Did Morgan Rielly's helmet havoc play a role in a Toronto loss?
The Toronto Maple Leafs have found a way historically to lose in strange and interesting ways, and Morgan Rielly and his helmet might have played a role in a recent 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins.
Rielly lost his helmet in the corner with just minutes remaining in Saturday's game against the Bruins, and without a stoppage in play, Rielly was unable to retrieve the lost piece of equipment. The Leafs tried to give him a different player's helmet to wear, but it was too small and thus Rielly was unable to play at the end of the game.
That meant the Maple Leafs had to send in a substitute for Rielly -- one of their better defensemen -- and they ended up putting in Martin Marincin, who has played the role of a seventh defenseman at times this season, instead. The mismatch did not work out well for the Leafs, as Marincin turned the puck over to Bruins forward Brad Marchand in the Toronto end and Marchand immediately fired on net, beating Jonathan Bernier to score the game-winner with 47 seconds remaining in the game.
Hockey Night In Canada's Craig Simpson immediately placed the blame on the Rielly helmet fiasco. Via The Leafs Nation:
"The guy who should be out there is sitting on the bench without a helmet," Craig Simpson said on the broadcast."I mentioned that they needed to get him one, and they brought him Frankie Corrado's. It didn't fit. They couldn't get it on, and so on a shift, Marincin ends up going out and what happens? The puck follows you around. A turnover, and a potential game-winning goal with 47 seconds [remaining]. All because Morgan Rielly couldn't find a helmet that fit."
But is it accurate to blame a team's loss on one player's inability to take the ice? If Rielly had gotten hurt rather than lost his helmet, it would have been an unfortunate loss, but who is to say the blame would be placed on his absence in that situation? Good teams have to win with the players they have available. The Leafs were unable to do that Saturday.
