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TSN Toronto Maple Leafs Reporter

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The Toronto Maple Leafs had a chance to end their three-game road trip on a high note against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. After trailing 2-0 early, all the Maple Leafs could salvage was a point, falling 3-2 in a shootout. They earned three of a possible six points on the trip and move to 10-9-5 on the season.

 

Takeaways

  • Not-so-bad blood: The pre-game hype was all about residual tensions from the first explosive matchup between these teams on Nov. 5, when 171 penalty minutes were assessed. Only 22 minutes were served on Saturday, and just one fight - between Matt Martin and Erik Gudbranson - broke out. Toronto was sloppy defensively in its own zone early, giving Vancouver too much space to set up and ultimately take a lead. Frederik Andersen allowed two goals on the Canucks’ first ten shots, finishing with 22 saves, while Ryan Miller was Vancouver’s best player by far, turning aside 38 shots.
  • (Nearly) flipping the script: Toronto has blown five third period leads on the road already this season, four of which they lost in overtime or a shootout. On Saturday they overcame their first multi-goal deficit of the season, rebounding from the early 2-0 hole and scoring the game-tying marker in the third to force extra time.
  • Finding their (road) game: Tyler Bozak’s line with Mitch Marner and James van Riemsdyk has been the team’s most consistent at home, but not away. In 10 previous road games, van Riemsdyk and Marner had four points each (compared to 14 apiece at home) and Bozak had two (compared to 13). Over the three-game trip, Bozak grabbed two assists, van Riemsdyk tallied a goal and an assist and Marner added a helper. Against the Canucks, their line was the most consistent, generating 15 shots on goal. 
  • Possessing the right stuff: Toronto held a sizeable advantage in puck possession at 59.76 per cent Corsi-for. They had five skaters above 70 per cent in 5-on-5 play, while the Canucks had one. The Maple Leafs dominated Vancouver possession-wise for the final 35 minutes, holding them to five total shots on goal in the third period and overtime while Toronto had 18. 
  • Home, sweet home: After a week away, the Maple Leafs return to the friendly confines of the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday to take on the Minnesota Wild. Toronto is 8-3-0 at home and have scored 42 of their 70 goals there this season.