The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered a 6-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, and goalie Anthony Stolarz believes the team learned an early lesson.
The Maple Leafs started strong and got out to a 2-0 lead after the first period. However, Toronto took its foot off the gas and the Red Wings scored three unanswered in the second period to take a 3-2 lead into the second intermission.
Toronto ended up starting the third period strong, tying it 3-3, but the Red Wings once again scored three unanswered to get a 6-3 win.
Following the loss, Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz believes the team didn’t take Detroit seriously enough, which is an early lesson learned.
“At the end of the day, it’s a lesson for us,” Stolarz said postgame. “We have to come to play every night. Doesn’t matter who you’re playing, teams in this league are good. Anyone can beat anyone on any given night.”
Stolarz believes the Maple Leafs got too comfortable with a 2-0 lead and got off their game, which they can’t afford to do against any team in the NHL.
“We stopped getting pucks in deep, stopped hunting them on the forecheck,” Stolarz added. “We kind of just sat back and let them walk all over us. You look at that first period, we were all over them. Two goals, low to high. Then they’re a team that after their first game and that period, I imagine they got reamed out. So we knew that they were gonna be coming.”
Stolarz stopped 29 of the 33 shots he faced.
Maple Leafs Have a ‘Bad Taste’ In Their Mouth
Toronto is now 1-1 on the season following their lopsided loss to Detroit on Saturday.
Stolarz believes the Maple Leafs didn’t play to the best of their ability, which is why the team has a bad taste in their mouth.
“I think this is gonna leave a bad taste in everyone’s mouth,” Stolarz said. “Going back home for a 2 o’clock game on Thanksgiving, I think the fans will be riled up. We’re gonna have to match that intensity and put forth a good effort.”
The Maple Leafs do have a chance to right the ship against Detroit right away. Toronto will host the Red Wings on Monday at 2 p.m. ET, and Stolarz expects the team to play much better.
Toronto ‘Beat’ Themselves, Says Coach
Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube agreed with Stolarz, as he believes the team beat itself.
Berube believes Toronto took the foot off the gas and got too comfortable with an early lead, which he wasn’t pleased about.
“We spent too much time in our zone,” Berube said. “They eventually capitalized. We tired ourselves out because we three-quarter-iced ourselves in the second period. That cost us the hockey game. You know, we had the puck twice — before two (Detroit) goals — on our tape, and guys were just standing watching the guy instead of working to get out of our zone. That’s really the game, for me. We beat ourselves, in my opinion.”
The Maple Leafs were outshot 35 to 23 in the loss.
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