Tavares describes Leafs play as ‘really immature’ at times

The Maple Leafs lost 5-4 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday night at Scotiabank Arena. Monday is a travel day for Toronto with no media availability.

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The Leafs squandered a 4-2 lead and allowed a season-high 48 shots during Sunday’s 5-4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

“At times, we did some really good things, earned opportunities, and were able to give ourselves a lead,” said centre John Tavares. “And then our game just, for whatever reason, becomes really immature and we don’t manage the game very well.”

The Hurricanes were also playing on consecutive nights but, unlike the Leafs, had to travel after Saturday’s game. Carolina is missing three regular defencemen and saw Charles-Alexis Legault leave Sunday’s game after the first period.

“Could be immaturity,” coach Craig Berube said when Tavares’ comment was relayed. “Turnover after turnover cost us the game. We didn’t check anybody. We didn’t win any battles. It’s two games in a row.”

The Leafs allowed five goals on 39 shots in a loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday night. The Bruins were missing defenceman Charlie McAvoy and forward Casey Mittelstadt. Toronto will get another shot at their division rival on Tuesday night at TD Garden.

The Leafs have dropped to 8-7-1 on the season and currently sit outside a playoff spot. How do they find some consistency?

“We have a lot of very good hockey players,” Tavares said. “We have a very veteran team. So, it’s just the decision to do it shift after shift.”

Prior to the game against Boston, the Leafs seemed to be heading in the right direction. A big third period comeback helped Toronto beat the Pittsburgh Penguins last Monday and that was followed by a strong effort against the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday.

Toronto entered the weekend having won three straight and five of six overall. Now, they start a new week with some similar questions.

“We gained some traction, and then we shoot ourselves in the foot again and just put ourselves in a tough spot,” Tavares said. “There’s a ton of hockey left to be played. So, we just got to obviously pick ourselves back up and get ready for the next opportunity and build from there.”

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The Leafs are allowing 3.75 goals per game, which ranks 31st in the NHL. Last season, the first under Berube, the team allowed 2.79 goals per games, which was eighth overall. It was a big reason why the Leafs finished first in the Atlantic Division.

“It’s just a mindset,” said Berube. “If you want to be a good defensive team, you’ve got to check, you’ve got to have good sticks, you’ve got to be hard, you’ve got to win battles, and you’ve got to have good structure. We don’t have any of that right now.”

It’s a baffling development for a team that brought back its entire defensive group this season. Toronto’s sturdiest blueliner Chris Tanev has missed eight games with two different head injuries and remains sidelined at the moment, but the breakdowns were also happening when Tanev was in the lineup.

“Pretty much the [story of the] season is we don’t value the defensive side of the puck enough,” Berube said. “And there’s a number of things that go into that, but I’m not going to get into all that. Right now, we don’t value that.”

The Leafs are committing more giveaways per 60 minutes (17.71) than any other team in the Eastern Conference. That number is up from 14.61 last year.

Effort is an issue.

“I didn’t think we won enough puck battles,” captain Auston Matthews admitted after Sunday’s loss. “Part of it is a mindset. I think part of it is just execution and willingness all throughout, winning battles, doing the little things, the little details that make a big difference throughout 60 minutes.”

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The good news for the Leafs is that scoring is not a problem even after the departure of 102-point winger Mitch Marner. Toronto has produced 43 goals in 5-on-5 play, which ranks second overall behind only the Colorado Avalanche.

William Nylander leads the way with 23 points in 13 games. He’s fifth in league scoring and second in even-strength points entering Monday’s slate of games.

“We have been playing good and bad at certain points,” said Nylander, who potted two more goals on Sunday. “I mean, we just got to sharpen those things up and I think we’ll be good, so not really worried. I mean, we can score so, yeah, without the puck we just got to be better.”

Nylander was a culprit in that department against the Hurricanes.

“I had a couple chances to score,” he noted. “I made a couple sloppy mistakes giving them offence. Two stupid penalties. I feel like that’s kind of how the game was for us and, I mean, got to be better.”

What’s the solution?

“It just comes down to simplifying and not trying to make another play,” he said.

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Toronto’s goaltending has not been as strong this season. Joseph Woll is currently with the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League on a conditioning stint after missing the start of the season for personal reasons.

Anthony Stolarz, who led the NHL with a .926 save percentage last season, has seen his save percentage crater to .889 this year. Berube acknowledges the 31-year-old is “overworked” at the moment. Stolarz has already made 12 starts.

Cayden Primeau was claimed off waivers from the Hurricanes at the end of training camp, but only lasted three games (2-1-0, .838 save percentage) before being put back on waivers. He was reclaimed by Carolina on Saturday and assigned to the AHL.

The Leafs called up 24-year-old Dennis Hildeby on the weekend. He relieved Stolarz, who was pulled after allowing four goals on 19 shots against the Bruins, on Saturday before making his first NHL start of the season on Sunday.

Despite allowing five goals against the Hurricanes, Berube absolved Hildeby for any blame for the loss.

“He made a lot of saves,” the coach noted. “I mean, three breakaways in the second period? Maybe four, I don’t know. I lost count. It has nothing to do with the goalie.”

“He made huge saves,” Nylander agreed. “I mean, they had, I don’t know how many breakaways they had in the second, and it felt like he stood on his head.”

Still, Hildeby felt he could have done better at times. In particular, he didn’t like Carolina’s third goal, which came via a point shot from Sean Walker.

“I just forgot to stop the puck there,” he said with a small smile.

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Hildeby appreciated the opportunity to be part of the annual Hall of Fame Game in Toronto, which featured a star-studded pre-game ceremony to honour the class of 2025.

“It was fun,” said Hildeby. “I saw some great legends there. I wasn’t really too sure about where I was supposed to stand. I didn’t really know much before, but I had a ton of fun. It just sucks we couldn’t get them a win.”

Among the class of 2025 is former Leafs forward Joe Thornton. He only played one season in Toronto, but made a jumbo impression on the team’s young stars.

“Can’t say enough amazing things about him,” said Matthews, who wore a Thornton sweater to the rink on Sunday afternoon. “He’s a one of one kind of guy and honoured to play with him, call him a friend, and to see somebody like that get honoured, it’s super special.”

Nylander revealed that Thornton paid a visit to the Leafs dressing room before puck drop.

“Fired the boys up,” Nylander said. “Just spreading good vibes.”

Former Leafs captain Mats Sundin was also on hand for the ceremony and was introduced as the franchise’s goal-scoring leader. It will probably be the last year he’s introduced that way.

Matthews scored again on Sunday, his fourth goal in five games, and is now just 10 goals back of Sundin’s record of 420.

“It’s kind of hard to think about that or put stuff like that into perspective,” Matthews said. “It’s not really the main focus right now, and especially after a game like [Sunday].”

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Leafs lines to start Sunday’s game:

Knies - Matthews - Nylander

Robertson - Tavares - McMann

Joshua - Roy - Maccelli

Blais - Domi - Jarnkrok

Rielly - Carlo

Benoit - McCabe

Ekman-Larsson - Myers

Hildeby

Stolarz