Toronto Maple Leafs blow early lead and lose to Washington Capitals 3-2 in OT

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Toronto Maple Leafs blow early lead and lose to Washington Capitals 3-2 in OT. Here is the summary of the game played on Thursday, April 13, 2017

GAME SUMMARY         |           EVENT SUMMARY        |           FACEOFF SUMMARY

ON THE SCORESHEET

Mitch Marner opened the scoring for the Maple Leafs at 1:35 of the first period. Per Elias Sports Bureau, Marner is the first Maple Leafs teenager to score a playoff goal since Daniel Marois on April 12, 1988.

Mitch Marner is the first Maple Leaf to score a goal within the first 2 minutes of his first NHL playoff game since Andy Blair in 1929, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

Prior to Mitch Marner’s first period goal, the last Maple Leafs rookie to score in a playoff game was Jeff Farkas vs. New Jersey on May 6, 2000, per Elias Sports Bureau.

Jake Gardiner scored Toronto’s second goal of the night at 9:44 of the first period. Gardiner has two playoff goals in seven career playoff games.

James van Riemsdyk registered the primary assist on Marner’s first period goal. The assist is van Riemsdyk’s 10^th assist in 47 playoff games, which ranks second among Toronto skaters.

Tyler Bozak also registered an assist on Marner’s first period goal. Bozak has two assists in six career playoff games.

Frederik Andersen stopped 40 shots in the overtime loss.

SHOTS FIRED

The Capitals had a 44-37 edge in shots in all situations and a 41-37 edge in shots at 5-on-5.

Washington had a 74-62 lead in shot attempts in all situations and a 69-62 lead in shot attempts at 5-on-5.

James van Riemsdyk led the Maple Leafs with seven shots on goal and 10 shot attempts.

OF NOTE…

The Maple Leafs are now 55-54-1 all-time in playoff overtimes and 19-22-0 in playoff overtimes on the road.

At 9:44 of the first period in tonight’s game, Toronto requested a Coach’s Challenge to review the “Interference on the Goalkeeper” decision that resulted in a “no goal” call. After review, the Referee determined that Toronto’s Nazem Kadri did not interfere with Washington goaltender Braden Holtby before the puck crossed the goal line. Therefore, the original call is overturned – good goal Toronto Maple Leafs.

Nine Maple Leafs skaters (Connor Brown, Connor Carrick, Zach Hyman, Kasperi Kapanen, Martin Marincin, Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly) played their first Stanley Cup playoff game tonight.

Brian Boyle was 13-for-17 in the faceoff circle tonight and won all seven of his draws when matched up against Capitals centre Lars Eller.

Tyler Bozak won eight of his 12 defensive zone faceoffs (67%) and was 5-for-7 on defensive zone draws when matched up against Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom. 

Jake Gardiner and James van Riemsdyk were each on the ice for a team-high 25 Maple Leafs shot attempts at 5-on-5. Gardiner had a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 44.6 percent (25 for, 31 against) while van Riemsdyk had the second highest 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage among all Maple Leafs at 58.1 percent (25 for, 18 against).

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS

UPCOMING GAMES:

Saturday, April 15 at Washington Capitals, 7:00 p.m. (Hockey Night in Canada, FAN 590)

Monday, April 17 vs. Washington Capitals, 7:00 p.m. (Hockey Night in Canada, FAN 590)

Wednesday, April 19 vs. Washington Capitals, 7:00 p.m. (Hockey Night in Canada, TSN 1050)

Friday, April 21 at Washington Capitals, TBD

Sunday, April 23 vs. Washington Capitals, TBD

Tuesday, April 25 at Washington Capitals, TBD

POSTGAME QUOTES:

HEAD COACH MIKE BABCOCK

On if he sees tonight’s game as a missed opportunity or a confidence builder:

I thought a confidence builder for sure. I liked our game. I didn’t like that we wouldn’t shoot the puck. We had so many opportunities to shoot and we wouldn’t, we wanted to pass it into the net instead of shoot it into the net. I thought Wilson did a good job of just doing that – you just turn and you throw it on net. That’s playoff hockey. Things bounce to somebody and it goes in or you get a second chance. I didn’t think we did a good job of that. I liked a lot of things about our game. Obviously, I didn’t like being down 5-on-3, but other than that I didn’t mind our game.

On Andersen’s performance:

I thought Freddy was really good and then he would probably like to have that [overtime goal] back. He gave us an opportunity so I don’t think you can argue with that.

On the play of the defencemen:

I thought Rielly might have had his best game this year. He was really solid for us. Hunwick was solid. Carrick and [Marincin] gave us good minutes – Marty hasn’t played in a long time and I thought he did a good job for us.

On how they fared matching up against Ovechkin:

Let me look here – it looks alright, but it looks like Williams had a good night though. You know what I mean? They got one on the broken play on the 5-on-3, we had the penalty killed obviously and [Brown] lifted Polak’s stick or whatever. We made a mistake on the kill to get shorthanded though so we’ll fix that. I thought that was fine. Boyle gave us good faceoff opportunities and I thought that was important as well. I thought [Martin] was physical. Lots of good things.

