Sergei Bobrovsky again at the center of a Leafs collapse

Leafslatest just pointed out a brutal number for Sergei Bobrovsky after the Maple Leafs fell 6-3 to the Avalanche tonight.

Toronto led early and lost anyway. Colorado scored six in Toronto, and the Maple Leafs goaltender is once again the first name in the postgame conversation.

Leafslatest noted that it was the 12th time in 13 games this season that Bobrovsky has given up at least 3 goals, and that the game flipped after a 1-0 Toronto lead.

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That 1-0 lead came off a Darren Raddysh shot the post calls a bomb. The defenseman has been one of the few bright spots on a team that came in at 8-9-2 and had lost three straight before tonight's puck drop.

Raddysh was already carrying a heavy load. He sat at -9 before this game, and Jim Hiller's lineup shake-up against the Devils did nothing to change the direction on Sunday, when the Maple Leafs were shut out 4-0.

Nobody is pretending the goaltender is alone in this. After Saturday's loss to Montreal, William Nylander said Bobrovsky had bailed the team out, and what Nylander said about Bobrovsky pointed straight at the skaters in front of him.

Tonight went the other way. The team in front of him gave him a lead, then watched it disappear.

Do the Maple Leafs have a goalie problem?

Yes, and the number proves it. A goalie who allows three or more in 12 of 13 starts is not having a bad night, he is having a bad season, and no defensive structure hides that for long.

Before tonight the Maple Leafs had a goal differential of 0, with 64 scored and 64 allowed. A team that scores at that rate and still sits 21st in the NHL is bleeding goals at the wrong end, and the crease is where it starts.

Hiller and John Chayka have to answer a simple question: how long do they ride this? Toronto has no easy way out of it, and the Maple Leafs are 4-6-1 at home going into tonight's loss.

Darren Raddysh owned up after the Utah loss last week, and the Maple Leafs have not had much to own up to from their goaltender since. Minnesota visits Thursday, and Toronto needs a different answer in net.

Quick hits

MONTREAL CANADIENS: Eric Engels reported tonight that Nick Suzuki headed to the Canadiens room late in the third period against the Wild. Fans will want an update fast.

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SENATORS-CAPITALS: Nick Cousins was down on the ice after a violent collision with Jakob Chychrun late in the third period in Ottawa. Expect this hit to be talked about all week.

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WINNIPEG JETS: Jets fans just unlocked a new Connor Hellebuyck chant at Canada Life Centre, according to Mike McIntyre. The old goalie still owns the building.

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NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Mike McIntyre says Winnipeg fans turned on Hellebuyck tonight, even though the Devils goalie isn't playing against his old team. An odd one.

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ANAHEIM DUCKS: Derek Lee reports Juuse Saros starts in Los Angeles tonight, so the Ducks will likely see Justus Annunen in the Predators' net Wednesday night. Anaheim might like that.

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This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.

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Jakob Chychrun's big hit on Nick Cousins sparks ugly scene in Ottawa