2 takeaways from the Maple Leafs’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets – Hockey Writer – Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs play their last home game before December 6 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. This game was a lot like the games against the St. Louis Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks, who played nearly 60 minutes but unfortunately lost 3-2 in overtime.
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We’ve seen the Maple Leafs take the lead this season. But last night, we saw them fight back from 2-0 down and send the game into overtime. It’s a big step forward for a Toronto team that struggled through the first 20 games of the season.
Easton Cowan’s breakout game
This is the game Maple Leafs fans have been waiting for. Easton Cowan finally made his breakthrough in the game, playing 20 minutes and even being promoted to the top line along with William Nylander and John Tavares. He finished the night with 1 assist, 2 points, and 4 shots on goal. However, in his 21 shifts, he made a huge impact on the game.
After Cowan was sent to the American Hockey League (AHL), his performance changed significantly. He’s been hitting harder, being more active, and overall better since he was called up. He works harder downfield, works harder in front of the net and looks more confident when he puts the puck on his stick. One example was last night’s overtime game when he was on the ice with Max Domi. Cowan caught the puck in the defensive zone and controlled it 200 feet above the ice. Instead of passing it to Domi, he caught the puck himself and carried it into the net. If he can do more, he’ll look like a much different player and will likely keep his spot on the team.
Despite the loss, another great effort from the team
This team hasn’t been praised for their good team effort many times this season. However, they have put in a lot of effort in the past three games. Unfortunately, they didn’t get the results they wanted, but it’s a big step in the right direction. Hopefully they can continue to string these games together and when they get injured players back into the lineup, they can start to win and move up the standings.
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Their weakest point last night was their defence, and both Adam Fantilli’s goals showed that. The first goal came when the defenseman dropped back too far, giving him too much time and space, causing him to toe-drag the puck and shoot it past Joseph Wall. On his second goal, the overtime winner, Jake McCabe jumped up and ended up scoring for the Blue Jackets, and when the puck turned over, Domi came back. Unfortunately, his angle was poor, allowing Fantilli to pass the ball wide of his wing, which gave him a great path to the net, where he beat Wall for the winner and his second goal of the night. The Maple Leafs would be a better team if things like this could be stepped up, but it’s just extra attention to detail that requires more buy-in from the team
What’s next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs embark on a six-game road trip. Their first stop is Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens. They will also have stops in Columbus (Nov. 26), Washington (Nov. 28), Pittsburgh (Nov. 29), Florida (Dec. 2) and Carolina (Dec. 4) before sending him back to the Canadiens for another game on Dec. 6. The upcoming six-game road trip is one of their most important games of the season. They need at least 3-4 wins to keep up with the teams leading the table.
