An unlikely comeback win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday was not enough to ignite the Toronto Maple Leafs two nights later.
The Maple Leafs were shutout 4-0 by the Washington Capitals on Thursday, being outshot 29-22 as they suffered their fourth defeat in their past six games.
The Maple Leafs were blanked 4-0 by the Washington Capitals on Thursday, being outshot 29-22 as they suffered their fourth defeat in their past six games.
Both head coach Craig Berube and captain Auston Matthews appeared to question the team’s effort in the loss, which leaves Toronto at 15-13-5 on the season.
“We had power-play opportunities,” Berube said. “The power play was not good. It’s got to be a lot better. And to me, they played with more passion than we did tonight. That’s what it boils down to. It looked to me like they had way more urgency in their game, more passion in their game. That’s the difference.”
“I thought we just made it really easy for them,” Matthews added. “The neutral zone was a highway for them to get through. We just made it so easy for them and they’re obviously a skilled team, a lot of talent, a lot of speed. I don’t think we put enough stress on them on both sides of the puck.”
The Maple Leafs could not convert on any of their five power-play opportunities against the Capitals as special teams continue to plague the club.
Toronto’s power play success rate sits at just 14.1 per cent this season, ranking 31st in the NHL, just ahead of the Calgary Flames (14 per cent). The team has allowed four shorthanded goals, including one Tuesday against Chicago, to the 12 they have scored on the power play.
After Thursday’s defeat, the Maple Leafs sit just one point out of last place in the Eastern Conference, four points back of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the crowded Eastern Conference.
On the opposite side Thursday, the Capitals improved to 19-11-4 and were thrilled with their effort against Toronto.
“Probably our best game of the year from the whole collective group,” goaltender Logan Thompson said after recording the shutout. “Honestly, a perfect game. … They have a lot of really high-talented personnel over there. Credit to the guys, that wasn’t easy.”
All 16 teams in the Eastern Conference are .500 or better in points percentage this morning, while there are 7 teams in the Western Conference below that .500 points percentage mark.
Flip side to that in West, elite teams at top to be sure.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 19, 2025
The Maple Leafs have made the playoffs in each of the past nine seasons, including last years in their first campaign with Berube behind the bench, finishing atop the Atlantic Division with a 52-26-4 record.