Photo: Frank Gunn, The canadian Press
Carey Price made 19 saves in the defeat.
The Canadian still has three days to fine-tune his game before the start of the qualification round and the club has an interest to roll up the sleeves.
The Habs gave away two goals in numerical inferiority to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have won the tough game between the two teams 4-2, on Tuesday at the Scotiabank Arena.
“I felt a team passive at times, a team that hesitated and when you hesitate, you’re going to be in trouble, has analyzed the head coach Claude Julien. It should be ready to play 60 minutes or more on the toes. He should be hungry, be aggressive and don’t be afraid of making a mistake. This is the mentality that we’re going to need. “
Tomas Tatar and Paul Byron have hit the target for the Canadian. Carey Price made 19 saves.
On the side of the Maple Leafs, Alex Kerfoot has managed a double, Morgan Rielly has scored one goal and two helpers, while Ilya Mikheyev has also moved the ropes. Frederik Andersen has rejected 28 shots.
The published sequence by the Habs on his Twitter account in which Price turns the wrong side at the exit of the locker room to get on the rink is perhaps the one that best summarizes the evening.
In an arena, redecorated by the NHL since the spectators are not admitted due to the pandemic of novel coronavirus, the Canadian has had a few good moments, but ran out of synchronism, particularly in the digital advantage. The Habs finished the night 0-for-6 in such circumstances.
“As regards the numerical advantage, your best players must be your best players,” recalled Julien. It is necessary to make decisions with confidence. We have three days to work on the ice or by reviewing video footage. We need to be ready for Saturday. “
Five-on-five, the trio of Nick Suzuki, Jonathan Drouin and Joel Armia has been fairly quiet.
For their part, the Maple Leafs have proved opportunistic, scoring three goals in the term of attacks in excess.
Alex Belzile was the 13th forward Habs and Cale Fleury, the seventh defender, while the NHL has allowed teams to count on one more player to those positions for their match preparation.
Belzile’s only done two shifts on the ice rink. He fell head first against the ramp when he was knocked down by Jake Muzzin early in the second period and he did not return to the game thereafter.
The tournament of revival of the NHL is shake Saturday, with the presentation of five matches, including the first game between the Canadian and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Advantage The Maple Leafs
During the ceremonies before the match, the players of both teams stood together on the blue lines in a gesture of solidarity against racial injustice.
The Maple Leafs wasted no time to impose their will, opening the scoring after 33 seconds of the game. Mikheyev has completed a descent of two against one by taking advantage of a great pass from John Tavares.
Price then held his own in the match, making nice saves at the expense of Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews on shots at point-blank range.
The Maple Leafs have widened the gap to 6:46 of the second third, outnumbered. Price has frustrated Kasperi Kapanen in a breakaway, but Kerfoot has taken advantage of the back to register his first goal of the game.
Dale Weise missed a golden opportunity to replicate a few minutes later, but he missed the target when he had a cage gaping in front of him following a great pass from Max Domi.
The Canadian has finally given a sign of life and reduced the gap with 3:04 to do in the second twenty, reaching the target six seconds after the end of a numerical advantage. Suzuki has set the table for Tatar, who only had to deflect the puck in an open net.
However, the Maple Leafs responded with a 24.9 seconds to make the commitment. Kerfoot was deflected a shot from the edge of Morgan Rielly in the upper part, leaving no chance for Price.
The Canadian has enjoyed good moments in the third period, and Byron has narrowed the gap to one goal at 8:07, at the end of a beautiful presence in the company of Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Artturi Lehkonen.
The Leafs were once again countered quickly, scoring a second goal in inferiority to 9:39. Rielly scored on his own return following a rise from Zach Hyman.
Echoes of locker room
Brendan Gallagher, on the troubles of the Canadian at the implementation level :
“The pace was high, and it is as if the brain was not keeping up. We know what we need to do to be successful, but the cohesion just wasn’t there tonight. We tried games when he was not there. “
Phillip Danault, on the first experience in an arena, empty :
“It is a big adaptation. There was no atmosphere and we hear everything on the ice. It is quite special and unique, and we’re going to have to reproduce it in the next few days to get used to. […] It will go better the next time. “
Brendan Gallagher, on the fact of having used the dressing room of the Maple Leafs :
“The year 2020 has been strange up here, but it was perhaps the strangest thing I have experienced ! “
