Canucks Edge Maple Leafs 2-1 in Vancouver, Leafs Finish Road Trip 3-1

When the Toronto Maple Leafs began their four-game Western road trip, they were desperate to put an end to a three-game losing skid. By the time they wrapped up the trip on Saturday night in Vancouver, they had secured six of a possible eight points and strengthened their position in the Atlantic Division standings.

Despite a hard-fought 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, there was no sense of doom in the Leafs’ locker room. The team heads into the 4 Nations Cup break with plenty of positives to build on.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

VAN 1-0 – Filip Hronek (3) Snap Shot – Assists: Elias Pettersson (23), Derek Forbort (5) – 7:00

2nd Period

TOR 1-1 – Morgan Rielly (6) Wrist Shot – Assists: Oliver Ekman-Larsson (19), Auston Matthews (25) – 19:54

3rd Period

VAN 2-1 – PPG Brock Boeser (18) Wrist Shot – Assists: Filip Chytil (11), Filip Hronek (15) – 8:56

Takeaways from the Game

Vancouver Outworked Toronto

The Canucks entered the game missing key players, including captain Quinn Hughes and starting goaltender Thatcher Demko, yet they came out with speed, discipline, and determination, winning 73.5% of puck battles.

Their effort paid off with Brock Boeser’s game-winning power-play goal in the third period, capitalizing on a penalty taken by Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

“They’re a good team. They do a good job checking. They’re hard on the forecheck. I didn’t think we had a ton of O-zone time where we were able to kind of sustain it and keep them hemmed in,” said Morgan Rielly, who scored Toronto’s lone goal.

Joseph Woll’s Steady Play Continues

Joseph Woll once again gave Toronto a chance to win, making several key saves to keep the game within reach. Woll started all three Canadian stops on the trip and credited Leafs Nation for the energy they brought to the team on the road:

“The three Canadian cities we played, it’s almost like a home game,” Woll said. “When our fans are rooting like that, it changes the game for us. So, I love it. Keep it going.”

With Anthony Stolarz back from injury, the Leafs find themselves in an enviable position with two reliable goalies heading into the final stretch of the season.

The “Super Line” Experiment Fizzles

Head coach Craig Berube experimented with a top line of Nylander, Marner, and Tavares, but the results were underwhelming. After producing a 35.6% expected goals rating, Berube scrapped the combination midway through the game.

“A lot of it is a guy getting in there on the forecheck and getting to the net and just being that kind of rock,” Berube said. “They all want the puck a lot. It’s a lot. But, hey, it wasn’t a big sample size.”

Road Trip Positives

Despite the loss, the Leafs can take pride in:

• A 3-1 record on the trip, including wins in Edmonton, Calgary, and Seattle.
• Improved special teams: The power play went 5-for-12 on the trip, while the penalty kill finished 10-for-12.
• Rielly finding his groove: After a slow start to the season, Rielly is rediscovering his confidence and contributing offensively.

What’s Next?

The Leafs now head into a much-needed break, with their next game scheduled for February 22nd against the Carolina Hurricanes. They sit 3 points behind the Florida Panthers for first place in the Atlantic Division with two games in hand.

“It’s a good trip all around. We just missed out on making it great,” Rielly said.

As the Leafs rest, recover, and reset, fans can look forward to a critical stretch of games once the break ends.

Go Leafs Go!