3 takeaways from Leafs-Canadiens: Woll exempt from criticism in worst loss of season

Jake McCabe left the game during the second period after taking a puck to the face, and was ruled out with an upper-body injury prior to the third period. Berube did not confirm the severity of McCabe’s injury post-game.

“We can’t lose all the momentum because they scored a couple goals. We’re a veteran team. It’s inexcusable,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said post-game, via The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel.

Here are three takeaways from the Maple Leafs’ 4-1 loss to the Canadiens: 

Maple Leafs had no answer for Canadiens’ star defencemen joining the rush

Lane Hutson opened the scoring, while Noah Dobson added a brace, and the Canadiens’ star defencemen demolished the Maple Leafs’ off the rush, punishing mistakes with relative ease.

Toronto’s glaring inability to defend the cross-seam pass during rush scenarios has been evident on all season, and it was exposed Saturday. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki was afforded all the time and space he wanted to find Hutson for the game’s opening goal. Brendan Gallagher shoves Troy Stecher out of the play, giving Cole Caufield plenty of room to operate, Caufield dished it to Suzuki, who then sliced the defence apart with the primary assist. Steven Lorentz nor Bobby McMann take account for Hutson, and it’s 1-0.

Dobson’s first goal wasn’t in a rush scenario, but the Canadiens firmly established the zone and once again were given all the space needed to pick apart the Maple Leafs. William Nylander didn’t bother to close out on Mike Matheson, or Dobson, when winding up to shoot, and it’s 2-0 Canadiens. It’s Dobson’s second goal of the contest that is perhaps more alarming.

Stecher tosses the puck up the ice with no intended target, an easy interception for Matheson. Matheson one-touches the puck up the ice to Juraj Slafkovsky, creating a 3-on-2. Slafkovsky fires it to Ivan Demidov down low, and Stecher watches idly by as Dobson crashes down to make it 3-0 Canadiens.

It was a brutal night for the Maple Leafs, with woeful defensive zone coverage all around. Josh Anderson fired a shot with no resistance to make it 4-0, and the game was effectively over. Toronto has been the NHL’s worst defensive team through the first quarter of the season, with all of its faults exposed on Saturday. And it won’t be getting any easier, as the severity of McCabe’s injury has yet to be determined.

Joseph Woll deserved better after getting pulled in 2nd period

Joseph Woll certainly deserved better than an early pull, but it was to send a message to the rest of his teammates. Woll was replaced by Dennis Hildeby after Josh Anderson scored his first goal of the contest, extending the Canadiens’ lead to 4-0.

Woll did everything he could to keep the Maple Leafs in the contest. Toronto controlled play for the first 10 minutes, but after Hutson’s opening goal, the team capitulated in front of its goaltender. It would’ve been 3-0 Canadiens to end the first period, but Woll got part of his glove on a seeing-eye shot from Ivan Demidov to keep the game within striking distance.

The 27-year-old was forced into multiple saves to open the second period, and grew fed up, after he made a stop with his mask removed. Woll has started four consecutive games for the injury-ridden Maple Leafs, and despite his best efforts, the team isn’t gaining any ground.

“We were just giving freebies to’em. I just said, ‘I had enough!'” Berube said of the decision to pull Woll, while noting that there was a conscious effort to conserve his energy, with Anthony Stolarz out of the lineup.

Woll is exempt from criticism from the Leafs’ worst loss of the year. It may take more than solid goaltending to turn the season around.

Sentimental value has no place on a middling Leafs team

For a team that is supposedly revamped around the idea of increased toughness and secondary scoring, sentimental value appears to be a governing force. Sammy Blais was reinserted into the lineup, with the ostensible idea that he would benefit from playing in front of friends and family. It’s a nice story to be sure, but the Maple Leafs have to place their 12 best forwards, especially with no margin of error due to injuries, and Jacob Quillan ought to have stayed in.

Quillan’s speed and tenacity were praised by his fellow teammates, while Berube lauded his approach the game this week. Max Domi committed a game-ending turnover in Thursday’s overtime loss, spoke to media on Friday and remained in the lineup, despite his defensive shortcomings outweighing his playmaking ability. Dakota Joshua hasn’t lived up to expectations, and his decision to show some fire after the final whistle expired, doesn’t count for anything. Matias Maccelli has been invisible in far too many contests, including Saturday, and yet the veterans often remain in the lineup due to sentimental value.

Easton Cowan was already sent to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies after 10 productive games at the NHL level, with the ostensible idea that he’d benefit from torching a league he’s better than. Cowan was called up once again and it would negligent to send him back down. He’s one of the Maple Leafs’ best players, and was one of the few bright spots in a crushing loss.

There is ample time to regroup before Wednesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sentimental value cannot dictate the lineup any further.