Leafs players react to blown lead and loss to the lowly Habs
The Leafs dominated the opening period against the Habs last night, scoring less than a minute into the game and again near the end of the period to exit with a 2-0 lead. Then the second period began and the Leafs gave up a goal to Josh Anderson less than 2 minutes in which changed the momentum of the game completely, according to a handful of Leafs.
"As soon as they got their goal, they got their legs going. They got some momentum from the crowd, and we obviously didn't have a good second period after that. It sucks. I think being up two going into the first intermission, you're in control. And I thought we had looks to go (up) three, even four. But that's the game. Once they saw something go their way, they picked up their game," said 39-year-old Mark Giordano who opened the scoring.
The Leafs struggled mightily after the Habs got within one and found themselves hemmed into their own zone on a few occasions with the Habs getting 4 or 5 chances at time before the Leafs would be able to relieve the pressure. While the Leafs rebounded with a much better third, the lack of drive and desire in the second period was their downfall.
As Calle Jarnkrok said, "They kind of just took over, especially that second period. They were first on pucks, even second on pucks." The Leafs were getting outworked and it showed as the expected goals for in the second period swayed heavily in favour of the Habs at 88 percent. The Leafs had their chances to regain the lead in the third and win the game in overtime, but were unsuccessful and an exhausted line in overtime gave up a 2-on-1 that led to Rem Pitlick's game winner. The Leafs now head home and begin their longest homestand of the season that will take them into the All-Star break.
