The Toronto Maple Leafs left Seattle with a result that felt bigger than the box score. A 5-4 loss to the Kraken gave them flashes of real offense, some encouraging work on the power play, and then one brutal late finish that wiped out the comeback attempt.
Gavin McKenna was the brightest part of the night. He scored twice on the power play, finished with three points, and looked completely comfortable alongside Auston Matthews.
Hiller said the two were excellent together with the man advantage, and Toronto cashed in on two of its three power-play chances. McKenna also helped set up Matthews’ tying goal with 1:30 remaining after the goalie was pulled, the kind of late-game play that belongs in a highlight reel.
There was more to like than just the offense. Toronto out-shot Seattle 21-17 and out-hit the Kraken 32-23. Hiller said the Leafs competed hard and did a good job of keeping Seattle to the outside for much of the game.
But the problems were impossible to ignore. Seattle scored five times on just 17 shots, and that made it the eighth time this season the Maple Leafs have allowed five or more goals.
Hiller pointed to six or seven major breakdowns, including two two-on-ones and a string of breakout turnovers in the first period. In a close game, those mistakes are enough to swing everything.
Then came the final punch. After Toronto had tied the game and the bench was buzzing, Brandon Montour scored with about 30 seconds left. Hiller called it a dagger, and that was exactly what it was.
Hiller said Bobrovsky was “all right” but would probably want one back. Two of the goals also went in off a toe and a stick, but the last one was the one that will stick in everyone’s memory. Hiller also grumbled about some of the penalty calls, though he made it clear those are part of the game.
Zoom out, and the picture for Toronto is still a messy one. Nearly a month into the season, the Maple Leafs have seven wins, and only two of those came when they scored fewer than five goals.
That’s the profile of a team living on offense. Without John Tavares and Kirill Marchenko, Hiller said the lines still haven’t settled, and he noted those players normally log 18 to 19 minutes a night.
Five-on-five play, as Hiller put it, was far from stellar.
The next stop is Saturday in Vancouver against a Canucks team sitting at 3-10-1. On paper, it looks manageable.
In practice, it has the feel of the kind of game that can quietly get away from a team. If the Maple Leafs can clean up the turnovers, tighten the defense, and stop handing opponents easy lessons, they should be in position to bounce back.
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