The Toronto Maple Leafs have played some of their most uninspiring hockey of the season over the past week or so. They have lost three games in a row in regulation for the first time since last season following losses to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night, the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night, and the Carolina Hurricanes last Thursday night.

Although the Maple Leafs retain their spot at first place in the Atlantic Division, the mood around the fanbase has seen better days, particularly because the team is struggling to generate offence, particularly from the bottom six. It further highlights the need for upgrades to their forward group, but with a month and a half remaining until the trade deadline, all they can do right now is find a way to break out of this rut. Captain Auston Matthews highlighted as such following their latest loss to Dallas.

“They respond, they score, and it’s up to us to get the energy back and get the momentum back,” Matthews said of his team’s effort. “Like I said, it was pretty tight all around, so there wasn’t a whole lot there.”

The Leafs got off to a hot start against the Stars, opening the scoring early on and throwing the body, but as soon as Dallas tied the game, the momentum shifted and seemed to stay on the other side of the ice for the rest of the game. It’s one of those stretches that you can’t blame on one aspect of the game, such as bad goaltending or dry offence. The entire team is playing below their standard, and Matthews stressed the need to stay on track and push each other to work through their newfound adversity.

“I think our execution can be better,” Matthews said. “We’re going through adversity right now, and as much as you prefer not to go through that, it’s necessary sometimes, and these are the kinds of moments where we need to come together even more and stick with each other and work our way out of it.”

The Maple Leafs are lucky to still be in first place in the division with the way they’ve played these past three games, and frankly, the past month or so. But they understand the frustration from outside the dressing room and aren’t losing any belief.

“I mean, I think it’s frustrating losing,” said defenceman Oliver-Ekman Larsson. “So, I think we feel the same way.”

The Maple Leafs will have a chance to get back in the win column on Thursday night when they host the New Jersey Devils. The game should be emotionally charged, considering it marks the return of former Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe for the first time. The Devils, who have lost both games against the Leafs this season in games they probably deserved a better fate, will be playing their hearts out to avoid the season sweep, and the Leafs need to be ready for it.