Go the west coast, they said.
There’s sun, sand and surf and easy points, they said.
Whoever “they” are should be strapped to goal posts.
The Toronto Maple Leafs lost Thursday night in Los Angeles, to the Kings, 1-0, on penalties.
On Friday night, they got a regulation goal to improve things, but still lost, this time to the Ducks in Anaheim, 2-1.
“We’re all in this together,” Toronto’s Auston Matthews said. “You play through the good and the bad and the adversity. Obviously, in the position that we’re in, there are lots of critics and lots of stuff that comes with it, but I think in this room we’re headstrong.”
It’s always “we”.
John Gibson got the start for the Ducks and made 26 saves, but left the game midway through the third period with an injury.
Ryan Miller made four saves on five shots.
“They’re both world-class goaltenders, so it’s nice to have them in our corner,” the Ducks’ Carter Rowney said.
William Nylander had the lone goal for the Maple Leafs; it was the third goal in three California games.
“We know it’s going to come,” Mitchell Marner said. “There’s no need to rush or put pressure on ourselves. We’re a team that can score. I mean, this road trip we showed that we can play in low-scoring games, it’s just our scoring wasn’t there, but it will come.”
Rowney and Adam Henrique scored for the Ducks who had a 2-0 lead before Nylander’s strike.
“Two big wins against two good teams,” Rowney said. “Hopefully we can keep it going on this homestand.”
[WATCH: All Maple Leafs vs. Ducks highlights]
Jack Campbell made 26 saves in the unsupported loss.
“I think the positives are that our guys will feel good about the fact that they’re playing in these tight games and feel good about the fact that, on the back to back at the end of the trip here, that we have our best period in the third and have a pretty strong push throughout the period,” Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “We’ll regroup and be ready to go on home ice.”
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