"When fighting to make up ground in the standings, as the Leafs are, every game matters. But this upcoming stretch appears the most daunting on paper. In March, the Leafs play the Rangers and Ducks twice each, the Devils, the Islanders, and the Flyers, along with divisional games against Tampa, Montreal, Boston, and Ottawa, plus games against Carolina, St. Louis, and Minnesota. Nothing is easy in this league, but that stretch in March is not quite on par with the current slate of games scheduled."
"Halfway through this tough stretch, the Leafs are 2-1-1, and there are a lot of ways to look at the past four games. Toronto became the first team to beat Colorado in Colorado in a game that didn't end in a shootout. They clawed back against Winnipeg for a big two points, and they were seven seconds away from collecting two more in regulation against Vegas."
"On the flip side, Nathan MacKinnon labelled the crossbar in overtime before the Leafs scored in Colorado, and Jonathan Toews hit the post with just over a minute left in Winnipeg. They were a hair's breadth from collecting just two points and making it a nightmare trip. However, when facing good teams on a tough road trip with a big time-zone difference, it's not really about style points."
The Maple Leafs are halfway through a challenging stretch, finishing a four-game road trip 2-1-1 to earn five of eight points. A massive five-game homestand follows against Minnesota, Detroit, Vegas, Colorado, and Buffalo, featuring three top Western teams and two division rivals ahead in the standings. March includes many difficult matchups, but the current slate appears tougher on paper. Toronto beat Colorado in regulation in Colorado, rallied for points against Winnipeg, and nearly beat Vegas in regulation. Close misses — a MacKinnon crossbar and a Toews post — made the trip tense, but the team showed strong periods and resilience.
Read at Maple Leafs Hotstove
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