Three observations from the Maple Leafs’ Game 3 loss to the Bruins

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Three observations from Game 3 between the Maple Leafs and the Bruins, won 4-2 by Boston at Scotiabank Arena:

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MARCHAND IN CHARGE

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OK, so we didn’t necessarily learn anything new about the manner in which Bruins captain Brad Marchand plays the game.

While Marchand’s overall production is not quite what it used to be, few players in the National Hockey League can agitate as well as Marchand while twisting an offensive knife into the backs of the opposition. The Florida Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk comes to mind, but that could be it. 

For the Leafs, the challenge comes in keeping Marchand’s antics at bay while keeping him in check in the offensive zone as well.

Walking a line between ignoring what Marchand does and combating what he does won’t get any easier for the Leafs as the series progresses. 

ALL FILLER, NO KILLER 

There is no quick fix coming for the Leafs penalty kill. 

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It has been sub-par since training camp ended last fall and has not shown any signs of consistent improvement in the ensuing months. 

Two more Bruins power-play goals — including one by Marchand into an empty Leafs net in the final minute — pushed Boston to 50% for the series, going 5-for-10.

The Leafs have trouble getting set on the kill and players are out of position, so the results shouldn’t be surprising.

If it’s true that your goalie is your best penalty killer, Ilya Samsonov could argue that he’s not getting much support from his four teammates on the ice when there’s a Leaf in the box.

Finger-crossing and hoping for the best when a penalty is called against the Leafs is all that Toronto has right now. 

POWERING DOWN

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The Leafs’ failures on the power play — they’re 1-for-11 in the series for a 9.1% success rate — are a continuation of how they ended the regular season. In their final 13 games, the Leafs were 5-for-39 on the power play.

In this series, the Bruins’ tight defence and attention to detail has been a factor.

The Leafs miss the hockey IQ that William Nylander brings in all areas, especially on the power play.

In Game 3, the Leafs managed just six shots on goal in eight minutes 23 seconds of power-play time. They didn’t exactly pepper Jeremy Swayman, did they?

The authority with which the Leafs have the ability to play when they have a man advantage has gone missing.

In Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, Tyler Bertuzzi and Morgan Rielly, the ability is there for the top unit to make it work. Considering that amount of talent, there’s no excuse for the lack of execution.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun 

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