Nothing has gone well for the Toronto Maple Leafs, led by Auston Matthews, since the NHL season resumed after the Olympic break. The team lost 3-1 to its divisional rival, the Montreal Canadiens, extending its losing streak to eight games.
This loss dropped their record to 27-27-11, and with the losses piling up, it is obvious that the pressure is high and games are fewer. Offense has been their strong point with 3.11 goals per game. However, it can’t help them win unless their defense holds up, which allows 3.48 goals on average. The team often shows flashes of strong play but struggles to maintain momentum for sixty minutes.
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William Nylander remains the team’s top point producer with 60 points. Speaking to the media after the loss to the Canadiens, he admitted the team shows only short bursts of good hockey during games.
“I think it’s a lot of losses in a row now,” Nylander said. “And I mean, I think in parts of all the games we’ve been playing, we’ve been playing snippets of good hockey. And I mean, that’s not how we want to play when we play a full game of good hockey. So, until we trend closer to that, I think it’ll be positive.”
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) plays the puck against Montreal Canadiens defensemen Mike Matheson (8) and Noah Dobson (53) during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Matthews has also contributed with 26 goals for the team despite a difficult stretch since his 69-goal season. However, individual performances have not translated into steady results for the Maple Leafs.
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Those involved understand that improvements must come quickly to stop the losing skid. But, head coach Craig Berube explained how winning becomes difficult when the team cannot sustain strong play.
“It’s tough to say. But it’s hard to win in this league if you don’t get it,” Berube said, talking about Nylander’s comment on 60 minutes of play. “You don’t have to dominate a period, but you have to be in the game. You have to create, and you have to defend…
“When this is going on, we have to keep the puck out of our net as much as possible. Hopefully find our groove with scoring. But we need more guys to dig in and contribute than there is right now.”
Toronto continues to face heavy pressure in its market because of the long championship drought. Expectations remain high as fans wait for the franchise’s first Stanley Cup since 1967.
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