Fowler Stands Tall as Canadiens Spoil Toronto's Better Night
Toronto had the better chances on home ice and still lost 4-2 to Montréal, because Jacob Fowler stopped nearly everything the Leafs threw at him while Sergei Bobrovsky couldn't do the same at the other end.
The shots finished level at 28 apiece, but the Leafs got far more of the puck toward the net, with 64 shot attempts to Montréal's 49. By expected goals (how many goals a team's chances were worth), Toronto's looks added up to 4.11, Montréal's to 2.72. On a normal night that's a Leafs win.
Instead, Fowler made 26 saves on 28 shots, including 11 of 12 from the most dangerous areas. Auston Matthews generated the most dangerous looks of any skater and came away with only an assist. William Nylander and Gavin McKenna each beat Fowler once, but that was all Toronto could get.
Bobrovsky stopped 24 of 28, and he gave up a couple more goals than Montréal's chances deserved. By goals saved above expected (how many goals a goalie stopped beyond what an average netminder would), he finished at minus 1.78. Montréal, now 10-3-3, got the bounces and the bigger saves. Toronto falls to 8-7-2, still in the wild-card mix but wondering how this one got away.
