Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 questions for crucial Game 4 vs. Columbus
By Paul Taylor
2) Will Frederik Andersen be able to continue his fine form?
Heading into the series, it was clear that Frederik Andersen would play a crucial part in the outcome, and not just because the goaltender is always important. In the case of the Leafs, this importance was heightened by having one of the poorer overall defences in the NHL.
Some critics will suggest that Andersen was a major part of the reason the Leafs allowed the fifth-most goals during the regular season. (He had his worst statistical season since being traded to Toronto.) However, more often than not it was more a case of him covering for the deficiencies of the players in front of him.
In any event, Andersen has risen to the occasion against Columbus for the most part. Through two games he had allowed just a single goal, albeit a crucial one on a mistake which undid all the good work he put in during Game 1.
Andersen’s tremendous form continued into Game 3, as he helped the Leafs build a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 lead through 30 minutes. Then it all went wrong, as the Blue Jackets came storming back with four goals to clinch the overtime win.
As strange as it might sound, it’s tough to hold Andersen accountable despite conceding four goals. The reality is he put in an excellent effort with 39 saves, as he was repeatedly called upon to bail out his teammates.
As much as the absence of Jake Muzzin impacted the defence, the team as a whole could and should have done more to help Andersen. Even a slight improvement in effort alone would have put the goaltender in a better position.
In this respect, we don’t predict the Leafs will be as sloppy at the defensive end of the ice on Friday night. (How could they be?) However, the chances are that Andersen will have to continue his mostly excellent form from this series in Game 4.
In fact, we would go a step further and suggest that in all probability Andersen will actually have to play even better if Toronto is to avoid elimination. It’s a tough request for someone who has already done so much in this series, but it’s also a reality when considering the Leafs’ blue line as a whole.