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Who knew the absence of David Kampf would have had such a detrimental affect on the Maple Leafs?
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We child. No extra dad jokes this 12 months, we promise.
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In opposition to the backdrop of a Kampf benching, the Leafs closed the 2023 calendar 12 months on Saturday evening with one other loss, this time falling 3-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Leafs head into the brand new 12 months with a loss in 5 of their previous six video games, together with 4 in regulation. It’s a tailspin that may’t be blamed solely on goaltending.
In three video games because the Christmas break, the Leafs are 0-2-1. Subsequent is a three-game journey by means of California, beginning on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
“Each level issues,” captain John Tavares stated. “On the whole, not a terrific week for us, solely developing with a degree and never popping out of the break the best way we wished to.”
THE GAME
Coach Sheldon Keefe’s announcement a couple of hours earlier than sport time that he was benching the struggling Kampf for some obtrusive errors 24 hours earlier in Columbus overshadowed, no less than for a day, the plight of goaltender Ilya Samsonov.
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It wasn’t a distraction, although, from what occurred as soon as the puck dropped at Scotiabank Enviornment. The Leafs didn’t quit a ton towards the Hurricanes, however they didn’t create a ton both.
Defenceman Timothy Liljegren, along with his first purpose of the season, ended Pyotr Kochetkov’s shutout bid at 5:16 of the third interval.
From there, the Leafs performed desperation hockey, however couldn’t rating till Nick Robertson was profitable with 9.8 seconds to play.
Kampf was main Leafs forwards in shorthanded ice time, although it may need been only a coincidence that Carolina’s first two targets have been scored on the facility play. Toronto was twenty first within the Nationwide Hockey League on the penalty kill going into the sport. That’s mediocre. We don’t think about Kampf, changed by Pontus Holmberg within the lineup, would have made a lot of a distinction.
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Keefe answered with a terse “no” when he was requested if he regretted benching Kampf.
Former Leaf Michael Bunting and Seth Jarvis scored for Carolina on goalie Martin Jones because the guests constructed a 2-0 lead heading into the third. Sebastian Aho scored into an empty Leafs web within the ultimate minute earlier than Robertson’s purpose.
“This one was particular, coming again house, coming again to the outdated workforce, I wished to be an affect participant proper in the beginning,” stated Bunting, whose purpose got here at 2:24 of the primary. “I felt like I did that.”
William Nylander had 4 photographs on purpose and 7 makes an attempt, however didn’t document a degree, ending his 13-game level streak. It was simply the fourth sport this season that Nylander didn’t get on the scoresheet.
Max Domi assisted on each Toronto targets.
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The Leafs held the Hurricanes to 39 shot makes an attempt in 46 minutes of five-on-five play, among the many lowest makes an attempt Toronto has allowed this season.
The Leafs, nonetheless, failed to attain on their three energy performs.
“It’s one other sport that may go both means,” Keefe stated. “The workforce performed onerous, the workforce performed properly. Particular groups are the distinction within the sport and knew that that was going to be a serious problem coming in.”
One other distinction: Jones, not like what Samsonov has been doing, made saves when required.
“He retains them at two,” Keefe stated. “That’s what you’re searching for.”
Nonetheless, the Leafs who ought to tip the scales in Toronto’s favour — Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Nylander and Tavares — didn’t try this on Saturday.
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THE BENCHING
The Kampf benching would have made greater waves had it been a core Leaf who was despatched to chill his heels within the press field, however Keefe hasn’t been the kind to carry gamers accountable by benching them. That he did it in any respect ought to increase eyebrows among the many gamers.
Keefe issued a warning of types throughout his media availability late within the afternoon. He made it clear he’s sick of the errors his group has been making on a nightly foundation. Sharp goaltending would have mended a few of these self-inflicted wounds, however that doesn’t make sloppy hockey excusable.
“I assume you possibly can name it a message to the group within the sense that there’s going to be much less tolerance for that,” Keefe stated.
“We’ve received to get higher on this space. That’s it. Members of our management group, like David is, we belief these guys to prepared the ground for us and the expectations are larger. He’s received to be a frontrunner in these varieties of conditions the place we’re answerable for the sport.
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“It’s not simply him, it’s the blokes that we actually depend on to be good in these areas, whether or not you’re the highest guys that produce a variety of offence. For somebody like Kampfer particularly, (defensive consciousness) is his main job. When he strays from that, he opens up the chance for others to take his minutes.”
Kampf, whose smarts helped result in a four-year contract extension with the Leafs in June, was singled out after his offensive-zone miscue helped result in the tying purpose by the Blue Jackets’ Adam Fantilli within the third interval on Friday. A nasty change on the a part of Kampf and his linemates earlier than Cameron Gaunce scored the Jackets’ second purpose didn’t sit properly both.
“You attempt to be affected person and also you attempt to belief your guys and provides them alternatives to return out and do proper, however the tolerance for a similar varieties of errors which are occurring after we’re in positions (to win) of late, goes to be rather a lot much less,” Keefe stated.
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“It must be rather a lot much less if we don’t see enchancment. That’s the truth of it.
“There must be some accountability. In my view, (Kampf) didn’t do a good-enough job in a few of these moments, particularly after we’re enjoying with leads. He’s crucial participant for us and he might be rather a lot higher for us.”
Mentioned Tavares: “You’re feeling for Dave. We predict extremely of him. We received Dave’s again and we all know he’s going to play necessary hockey for us and be an enormous difference-maker going ahead.”
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