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Leafs Postgame: Nothing Was The Same, Except Everything

By Jeff Veillette

Mar 25, 2014, 22:35 EDTUpdated:

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James Reimer has finally been cast off to a far away land, also known as the bench! The Leafs’ prayers have been answered! The season has been saved! After all, the team plays better when he’s on the ice!

Somebody get me an eighteen wheeler. The final score was 5-3 St. Louis, and it’s a miracle that it was that close.

The Rundown

“Where’s the puck?”

“Oh we lost it again”

“Yeah whatever, it’s David Backes, not Brett Hull, just leave him alone”

“If we block Bernier’s view, I bet he’ll make a sick save by natural reflex”

“Reimer’s fault”

David Clarkson has twice as many fights this year (8) as he does goals (4).

At least they can score on defencemen.

Why The Leafs Lost

Why The Leafs Really Lost

To be fair, the situation eventually got better and the Leafs went from taking 18.8% of the game’s attempted shots to 36%. Still, that’s ~~Just OK~~ awful.
The Leafs allowed 23 shots in the first period. There have been ten games this year where the Leafs didn’t take that many shots in the entire game.
Once again, the Leafs scored less than four goals. They’re one of just two teams to not do so in regulation this month. You can’t expect your goalie to be rock solid in every game. Forcing them to let in two or less requires them to have a three-star worthy performance at minimum.
Jonathan Bernier would have needed a 0.959 SV% to win tonight. He was still pretty solid (especially since he was just returning from injury, but a couple of those goals weren’t so hot.
Mind you, the defence was of no help. Constantly out of position, often counter-productive, let the Blues walk in and control the play, and pulled off a whopping 13 giveaways.
Adding in tonight’s 49 against, the Leafs are on pace to give up 2966 shots this season. That’s third highest in NHL history, by the way.

It’s the same stuff that happens every night. You’re all used to either accepting it or ignoring it right now. What you can’t ignore is that now that the goalies aren’t playing like robots and everybody’s sticks aren’t made of gold, the team is getting a sudden reality check.

You Can’t Ignore This Either

They’re now on the outside looking in.

Blue Warrior

Phil Kessel had a gorgeous play to get an assist on the van Riemsdyk goal, but more importantly, he’s the blue warrior for being as good as he is now, in his prime age, seeing this team, and saying “I’d like to commit to this team for eight years and not even take all that much money“.