On how the team handled the hostile environment:

I think they probably thought it was fun. I kept trying to tell them we’ve got good players, we’re allowed to play at a high level. We’ve got some really good players, play. You don’t want to watch them, play. I think if you’re [Matthews] or you’re Mitch or you’re [Nylander] or [Brown] or those guys, let’s play. You don’t have to watch them; you can play good.

On if the team learned about the slim margin for error in the playoffs:

Yeah, I don’t think they had to learn that though. I think they know that. I don’t think that’s a big thing. I think what they found out is you can skate with them, you can be physical, their D give the puck to you when you’re physical just like if they’re physical with us. I just think it’s important to get a taste and understand what the game is like. Now it’s important that we leave here 1-1.

On if they surprised Washington with the fast start:

I don’t think so. I just think it’s the playoffs and our big thing is we’ve got to get a game here because we’ve got to keep it tight so they stay tight. If they get too loose it’ll make it too easy for them.

FREDERIK ANDERSEN (41 SAVES)

On tonight’s game:

It’s one game obviously and not the end result we wanted. We played really good and I think we showed we can play with these guys. That was a good game for us but obviously, you don’t get a win for that. We’ve got to come back and play the same way and better.

On what can be taken away from the performance:

We did a lot of good things, we had a great first period. It’s just a one-shot difference.

On the team’s defensive zone effort:

They blocked some good shots – Hunwick had a really good one in the first period. We sacrifice our body for everyone in here to get in the shooting lane. That’s tough to shoot around if we do that well.

On the fast start to the game:

It was a good start. We’ve got to be able to get something out of it, but obviously, a great start. We’ve got to come out the right way again.

On the second Washington goal:

It hit my stick weird and I thought it went over the net, behind the net. It was just one of those where I lost track of it and it ended up laying right there in front of him and he poked it in. It was a tough bounce but you look to rebound and come back and give the team a chance to win.

On taking the positives from tonight’s game:

We showed we can play with them and we’ve got to keep playing better throughout the game and improve next game too.

JAKE GARDINER (1 GOAL)

On the atmosphere in the game:

Right away it’s always pretty intense and once you get into it your instincts take over and just kind of relax.

On Washington rebounding after two quick Toronto goals:

No team wants to go down early. It’s a tough way to start the game and a tough way to start the playoffs. They came back and took it to us.

On if the team proved they can compete with Washington:

They’re a heck of a team but I also think we’re no slouch either. We’re not going away.

MATT HUNWICK (26:04 TOI)

On tonight’s performance as a confidence boost for the team:

Sure, I think it erases any doubts if the kids had it and for the most part we know we’re a good team. Now I think they know and it should hopefully be a long series.

On the Washington goals:

They got that power play goal – I thought we were going to clear it and it was just a bad bounce for us. [The second goal] was just a missed coverage there and I didn’t see the third one. For the most part I think we played pretty well. We were in good position all game and unfortunately we didn’t get the outcome we wanted. For their first time, I thought the younger guys played really well and next game should be outstanding.

On playing the most minutes he has played all year:

Last year I played a lot of minutes. This year, like you said, it’s been a bit more third pair most of the time with Roman [Polak] and it’s been a real good fit. With [Zaitsev] out, some extra minutes are there and I’m happy to take them.

On the team handling Washington’s physicality:

I thought we skated well and were pretty good on the forecheck. They’re a big team, they’re going to come at you but you can’t let that get in your head. You have to go out and make plays, make the right plays and I thought physically we were fine.

MITCH MARNER (1 GOAL)

On if the team takes positives from tonight’s performance:

For sure. Obviously, it’s a lot of guys’ first in here for this so I think we came out how we wanted to and I think we played the game we wanted to. Obviously, it wasn’t the result [we wanted]. We’ve got to start looking forward to the next game and make sure we’re ready to play.

On the atmosphere in tonight’s game:

It was a lot of fun. The building had a lot of excitement in it and I think it affects both sides of the bench. It gets everyone kind of going. It was definitely an exciting atmosphere and it was fun to play in.

On his goal:

I just kind of saw [Bozak] pick it up in our own zone, saw a little bit of a 3-on-2 developing and got it back to him. He hit [van Riemsdyk] and he threw it back out in front. Luckily enough I was there to get it.

On his early goal affecting the home crowd:

They were loud all game. I think their fans did a great job of that. Obviously, that’s what we want to do, we want to quiet them right away and make sure we’re playing hard all game. I think we did a great job of that all night.

On the difference of style in playoff hockey:

It’s just a lot tighter, not a lot of space out there. You kind of make plays and when you get chances you’ve got to try to put them in as much as possible. At the same time, it’s a lot of excitement, it’s a lot of fun. The atmosphere is unbelievable.

On if the team proved anything to people who doubted them tonight:

We’re not really focused on what anyone else says other than what people say in this locker room. We all believe in ourselves in here and I think that’s the thing that made our team so successful this year – the trust in each other, in this room and the belief we have.

On the play of the defencemen to start the offensive transition:

They were great tonight, [Andersen] too. All of them were making great outlet passes, giving each other space and time. When they do that it’s easy for us to get the puck in stride and get going so I think our D did a great job of that tonight. I’m sure they’re going to continue doing that successfully.