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Coach Sheldon Keefe used captain John Tavares, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner collectively on the identical line, however although the trio had some possibilities, have been damaged up by the point the third interval rolled round.
The Leafs now marvel if they’ll get to name Alexis Lafreniere a teammate subsequent season. On Monday night time, with a 12.5% likelihood to win the draft lottery, they’ll discover out.
The Leafs have been severe about occurring a long term this summer time.
The gamers usually talked up the actual fact they’d been collectively, for probably the most half, for the reason that starting of Section 2 of the Nationwide Hockey League’s Return to Play plan, and that might solely be a bonus for them.
It amounted to 2 wins in opposition to Columbus, so no, it wasn’t.
“It’s very disappointing,” Matthews stated. “Numerous combined feelings.
“I don’t suppose anyone has actually performed by a season fairly like what all people went by with the pause and every little thing. There have been a whole lot of ups and downs. This was a irritating option to finish it.”
Is there a standard theme for the Leafs as to why they will’t come out the fitting facet in win-or-go-home video games?
It’s three years in a row the Leafs have misplaced within the deciding recreation.
“I don’t actually have a solution for that query, to be sincere,” Matthews stated.
FROM THE HASH MARKS
The Leafs misplaced defenceman Tyson Barrie within the second interval when he was crunched into the nook boards by Jackets ahead Boone Jenner. It’s most likely the final we’ll see of Barrie, who’s eligible to grow to be an unrestricted free agent, in a Leafs uniform. Depend the Colorado Avalanche because the winners within the Barrie-Alex Kerfoot/Nazem Kadri commerce … Tavares hit the bottom of the publish to Korpisalo’s left after Zach Werenski made it 1-Zero for Columbus at 6:29 of the primary, the puck deflecting off Barrie and previous Frederik Andersen … The Leafs didn’t play with the type of urgency required with the season on the road. Definitely not within the opening 20 minutes, after they had simply six pictures on purpose. They ended with 33 … The Leafs had the dreaded everything-but-score shift, with Matthews and Tavares failing to place the puck previous goalie Joonas Korpisalo because the Leafs performed keep-away six minutes into the second … After dominating in coaching camp, Ilya Mikheyev disappeared. The large ahead was one in all 5 Leafs — the others have been Jason Spezza, Justin Holl, Kyle Clifford and Barrie — who performed in all 5 video games however didn’t register a degree … The Leafs didn’t rating a purpose at 5-on-5 after Nick Robertson’s first NHL purpose at eight:48 of the second interval in Recreation three.