Deflated Chris Tanev delivers 4-word reaction to his pass on John Tavares’ goal

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Dec 07, 2024 07:10 GMT

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Chris Tanev was frustrated after the Maple Leafs lost 3-1 to the Washington Capitals on Friday. Fans in blue were disappointed at the Scotiabank Arena following the Leafs' offense and defense failing to respond to the Capitals' balanced play.

The Maple Leafs were looking good after winning seven of their last eight games ahead of the Capitals matchup. Many insiders like Bruce Boudreau considered them to be ready for playoffs, but their loss has left the Leafs vulnerable.

The Maple Leafs' only goal came in the second period when John Tavares scored at 11:31 to tie the game at 1-1. He received a long pass from Tanev, broke in alone and scored on a backhand shot, but the team couldn’t build on it.

Despite his helper on Tavares’ goal, Tanev didn’t want to talk about it. When asked, he said, per Mark Masters:

“Who cares? We lost.”

The game changed in the third period when the Capitals scored the go-ahead goal. Auston Matthews tried to pass the puck behind the net, but it hit an official and bounced loose. Connor McMichael quickly grabbed the puck and lifted it past Anthony Stolarz to make it 2-1.

Late in the game, Tavares had another chance, but Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren made a spectacular glove save to preserve the lead.

Leafs coach Craig Berube said that his team didn’t play fast enough and gave up too many turnovers. Chris Tanev also said that the Leafs didn’t handle Washington’s pressure well.

"They worked extremely hard. They outworked us tonight. Deserved to win," Tanev said.

For Toronto, the loss was a setback after winning three straight games.

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Chris Tanev was left out of the 4 Nations Faceoff roster

The rosters for the 4-Nations Face-Off are out, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are well represented. Auston Matthews will captain Team USA. William Nylander will play for Sweden. Jani Hakanpaa will represent Finland, while Mitch Marner will join Team Canada. However, some choices for Canada’s roster have raised questions, especially on defense.

Despite a strong season, Chris Tanev from the Leafs was left out, leading debate. Critics argue that Tanev’s shutdown skills and excellent possession stats make him a better choice than Colton Parayko or Travis Sanheim.

While Parayko and Sanheim contribute offensively, Canada already has players like Cale Makar and Alex Pietrangelo excelling in that area. Tanev’s inclusion could have improved defensive balance.

While Chris Tanev’s injury history and low scoring might concern some, his defensive reliability stands out. Leaving him off the roster could make it tougher for Canada to address its weaknesses in the tournament.