Following a difficult Game 1 performance against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov did not mince words about his own play, stating, “I played like s—t tonight.” Samsonov was pulled from the game after allowing six goals on 29 shots in the first two periods, with the Maple Leafs ultimately losing 7-3.
One contributing factor to the challenging game for Samsonov was the Lightning’s eight powerplays, during which they scored four of their goals. In order to alleviate some of the pressure on their goaltender, the Maple Leafs will need to focus on maintaining discipline and taking fewer penalties.
The Leafs and the Lightning will face off again in Game 2 tomorrow in Toronto. The team will undoubtedly be looking to rebound from their Game 1 loss and support their goaltender in making a stronger showing. Samsonov, a talented netminder, will likely be eager to put his lackluster performance behind him and prove his worth in the upcoming game, as long as he gets the start of course. It hasn’t been announced who will start.
