For the second game in a row, the Leafs were trailing before the game really got started after an unsure play up the wall by Alex Kerfoot and John Tavares led to a turnover in Toronto zone. With Justin Holl jumping up to join the breakout prior to the turnover, Denis Gurianov was all alone to trickle it through Frederik Andersen’s five-hole on his first shot against in his first game back.
Gurianov shot sneaks through Andersen's pads. 1-0 Stars. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/Xs85pArAKY
— Maple Leafs Hotstove (@LeafsNews) February 14, 2020
Unsurprisingly, once the Stars were in possession of the lead, the period became a defensive battle and the Leafs struggled to generate many quality scoring chances.