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.

Which started out well:

And Conor Timmins was very good:

And Anthony Stolarz had to be on his game.

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.

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

Pontus Holmberg immediately took a chasing the play penalty.

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

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.

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.

The Rangers don't.

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

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

The Leafs got another power play.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

And one that did.

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

Scary moment when Stolarz looked hurt.

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

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.

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

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