Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
There are times where your offense just isn’t clicking. The Toronto Maple Leafs hit one of those speed bumps this week. Toronto has scored just three goals over their last two games. The Maple Leafs won one of those games, but they need to keep up their scoring if Toronto wants to make the playoffs a place they plan to be for a long time this spring.
Phil Kessel has been the one player who is consistently putting the puck in the net right now with six goals over his last five games. Kessel had his five-game scoring streak snapped on Tuesday night when Toronto lost 5-1 to a streaking Washington Capitals team. That game brings serious worry because it is possible that the two teams could face each other in the first round of the playoffs. I know it is just one game, but Washington has now won eight straight games and is becoming one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
It may have been different if James Reimer was in net against the Capitals. Reimer was getting a night off and Ben Scrivens gave up those goals. Toronto needs to be fearful of Washington though and needs the rest of their offense to produce again. The Maple Leafs are fifth in the NHL with an average of three goals per game thanks for players like Kessel and Nazem Kadri. There are just five games to go in the regular season, and Toronto needs to hold on to their current fifth seed to avoid seeing Washington again right away.
Andy Schmidt is a columnist/writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @ASchmidtSports, like his Facebook page or add him to your network on Google.
