass. But it did prevent Engvall from getting a goal, which is always a portent of DOOM for the Leafs.

Please stop giving up 2 on 1s to Nik Ehlers... Freddie is going to have nightmares about it.

Winnipeg has been playing more like they don’t have a literal brick wall for a goalie this game and making Freddie work.

I would have laughed if this wound up being a goal

Leafs getting their chances too.

WHAT DID I JUST SAY ABOUT TWO ON ONES!

First Period Thoughts & Stats

Leafs were not the same dominant team they were against the Jets the first two games. Jets had an edge at even strength, but it was a relatively low event period.

  • Shot attempts: 18 to 9 for the Jets at 5v5, Leafs bump up to 15 with their powerplay
  • Expected goals: 38% expected goal share at 5v5, but 49% in all situations
  • Heatmap: /

PERIOD TWO

GOAL: Jets get two lucky bounces, 1-0 Winnipeg

Pass attempt bounced off of Bogosian, then off of a streaking Appleton... would have been nice if any of the Leafs players was sticking with him and not leaving him wide open in the slot.

Leafs pushing to tie it up.

GOAL: Jake Muzzin scores short handed, as we all expected. 1-1 Tie Game.

GOAL: WILLY STYLES MAKES IT 2-1 LEAFS

GOAL: Freddie beaten by the double deflection again. 2-2 tie game.

A strange flurry of penalties led to a Leafs’ 4 on 3 powerplay, and Keefe ran out a four forward line. They got their chances, couldn’t get the goal.

Second Period Thoughts & Stats

Continuing the trend from the first, the Jets have been controlling play at even strength. The Leafs’ special teams have made it an essential deadlock.

  • Shot attempts: 48% at even strength, 49% in all situations
  • Expected goals: 43% at even strength, 50% in all situations
  • Heatmap: /

PERIOD THREE

Big fan of Brodie’s literal on-ice play.

GOAL: Appleton and Lowry haunt the Leafs again. 3-2 Jets.

Freddie keeping it to a one goal lead

GOAL: Ehlers snipes on the powerplay. 4-2 Jets.

GOAL: Jets take advantage of 5 on 3 thanks to Keefe. 5-2 Jets.

Final Thoughts

The best part from this loss and the three game mini-series against the Jets, is that Leafs fans will have a lot to whine talk about. Take your pick! Is it Freddie? The refs? Keefe? There’s no shortage of things to complain rant comment.

At 5 on 5, the Jets had 58% of the shot attempts and 60% of the expected goal share. They still had an notable edge in all situations too. They deserved to win that game, plain and simple.

Game Coverage