The Maple Leafs lost 4-1 to the New York Islanders on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena. Sunday is a day off for the team.
The Leafs have dropped three straight games (0-2-1) and four of five overall (1-2-2) to fall to the basement of the Atlantic Division.
“We need urgency,” said captain Auston Matthews. “I mean, the games are just going to keep coming and we’ve got to just be better in all areas. Starting with myself, starting with the leaders and veterans on this team, I think we all got another level to show. This is an important week of games, obviously, and then we’re going back on the road, so we just got to make sure that we’re ready to play come Monday against a good, young, hungry team.”
Toronto hosts the San Jose Sharks on Monday before travelling to Columbus to face former teammate Matthew Knies and the Blue Jackets on Tuesday. The Leafs then host the New York Rangers on Thursday before travelling to Edmonton to take on Connor McDavid and the Oilers on Saturday.
Colton Sissons, who scored Toronto’s only goal in Saturday’s setback, described the urgency level required as “extremely high.”
“You can’t take too much time here to sort things out,” the third-line centre said. “Not in this league, not in our division. We fully are aware of that. Down some guys right now, we got to all pick it up, collectively, and we’ve got full belief that we can do that.”
Saturday’s loss to the New York Islanders dropped the Leafs to 3-4-2 on the season. With a .444 points percentage, Toronto is the only team under .500 in the Atlantic Division.
Adding to Toronto’s early-season adversity, the team is currently playing without shutdown defenceman Chris Tanev and second-line stalwart John Tavares, who are both out week-to-week. Per the team, week-to-week means the player is expected to be out between one and six weeks.
“It’s tough, but this is the NHL,” Sissons said. “You lose players constantly and important players and other guys got to step up. And maybe not one guy needs to do the job. It needs to be a bunch of us, collectively ... We got the guys to do it and the character in here. We just got to regroup. We got another big week here.”
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The Islanders beat the Leafs on Saturday despite playing without Mathew Barzal, who’s been sidelined all season, and seeing top-six forwards Matias Maccelli and Cal Ritchie forced from the game in the first period.
“It’s just disappointing,” said coach Jim Hiller. “Like, I don’t think it makes it more disappointing. It’s just disappointing. They could have their full lineup in there and our lack of fortitude to get to the inside makes it disappointing in any case.”
Toronto generated just 1.68 expected goals, per NaturalStatTrick.com, which was their lowest total in six home games this season.
“In a game like that, you got [Ilya] Sorokin in goal, you got some big, strong defencemen, you got to get inside, and you got to get some pucks around there and try to create some chaos,” Hiller said. “And we did it two or three times. One was a goal. One was a really good chance on the deflection from [Darren] Raddysh, and we didn’t do it after that. We just didn’t do it. Just didn’t do it enough. You’re not going to score on the perimeter against this team.”
With Toronto’s top line – Matthews between Jack Roslovic and William Nylander – on the ice, shot attempts favoured the Islanders 15-5.
“I thought they did a good job of keeping us on the outside,” said Matthews, who was limited to one shot for the second straight game. “I think we passed up on a lot of shots too, and just kind of made it a little bit easier on them.”
The Leafs had a golden opportunity to get back in the game, but failed to convert on three power play chances late in the second period and early in the third.
“Most of the power plays that we had almost just gave them more momentum with the way that they were able to clear pucks, break up plays, you know, deny entries and stuff like that,” said Matthews, who saw his six-game point streak snapped.
While Matthews and Sissons are calling for a more urgent approach on Monday against the Sharks, Hiller believes there should always be a baseline level.
“I have a sense of urgency every game,” the coach said. “You know what I mean? And if we had won three in a row, you could ask me the same question and say, ‘What’s the sense of urgency to win four?’ And I would say it’s the exact same thing it is for Monday. And that’s just the way I look at it.”
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Sergei Bobrovsky has now allowed at least three goals in all six of his starts this season. The 38-year-old goalie is still looking for his first home win in Toronto.
“I feel good,” Bobrovsky insisted. “I try to give my best. There is lots of chances, lots of work. So, yeah, I try to give the best chance for the team to win the game. Yeah, it’s not always goes your way, but chipping away. I stay patient and just ready for the next shot.”
Bobrovsky is 1-3-2 with an .891 save percentage. He insists there’s no frustration that the results are not coming.
“I mean, it is what it is,” he said. “As I said, I stay patient and I prepare myself for the next shot. And, yeah, it’s obviously, you know, you could think, ‘What if this? What if that?’ but it is what it is. And, yeah, I’m confident. I feel good about my game and I’m excited for the next opportunity and for the next game.”
The Leafs have only scored 12 goals in Bobrovsky’s five losses.
“He’s been good,” Hiller said. “We gotta score some more goals for him. I think if you look at a lot of his starts, we haven’t scored many goals. Not enough goals, anyways.”
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After playing just 6:36 and being benched midway through Thursday’s loss to the Buffalo Sabres, rookie winger Gavin McKenna logged a career high 17:56 on Saturday.
“He was good,” Hiller said. “He was skating. You know what I mean? But, like everybody else, had a hard time getting too much done.”
McKenna matched a career high with four shots on net, but also finished the game minus-two. He missed the net on a good chance right before Bo Horvat scored the game-winning goal late in the second period.
“He was good,” Matthews said. “I mean, I think you can just tell, like, I don’t think anything really shakes him. He’s got confidence in his game. He knows what he can do out there, and he’s going to make plays, and I thought he showed that.”
McKenna started on the third line beside Bo Groulx and Sissons.
“He is very poised with the puck,” Sissons noted. “You think a play is going to die and he kind of wiggles out of there with possession and with his eyes up. He’s an impressive young player, and his game’s coming every day here.”
McKenna was not available to the media after Saturday’s game (team decision).
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Easton Cowan picked up an assist on Saturday and has now hit the scoresheet in four of five games. The 21-year-old winger is earning praise from Hiller for his solid play on the ice.
Things aren’t going quite as smooth off the ice.
During a recent appearance at Chuck’s Roadhouse, Cowan was interviewed and asked to share an embarrassing moment. The native of Mount Brydges, Ont. recalled going on a first date with his now girlfriend, who asked if he wanted to get drinks. She meant alcoholic beverages. He promptly ordered a chocolate milk.
The video of the interview, predictably, started making the rounds on social media.
“Getting a lot of chirps about it,” Cowan said after the morning skate on Saturday.
Who’s giving him the hardest time?
“A lot of people,” Cowan said while smiling and shaking his head. “Oh yeah. Not good.”
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Tanev resumed skating on Saturday, one week after sustaining an upper-body injury.
“No update,” said Hiller. “But I think anytime you see a guy on the ice, you know, it’s positive, there’s no question. But I don’t have any update.”
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Lines to start Saturday’s game:
Roslovic - Matthews - Nylander
Cowan - Paul - Marchenko
Groulx - Sissons - McKenna
Duhaime - Blueger - MacEwen
McCabe - Raddysh
Rielly - Stecher
Ekman-Larsson - Blankenburg
Bobrovsky starts
Stolarz