Leafs ’embarrassed’ by Kings in blowout loss: ‘They taught us a lesson tonight’
Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock gazed up at the scoreboard with 12:54 left in the first period Tuesday night and thought his team was doing alright.
Those thoughts quickly evaporated in what turned out to be Toronto’s worst loss of the season, a 7-0 thrashing at the hands of the veteran Los Angeles Kings. The Kings struck for four goals in the second period, outshooting the Leafs 43-19 overall, while out-attempting them 75-38 in all situations.
The Leafs had been riding high after wins over Edmonton (3-2), Buffalo (2-1), and Vancouver (6-3), but Tuesday’s outcome quashed that season-long three-game win streak with a thud. Babcock described it as an “embarrassing” defeat.
“As optimistic as everything appears one day and you win three in a row, then you get your lunch fed to you and you’re not competitive and not organized and not prepared,” he said. “It was a humbling experience for our players and myself here in our building.”