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TSN Toronto Maple Leafs Reporter

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The Maple Leafs fell into an early hole against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday and this time they couldn’t claw their way back, falling 5-2 to the ’Canes in Raleigh. John Tavares and Kasperi Kapanen had the goals for Toronto, but another slow start and continuing power play struggles doomed the Leafs and halted their four-game winning streak. Toronto moves to 15-7-0 on the season.

TAKEAWAYS

Slow off the (opening) draw

The Hurricanes were credited with 29 shots in the first period, from 17 of their 18 skaters, which was equal to or more shots against than the Leafs had allowed through three periods in seven games this season. Toronto’s record for most shots allowed in a period this season was 22 against the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 24, while the franchise record for most shots-against in a period was 32 against the Hartford Whalers on March 15, 1984.

In a strange twist, Carolina (10-8-3) didn’t put a single shot on goal in the second period until only 1:54 remained in the frame, and had only two shots total in that period, and 14 shots the rest of the way, but that first period production was enough to help sink the Leafs.

Carolina’s speed game, especially through the neutral zone, rivals that of the Leafs, and they used it to force some early turnovers and were outshooting the Leafs 12-6 through the game’s first 10 minutes.

Chaos in front of Frederik Andersen’s net had Carolina peppering him with shots and a Travis Dermott giveaway led to Trevor van Riemsdyk lighting the lamp to put Carolina up 1-0. Toronto challenged the score for goaltender interference after it appeared Andersen’s glove was knocked off prior to the shot from van Riemsdyk, but the ruling on the ice stood. 

Just 22 seconds later, Justin Williams capitalized on Toronto’s miscommunication off a defensive zone draw that left him all alone in front of Andersen for his 100th goal as a Hurricane.

The slow start for Toronto came on the heels of an equally difficult opening to Monday’s game when the Leafs gave up two goals in the first period to the Columbus Blue Jackets. But unlike that contest that the Leafs came back and won, they had no such luck overcoming their early mistakes in Carolina. 

John Tavares, road warrior

With the Leafs trailing 2-0 midway through the first period, Tavares, their leading goal scorer, slipped behind the Hurricanes’ defence and buried his 14th of the season behind Curtis McElhinney to cut Carolina’s lead in half. 

Tavares has now registered a goal in six of the Leafs’ last seven road games, and has tallied 11 goals in 11 away games to date. He has also tallied at least one point in nine of the Leafs’ 11 road games, which accounts for 17 of his 26 points. 

In total, Tavares has produced 11 points (seven goals, six assists) in the Leafs’ last 10 games. 

With his contributions on Wednesday, Tavares became the fifth player in Leafs' franchise history and the first since 1943-44 to score 11 or more goals through his team’s first 11 road games. ​

Hello, old friend

For a season and a half, Andersen and McElhinney developed a close bond as the starter and backup, respectively, for the Leafs. Then Toronto chose to go with the younger Garret Sparks as its backup instead of McElhinney out of training camp and waived the veteran, only to see him picked up by the Hurricanes. McElhinney has been in Carolina’s backup role ever since, but he earned the start on Wednesday opposite Andersen for the Leafs.

It was Andersen who was the busier goaltender of the two in Carolina, turning aside 40 shots to McElhinney’s 30, and it was Andersen who was ultimately bested by his former partner. After a disorganized first period for the Leafs (where Andersen made a standout save on Jordan Staal’s breakaway attempt), Andersen faced just two shots in the second period while McElhinney held the Leafs’ top talents at bay turning aside all 12 shots he saw. 

In the third, the Hurricanes’ power play went to work and Micheal Ferland broke through with a goal, marking the second time in three starts Andersen has allowed three goals against after going eight straight games with two or fewer goals against.

McElhinney, meanwhile, was victimized by Kapanen’s blistering speed and shot when the winger raced down the wall while play was 4-on-4 and ripped a high shot over McElhinney to cut Carolina’s lead to 3-2. 

Two empty-net goals by Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov are what ultimately sealed the victory for Carolina, and gave McElhinney his second straight win. Andersen finished with a .930 save percentage, while McElhinney ended at .935.

Power-less power play

The Leafs entered Monday’s game having gone 3-for-19 on the power play in their previous seven games, with all three goals coming in one outing against the NHL’s last-place team in Los Angeles. Toronto’s fortunes on the man advantage didn’t improve in Carolina, starting with their first power play in the second period that generated zero shots on goal. The Hurricanes’ penalty kill was aggressive in challenging Mitch Marner and Tavares especially, forcing them into quick shots that went nowhere. With their second power play in the middle frame, the Leafs were better (particularly their second unit with Josh Leivo, Kapanen, Tyler Ennis, Andreas Johnsson and Jake Gardiner) but still didn’t turn up any goals. The power play finished 0-for-2, moving them to 3-for-21 in the team’s last eight games.

The penalty kill for Toronto wasn’t much better. Carolina only had one power play midway through the third period, but the Leafs were pinned in their own end and Ron Hainsey failed to clear the zone right before Ferland fired a goal past Andersen. Toronto’s kill finished 0-for-1.

Blue and White Trending

Tracking Leafs’ trends all season long

The Leafs are now 9-2-0 on the road this season, and have given up five goals-against in both of those losses.

Next game

Toronto faces the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Friday.