"On the one hand, the Maple Leafs were swept by Detroit in the season series tonight, and that will cost them in the standings throughout the rest of the campaign. On the other hand, in a game where the Leafs played with five defensemen nearly all night due to OEL's injury-related departure, their leading scorer was missing, and Matthew Knies continued to plod along - leaving the game at one point - it took Detroit until overtime to put them away."
"It's a point gained, but it's also an opportunity lost. The Leafs went from struggling to solve John Gibson to hanging on for dear life for an entire period. I'm not sure the Leafs deserved to win, but I'm not sure Detroit did, either. The Red Wings entered this game fully healthy - as they have been all season - and needed a great performance from their goalie for most of the night to eke out a win."
"And yet, the Leafs really didn't get off to a fast start. Detroit carried play the first few shifts of the game, save for when Auston Matthews made a nice slip play by Dylan Larkin and fired a great shot in the slot (Gibson looked behind his back immediately after the shot). Other than Matthews, the Leafs didn't have much going the first few shifts, but then they got a fortuitous bounce."
The Maple Leafs were swept by Detroit in the season series, a result that will hurt their standing over the remainder of the campaign. The Leafs played most of the game with five defensemen after OEL left with an injury, their leading scorer was absent, and Matthew Knies left the game at one point. The contest went to overtime before Detroit secured the win, requiring a strong performance from John Gibson. The Leafs failed to start quickly despite recent poor form and a divisional rivalry, generated a fortunate sequence that led to Scott Laughton's early goal, and otherwise struggled to sustain offensive pressure.
Read at Maple Leafs Hotstove
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