I almost feel bad for that photo. Almost.

Okay, the Leafs played a SEGABABA vs the Hurricanes on a SEGABABA with travel. Both teams were playing barely experienced AHL goalies, and both teams had their best defender on IR. Steven Lorentz and Scott Laughton seemingly hurt and definitely hurt on Saturday, respectively, did not play.

So how did it go?

Well, on the one hand the Leafs gave the puck away a lot, allowed a lot of rush chances against, made some really bad pinches, bad choices, bad decisions, and sometimes defended by trying to look like they were trying to defend. On the other the score was 4-3 after two periods. For the Leafs, that is.

The Hurricanes outshot the Leafs 20-13 (Corsi at five-on-five) in the first, 18-7 in the second, and 29-5 in the total collapse of a third period. I didn't bother to score adjust that because it actually makes it worse.

Dennis Hildeby looked a little freaked out a few times, got lucky on a whole series of shots that rang off the post, and also made some good saves, but it wasn't the most confidence-building outing from a goalie ever.

The early highlight was this setup the coaches were very happy with:

The good moment in a bad second period:

And the best goal of the first:

The Leafs didn't deserve the lead, as Carolina had the puck a lot and did their special style of shooting, but that was an overwhelming volume and their best chances came when the Leafs handed them the puck.

After two.

The Leafs, on the other hand, actually scored on the power play and it was pretty! (That's the Matthews goal above.)

Carolina tied it back up early in the third when the Leafs – several of them – failed to do anything that resembled a clean zone exit or even a simple dump out. They'd done similar things on the PK earlier as well – and that's when a simple dump out is just what you do, how hard is that to remember?

Watch this, though, they all seem to believe they will be rocking up ice any minute. No one makes it happen.

Carolina's Mitch Marner consolation prize, Logan Stankoven, got the go-ahead goal on a situation that unfolded due to poor puck management.

Look, I get it, everyone has painted the black hats on the coach and the GM. You don't play a good team and come out looking like the 2015 Sabres because your basic systems are working for you and your team has stars at every position. But the meme now is Berube and Treliving are bad and are the root cause of inflation, the TTC and Leafs players not being able to play basic hockey.

When is it up to them? When is it up to the best players on the team to do basic things well? When is it up to them to find some solutions themselves and stop flailing around like they just learned to skate?

This game, to me, was full of top-echelon players having moments of sublime play offensively and total inattention to hockey basics the rest of the time. In front of a rookie goalie.

It's not like this was the first time. This weekend.

Hurricanes defender Charles Legault was skate cut on his hand in a tussle with Bobby McMann (over the knocked down Nick Robertson). No word on his status.

It was also the HHOF game:

This was the best part of the entire game:

- TSN
Former player Jennifer Botterill and former coach Danièle Sauvageau joined the TSN Hockey panel to discuss how they’re feeling after being inducted into the HHOF.
TSN
‘Very fortunate’: Hockey Hall of Fame’s 2025 class set for induction
Sportsnet.caCanadian Press

And try to find a reasonable amount of patience as Joe Woll gets up to speed. He's not starting the next game or anything like that.

Woll begins AHL conditioning stint before Maple Leafs return | NHL.com
Goalie rejoined team Oct. 24, had left during training camp to handle personal matter
NHL logoDave McCarthy

That's it, I'm fed up with the entire team from the top to the bottom, and I don't think there's an innocent party left. Maybe JT. But he'd tell you himself that it's his responsibility to make sure everyone else plays their best.

He gets the last word:

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