The Toronto Maple Leafs know they must reverse a recent trend of faltering in the third period Tuesday night when they host the Chicago Blackhawks.
At least they won’t have to face Chicago’s top scorer Connor Bedard, who was placed on injured reserve Monday due to an upper-body injury.
The Maple Leafs’ third-period woes peaked on Saturday when they allowed three straight goals — including two in the first two minutes of the period — in a 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
“We didn’t take control of the period,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “We let them dictate how it was going to play. Puck play wasn’t good. Didn’t kill any plays. That’s basically the game.”
In their 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, the Maple Leafs allowed the tying goal at 18:35 of the third period after leading 2-0 in the second.
“Our leaders have to take control of it a lot more than we are right now,” Berube said. “To me, it’s all a mindset. Whether you’re down a goal or up in the San Jose game, we’ve got to have more urgency and be more direct on how we want to play. We didn’t do it in the third period two games in a row.”
The Maple Leafs are 1-1-2 heading into the finale of a five-game homestand against the Blackhawks, who lost 4-0 at home to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.
The Blackhawks have dropped four of five and lost Bedard to injury at the end of the 3-2 road loss to the St. Louis Blues on Friday. The forward leads Chicago with 19 goals and 25 assists in 31 games.
“Let’s start with the rehab and see where it goes, and I’ll have a better update after that,” Chicago coach Jeff Blashill said Monday. “Honestly, his attitude is good. I think he wants to be back next week. That’s the approach that he takes. He wants to be back. He would have preferred that I had said ‘day-to-day,’ but the reality is we won’t let him do that until after the new year.”
The Blackhawks promoted Nick Lardis, who has 13 goals and 13 assists in 24 games with AHL affiliate Rockford, on Saturday.
The 20-year-old had two shots on goal in 15:32 against Detroit, marking his NHL debut. He played on the third line with Oliver Moore and Ryan Greene.
“I wanted him to be comfortable,” Blashill said. “Sometimes when you come up and play your first game, you start deferring. He’s played with (Moore) this year. (Greene), they’re similar ages.”
Frank Nazar moved into Bedard’s spot on the first line with Tyler Bertuzzi and Andre Burakovsky.
Chicago recalled defenseman Ethan Del Mastro from Rockford on Monday.
Toronto could have Joseph Woll in goal on Tuesday. He has been on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
“There’s a chance he could be ready,” Berube said on Monday. “He had a good practice. He feels good.”
Dennis Hildeby has done a solid job for the most part as his replacement in starting the past four games.
But Hildeby allowed six goals on 32 shots against Edmonton — one of them an own goal by Toronto defenseman Troy Stecher — before Artur Akhtyamov replaced him during the third period.
Chicago defeated Toronto 3-2 at home on Nov. 15.
