Knee Jerk Reaction: A blown lead in the third period becomes the norm for Maple Leafs

There were bright spots. The Maple Leafs pinning the Blackhawks on their own and Morgan Rielly putting on an offensive zone clinic and ultimately finding the back of the net seemed like it could be a shift that would change the confidence level of the Leafs locker room. The Leafs even had a coach challenge thrown their way, which seemed like another strong sign that their luck would change. And Joseph Woll came ready to play, just the way they needed him to.

The Leafs also responded well after the Blackhawks’ opening goal, overpowering the Hawks until Nick Robertson finally tied the game.

Of course, it’s the Leafs and there’s been a lot to talk about lately on the negative side of things, and losing to another 2024-2025 lottery team isn’t a great look.

Chicago’s goal from Ryan Greene came after Max Domi’s line had been in their own zone for more than a minute and the result seemed inevitable as soon as the HNIC offensive possession time tracker appeared on the screen. While options are limited with Auston Matthews and Scott Laughton out, Domi’s play in the defensive zone will sink the Leafs.

The Leafs also started the game without a shot for six minutes. They eventually got back into a fairly even shot with the Blackhawks, but a slow start on Saturday night was a notable blunder for a team trying to get back on track.

The Leafs taking the lead in the third period has seemed noticeable lately, and while the Leafs were the dominant team for a strong portion of the game, the inability to close things out is perhaps the only consistent thing about the club.

PRESENTED BY VIVID CHAIRS