By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter Mon., March 26, 2018 The Maple Leafs had a golden opportunity to rewrite their own record books Monday night. But Buffalo’s Jack Eichel crashed that party with a pair of goalscorer’s goals. Eichel scored the opening goal of the game in the first period, then came back with a one-handed beauty in the third as Buffalo upset Toronto 3-2 at the Air Canada Centre. There was much more to what was an upsetting evening for the Leafs than what showed up on the scoreboard. Eichel and the Sabres stopped Toronto’s bid for its record setting 14th consecutive win on home ice. They also kept the Leafs stalled at 45 wins; that’s one win from a club-record 46. Toronto has four home games remaining in the regular season in which to reach that 46-win plateau. Toronto also needs two more wins on home ice to reach 27 for the season, which would also set a new franchise record. Article Continued Below Toronto’s … [Read more...] about Sabres, Jack Eichel end Leafs’ home win streak
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Success of Leafs’ power play could be limiting opportunities
By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter Mon., March 26, 2018 The Maple Leafs are among the best teams in the NHL. They had tied the franchise record for wins in a season entering Monday. They had set a record for consecutive home wins. They’re a solid possession team, and one of the top skating teams in the league. So why do they have such a hard time drawing penalties? Perhaps it’s the fear of their power play. Toronto is fourth in the league with the man advantage, with a 23.3 per cent success rate through the weekend. And that might explain, in part, why the Leafs had spent a league-low 328.49 minutes with the man advantage. The result is their 48 power-play goals were only 14th in the league. “I think it’s still pretty surprising,” Leafs defenceman Travis Dermott said about the power-play time. “We have a lot of speed. You look at a guy like (Kasperi Kapanen), he is very fast and he draws penalties. But I also think our power … [Read more...] about Success of Leafs’ power play could be limiting opportunities
Leafs are ready to walk the walk
By Rosie DiManno Star Columnist Sun., March 25, 2018 The subject was strut ’n’ swagger, a leitmotif most vividly associated, here in the centre of the sporting universe, with those guys who play baseball. At least as they were in 2015 and 2016. “Bat flip,” says Zach Hyman, cutting straight to the crux of the thing. He was talking about Jose Bautista, of course, and that epic three-run shot in the deciding game of the 2015 American League Division Series against Texas. The Blue Jays are just around the corner, with their season opener on Thursday against the Yankees. But why not a Leafmotif, for the hockey squad, with not much to otherwise inspire, and aspire to, in what remains of the regular season, Toronto is pretty much locked in to third place in the Atlantic Division, unlikely to dislodge Tampa Bay and Boston up top with seven games left. Article Continued Below “Every team needs to have a little bit of swagger, a … [Read more...] about Leafs are ready to walk the walk
Monday game preview: Buffalo Sabres at Toronto Maple Leafs
By Kevin McGran Sports Reporter Sun., March 25, 2018 AIR CANADA CENTRE FACEOFF: 7 p.m. TV: TSN 4 RADIO: TSN 1050 KEY PLAYERS Article Continued Below Reinhart vs Nylander Sabres forward Sam Reinhart, chosen second overall in the 2014 draft, has hit the 20-goal mark for the second time in three seasons. The Leafs’ William Nylander, chosen eighth that year, scored his 17th of the season Saturday night. Reinhart has five more career points than Nylander (133-128) but he has played 64 more NHL games. NEED TO KNOW The Sabres went 0-4-0 over a six-day stretch last week and were outscored 16-2 despite outshooting their opponents, 144-108, and out-attempting them, 261-202 … Buffalo’s team shooting percentage has fallen to 7.4 per cent, last in the NHL ... The Leafs are going for a franchise- record 46th win. The Sabres have won at least 46 eight times — including a team-best 53 in 2006-07 — since joining the league in 1970-71 … [Read more...] about Monday game preview: Buffalo Sabres at Toronto Maple Leafs
Van Riemsdyk has been front and centre as Leafs’ home streak goes on and on
By Rosie DiManno Sports C olumnist Sat., March 24, 2018 Mike Babcock, noting the dominant play of his front-of-net behemoth, asked the existential question: “Is that because he’s scoring and feeling better and going or is that because the trade deadline is over and you don’t have to worry about all that crap and you can just get on with playing hockey?” Oy, so much crappety-crap-crap, to be resurrected within a couple of months. The subject, obviously, was James van Riemsdyk, who survived that February 26 deadline and has been His Hotness ever since. Even on a coolish night, as in Saturday’s close-thing 4-3 dispatch of the Red Wings, one-assist warm, thereby maintaining his torrid pace. Van Riemsdyk has been a friggin’ freak of nature over the past fortnight, amidst a Maple Leafs club pumping on all cylinders as it hurtles towards the playoffs, which is all that a great many of this sophomore-heavy team have ever known in the NHL. … [Read more...] about Van Riemsdyk has been front and centre as Leafs’ home streak goes on and on