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# Leafs lose to the Rangers' biggest stars
- URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/leafs-lose-to-the-rangers-biggest-stars/
- Published: 2024-10-20T01:40:02.000Z
- Updated: 2024-10-20T01:40:25.000Z
- Description: If they'd played the whole game like they played the third...
- Author: Cathy Squires
- Tags: Game Coverage

### First Period

The game was matchups in the first period, with Craig Berube wanting the Matthews line out against the killer Vincent Trochek line with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafrenière.

> trying to get those match ups   
>  
> Marner is on, then he's off [pic.twitter.com/Sld0ogk6e0](https://t.co/Sld0ogk6e0?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847779741769810056?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Which started out well: 

> Knies creates space  
>  
> Matthews gets the shot [pic.twitter.com/DfUinYRZbm](https://t.co/DfUinYRZbm?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847779925664923721?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

And Conor Timmins was very good: 

> good positioning by Timmins [pic.twitter.com/j8QEbeZFNo](https://t.co/j8QEbeZFNo?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847781855526817937?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

And Anthony Stolarz had to be on his game. 

> first save and the rebound, Stolarz gets em both [pic.twitter.com/YHj9wQg9ob](https://t.co/YHj9wQg9ob?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847782974973960305?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

And then every single player seemed to fail at once. The Rangers hot line was hot here, but first Oliver Ekman-Larsson bobbled the puck, and then it became very clear the fourth line shouldn't defend the hottest line in hockey right now. 

> rebounds and a sneaky shot [pic.twitter.com/sakXZPO8cS](https://t.co/sakXZPO8cS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847783701771342151?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Watch Lafrenière just wander in behind the net and go find some clear ice instead of the puck bouncing off a ref:

> oh, so the puck hit the ref   
>  
> ...well that's annoying [pic.twitter.com/FN7xsm6WKK](https://t.co/FN7xsm6WKK?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847787972168462773?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Pontus Holmberg immediately took a chasing the play penalty.

> Holmberg is called for holding [pic.twitter.com/5LWECbu6hk](https://t.co/5LWECbu6hk?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847783848404230450?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

And then the Leafs got on with the job of trying to get a puck through the nonexistent holes Igor Shesterkin leaves.

> four-Leaf offensive rush [pic.twitter.com/gdSz1Z5dBS](https://t.co/gdSz1Z5dBS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847785373167951941?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

> what a pass from McMann [pic.twitter.com/xkGnPpd2ie](https://t.co/xkGnPpd2ie?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847785680396816398?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Don't get me wrong, the Leafs are in this game and dominating in shotshare, but scoring on Shesterkin is hard, and Stolarz looked like he had to dazzle to keep the score close. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2024/10/20242025-20079-sva.png)

1-0 Rangers after one.

### Second Period

The fourth line got an early offensive rush against the Trochek line, but they'd need an angel on their side to score.

> Kampf makes Shesterkin sprawl out [pic.twitter.com/1oa61Qt7V6](https://t.co/1oa61Qt7V6?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847792799204147504?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

The Rangers don't.

> Chris Kreider scores on the delayed penalty call [pic.twitter.com/7McOQ4pCS5](https://t.co/7McOQ4pCS5?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847794816098136128?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

The only thing that could make it more hopeless for the Leafs is a power play.

> slashing is the call on Panarin [pic.twitter.com/GUanOtrDHl](https://t.co/GUanOtrDHl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847796577311564000?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Not the worst effort of the season, but no joy, and of course, there's one of these.

> Stolarz makes the shorthanded save [pic.twitter.com/ZA1ZqkMwto](https://t.co/ZA1ZqkMwto?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847797444492280019?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

> Domi hits the post off this rush [pic.twitter.com/teFzymT9yR](https://t.co/teFzymT9yR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847797615876067674?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

The Leafs got another power play.

> Kaako is called for high-sticking [pic.twitter.com/ffplTX0DME](https://t.co/ffplTX0DME?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847798399883456976?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

And they've progressed to forcing the goalie to do this: 

> Shesterkin flashes leather on Tavares [pic.twitter.com/8RPTvbk5lt](https://t.co/8RPTvbk5lt?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847798652116361459?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

But the shots don't come by surprise to anyone, and that made it too easy for Shesterkin. New York has a smart PK as well. 

Max Domi took a Max Domi penalty – ill-timed and truculent. 

> Domi got away with the first one, not the second [pic.twitter.com/FDLSLusCMw](https://t.co/FDLSLusCMw?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847799448161689628?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

And Chris Tanev hobbled off the ice after blocking a shot on the PK.

The bad luck continues as Stolarz is missing a skate blade, but the Leafs PK keeps the puck away from him. 

> Stolarz lost a skateblade [pic.twitter.com/fuLZtb6mUg](https://t.co/fuLZtb6mUg?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847800359869436203?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Score is 2-0 Rangers, and does it matter who shot what where? 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2024/10/20242025-20079-cfdiff-all.png)

Proof the Leafs actually got some shots on their power plays. But their shot quality is deteriorating, as it does when you're trailing. 

Conor Timmins has continued to be very good, for some small consolation.

### Third Period

The Leafs opened with two good chances. One that didn't go in.

> Timmins sends Nylander   
>  
> Shesterkin stops it [pic.twitter.com/GL99PxDPmd](https://t.co/GL99PxDPmd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847806320080036346?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

And one that did.

> Matthews makes it a one-goal game [pic.twitter.com/lYfHod55zH](https://t.co/lYfHod55zH?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847807071707677176?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Steven Lorentz was promoted in place of Pontus Holmberg on the Tavares line, and anything that makes that line functional is a good idea.

> Knies goes dog mode   
>  
> Marner and Matthews almost connect [pic.twitter.com/ckYGb0rd5i](https://t.co/ckYGb0rd5i?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847807522419167521?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Scary moment when Stolarz looked hurt.

> Chytil's stick got caught up and underneath Stolarz's pad [pic.twitter.com/mMNBs562bO](https://t.co/mMNBs562bO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847809081186119820?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Right after, Tanev played his second shift of the period, as he arrived late from intermission. 

> Trouba is called for tripping on Matthews [pic.twitter.com/pqU1qkUvUF](https://t.co/pqU1qkUvUF?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1847811408819269805?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

No joy again on the power play

Stolarz got rocked around in the crease with no calls ever made at least three times.

Leafs called a timeout with Stolarz out of the net. One more chance for the Leafs.

A missed pass led to an ENG and the Rangers win 4-1 after Panarin gets another one in the final seconds.

Leafs pushed with all the intensity you can ask for and bucked the usual scoring effects trend and shot better quality in the third period than they had all game. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2024/10/20242025-20079-cfdiff-all--1-.png)

Next games are Monday and Tuesday vs Tampa and then on the road in Columbus. See you then.