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Max Pacioretty Admits to Unintentionally Hamstringing the Maple Leafs in Loss to Pens

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Dean Chaudhry
December 9, 2024 (0:01)

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Toronto Maple Leafs' forward Max Pacioretty looking onwards ahead of a face-off during a road matchup against the Boston Bruins.

Photo credit: Winslow Townson - Imagn Images

Maple Leafs winger Max Pacioretty has admitted to being responsible for the play that ended up costing the Leafs the game in Pittsburgh.

In his first game back since the 9th of November, Maple Leafs veteran Max Pacioretty slotted back into the lineup and was skating on the team's top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner to start the game.

Unfortunately it wasn't really a game to remember as he went without a point in 14:34 TOI but also accrued 4 PIMs that came within 2:12 of each other.

He committed his first roughing minor on Kris Letang at the 5:33 mark of the second period and then was sent back to the sin bin 12 seconds after the expiration of the first one for roughing Letang again.

"You don't want to be in the box, not to say I completely agree with it all," Pacioretty said after Toronto's 5-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. "But, you know, that's the way the game goes sometimes. I got to be probably smarter there. But, you know, the right intent is there. I just got to be a bit more disciplined."

While his penalties didn't cost the Maple Leafs on the scoreboard, it quelled their momentum after William Nylander had tied the game less than 3 minutes before Pacioretty's first roughing minor.

Nevertheless, his linemates felt like they generated a lot of chances and played relatively well, despite his undisciplined play and lack of overall production.

"I thought we were moving our feet well, created O-zone time, made some good plays around the net and throughout the zones," Marner said of Pacioretty's impact on the line.

As reported by David Alter, Craig Berube expected that Pacioretty's play would decline by the end of the game due to his lengthy absence. The veteran forward played a more physical net-front role to give his linemates more space to be creative.

While they tried Pacioretty out on the top line in his return from the LTIR, it remains to be seen if Berube keeps his lines intact ahead of their next game against New Jersey on Tuesday, especially with how well Matthew Knies has performed on the top line lately.

Pacioretty still needs a little bit more time to get acclimated to the ice after being sidelined for nearly a month.

Previously on MapleLeafsDaily

Maple Leafs' Goaltending Depth Takes a Big Hit Over the Weekend

Maple Leafs Prospect Uses Demotion as Motivation, Breaks Impressive Marlies Record

William Nylander Had Some Words for the Critics After Leafs' Loss to Pittsburgh

POLL
9 DECEMBRE \| 2689 ANSWERS Max Pacioretty Admits to Unintentionally Hamstringing the Maple Leafs in Loss to Pens Should the Maple Leafs keep Max Pacioretty with Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews?
▢ Yes
▢ No
▢ Try it out for another couple of games