March Break just became March Bleak for the Maple Leafs.

 

In sight of beating the red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins, the Leafs gave up two goals in the final eight minutes and lost their fourth straight game, by a 3-1 empty net count. It was their second close loss to the Pens in less than a week, but the stall in the standings is very concerning.

Sidney Crosby’s quiet evening came to an abrupt end with a nifty no-look backhand pass that Pascal Dupuis was wide open to bury. Toronto was within 7:18 of getting Ben Scrivens a shutout. The Leafs then had a power play to work with to regain the lead, but missed a chance when Marc-Andre Fleury was without a stick. When he had his lumber, Fleury then stopped Leo Komarov on a breakaway with three minutes to go. Following that, defenceman Korbinian Holzer was on again for Dupuis’s winner, followed by a Craig Adams empty netter. The Pens made it seven in a row, while the Leafs are now only a couple of games above .500.