Apr 21, 2021
Keefe: 'I'm concerned about our goaltending'
The Toronto Maple Leafs saw their winless skid extended to five games with a 6-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Goaltender David Rittich turned aside 23 of 28 shots in the loss as the Maple Leafs allowed four or more goals for the fourth time in their past six games.
TSN.ca Staff
![David Rittich, Getty Images David Rittich](/polopoly_fs/1.1627336.1619005988!/fileimage/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_620/david-rittich.png)
The Toronto Maple Leafs saw their winless skid extended to five games with a 6-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.
Goaltender David Rittich turned aside 23 of 28 shots in the loss as the Maple Leafs allowed four or more goals for the fourth time in their past six games. Rittich dropped to 0-1-1 with a .877 save percentage and a 3.35 goals-against average since joining the Leafs ahead of the trade deadline, while Jack Campbell has lost three straight since his 11-game winning streak to start the season ended.
"I'm concerned about our goaltending, obviously," head coach Sheldon Keefe said post-game. "We've got to get that sorted out, but I'm not concerned about our team. I believe in our group and we played well enough to win here tonight, played well enough to win the other night (against Vancouver). We gotta get better goaltending."
Rittich, acquired on April 11 on a 2022 third-round pick, put the blame for Tuesday's loss squarely on his own shoulders.
“I’m taking full responsibility for this game," Rittich said. "I think the players did a great job. They got three goals for me and I just didn’t respond. I’ve just got to get better.”
The 28-year-old allowed three goals in the third period, including a Nils Hoglander shot that beat him through the five-hole to tie the game at 3-3.
"I don't know what happened in the third," Rittich added. "I have to figure it out."
The Maple Leafs remain first in the North Division despite their current skid, though the Winnipeg Jets sit four points back with a game in hand. Toronto will face the Jets Thursday in the first of two games between the two teams.