4 tips from Leafs-Blue Jackets: Tavares scores 500 goals, rush defense remains alarming

Toronto’s rush defense remains downright alarming through 11 games, and it allowed Columbus to fly through the offensive zone unhindered all night. Cole Sillinger scored twice, while Mathieu Olivier and Charlie Coyle each had four-point nights for the Blue Jackets, while Zach Werenski, Dante Fabbro and Ivan Provorov also added singles.

Steven Lorentz left the game with an upper-body injury and did not return.

Here are four takeaways from the Maple Leafs’ 6-3 loss to the Blue Jackets

Cayden Primeau cannot be a mid-term answer for the Maple Leafs

We don’t like to be negative in this area, but we also have to be accurate. With that caveat out of the way, Cayden Primeau is off to a terrible start and it’s clear he’s nothing more than a short-term answer for the Maple Leafs. Primeau allowed six goals on 22 shots and while he received little support from his teammates, he also had to be much better. The 26-year-old failed to make a single save when called upon and with Anthony Stolarz’s workload reaching a huge level in early October, Primeau was forced to stay in the game.

Joseph Woll is working his way back to form after returning to the Leafs following a personal leave. Woll will eventually return as the Maple Leafs’ second goalie and will take some of the pressure off Stolarz. You have to wonder what it will take for Dennis Hildeby to be called up as well, as he is off to a great start with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. We don’t want to pick on Primeau, especially after he won his first two starts, but Wednesday was a reminder of his true talent level, on a night where every member of the team is to blame.

John Tavares scores 500th career goal

John Tavares scored the 500th goal of his career with four minutes left in the third period. It’s a shame Tavares didn’t get a chance to properly celebrate, as the Maple Leafs were already well out of the game at that point. Tavares has been the Leafs’ most consistent player this year and was a bright spot on a night when the team capitulated to rushing and rarely looked threatening, even with a positive shot differential.

Tavares has been in the national spotlight since emerging as a teenage prodigy in the Greater Toronto Hockey League and this achievement is a celebration of two decades of excellence. It’s unfortunate that this happened during the Maple Leafs’ worst loss of the season, but Tavares deserves all the flowers and accolades coming his way, especially when the team comes home against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday.

Return of the Autobahn

It was the return of the highway, as the Maple Leafs offered no resistance through the neutral zone. Toronto’s rush defense has been nothing short of alarming through 11 games, best exemplified in Wednesday’s game. Simon Benoit turned an exit pass to Tavares, Tavares couldn’t handle the puck, and Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger blew past Benoit before scoring the opening goal.

Against all odds, the Blue Jackets took down the ‘Flying V’ on a 4-on-1, with Zach Werenski taking advantage of a turnover to make it 2-0.

A terrible loss of ball by Morgan Rielly, his second game in a row with an unforced blunder, led directly to Ivan Provorov’s 3-1 goal. Sillinger scored his second goal of the game, where the Maple Leafs lost a faceoff in the offensive zone and stood idly by as the Blue Jackets executed a 2-on-1 to perfection.

Sammy Blais scores only goal in season debut

Sammy Blais scored in his season debut with the Maple Leafs and was one of the team’s better players on Wednesday. Blais was placed primarily with Steven Lorentz and Max Domi to start the match, and he made the most of his opportunity. During the second period, Blais knocked home a rebound off Jake McCabe’s first shot, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

It may be inappropriate to dig into the stats during an ostentatious loss, but Lorentz-Domi-Blais outscored the Blue Jackets 6-1 at 5-on-5. It’s also important to note that the underlying numbers don’t matter all that much for the bottom six, but Blais did well with his chances in the lineup and it will be attractive to see if he makes another appearance in Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers.