Tip of the Tower
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Post-game Thoughts: Tired Maple Leafs Put Together Sloppy Effort in Loss

By Chris Okrainetz

Oct 30, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Jhonas Enroth (35) blocks a shot by New York Islanders center Brock Nelson (29) as Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Roman Polak (46) hits Nelson during the second period at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Jhonas Enroth (35) blocks a shot by New York Islanders center Brock Nelson (29) as Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Roman Polak (46) hits Nelson during the second period at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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After a strong game against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, the Toronto Maple Leafs (2-4-3) had a game to forget against the New York Islanders (4-5-0) on Sunday night.

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Thoughts and Observations

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs had a rough weekend road trip, as they combined to score only two goals in two games and now return back to Toronto with a pair of losses. The Montreal game was a solid performance with an unfortunate result, but this game against New York was a mistake filled disappointment that saw the Leafs continuously shoot themselves in the foot on the defensive end.

    • Toronto remains winless on the road and now boasts an 0-3-3 road record.

  • Backup goaltender Jhonas Enroth had a rough night against the Islanders, allowing five goals on 35 shots. The highlight of his night, aside from a breakaway save on John Tavares, was his puck handling error early in the third period. With the Leafs down 2-1, Enroth went to play a loose puck behind his net, but instead the puck bounced off the boards and right onto Shane Prince‘s tape, leading to an easy goal. It was an unlucky bounce that pretty much summed up Enroth’s night.
    • William Nylander

    recorded a point for the second straight game and continues to be one of the Leafs most consistent players.

    More from Tip of the Tower

    Toronto had trouble in their own end all night. Add in the odd man rushes, defensive breakdowns, and face-off losses, and it was a night to forget for the Toronto defence.

  • Seth Griffith moved up to the third line with Nazem Kadri and Leo Komarov and I must admit, the speedy winger looked good on that line. Playing in a season-high 10:51 of ice time, Griffith kept the puck moving and looked like a decent fit next Kadri and Uncle Leo.
  • Mike Babcock juggled the lines a bit Sunday night, moving Mitch Marner from the second line to the third line, while bumping Connor Brown up to the second line with Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk. Although neither of those line changes stuck, it was interesting to watch Babcock mix things up on Sunday.

    • Speaking of Bozak and JVR, they were awful against the Islanders. Both players finished with minus-four ratings and Bozak did not register a single shot.

  • On a positive note, Connor Carrick played well with Morgan Rielly and the two seem to be developing chemistry.

    • The ice at the Barclays Centre, widely regarded as one of the worst playing surfaces in the league, was horrendous on Sunday night. Not to use it as an excuse, but it wasn’t an ideal playing surface for a team like the Leafs that relies on speed and skill. None of the Maple Leafs’ players or coaches would discuss the ice, which isn’t a surprise, but overall it was a brutal 200 feet of ice.

    Stock Up, Stock Down

    • Up: In a game like this, it’s tough to find a player who raised their stock. However, Griffith was decent in his 10 plus minutes of ice time and it looks like he’ll get another shot to prove he can fit in with the Leafs.
    • Down: Again, Bozak and JVR were terrible against the Islanders. Both players need to play better, but there were a number of Toronto players who did not play well on Sunday. In other words, it was a game to forget.

    Stat of the Night

    61 seconds

    The Leafs allowed their opponent to score first for the fifth consecutive game on Sunday, as it took the Islanders only 61 seconds to open the scoring. Toronto has struggled to find the back of the net recently and their slow starts certainly don’t help matters.

    What’s Next

    The Maple Leafs will head home to host Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers (7-2-0) on Tuesday night at the Air Canada Centre. The Oilers lead the Pacific division and have only allowed four goals over their last five games. The Leafs are averaging over three goals per game at home this season, though, which adds further intrigue to Tuesday’s tilt.

    Next: Leafs: The Curious Case of Benjamin Smith

    What did you think of the Maple Leafs 5-1 loss to the Islanders on Sunday night? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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