Max Pacioretty Admits to Unintentionally Hamstringing the Maple Leafs in Loss to Pens

Maple Leafs winger Max Pacioretty has admitted to being responsible for the play that ended up costing the Leafs the game in Pittsburgh.

In his first game back since the 9th of November , Maple Leafs veteran Max Pacioretty slotted back into the lineup and was skating on the team's top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner to start the game.

Unfortunately it wasn't really a game to remember as he went without a point in 14:34 TOI but also accrued 4 PIMs that came within 2:12 of each other.

He committed his first roughing minor on Kris Letang at the 5:33 mark of the second period and then was sent back to the sin bin 12 seconds after the expiration of the first one for roughing Letang again.

While his penalties didn't cost the Maple Leafs on the scoreboard, it quelled their momentum after William Nylander had tied the game less than 3 minutes before Pacioretty's first roughing minor.

Nevertheless, his linemates felt like they generated a lot of chances and played relatively well, despite his undisciplined play and lack of overall production.

As reported by David Alter, Craig Berube expected that Pacioretty's play would decline by the end of the game due to his lengthy absence.

The veteran forward played a more physical net-front role to give his linemates more space to be creative.

While they tried Pacioretty out on the top line in his return from the LTIR, it remains to be seen if Berube keeps his lines intact ahead of their next game against New Jersey on Tuesday, especially with how well Matthew Knies has performed on the top line lately.

Pacioretty still needs a little bit more time to get acclimated to the ice after being sidelined for nearly a month.

This article first appeared on Maple Leafs Daily and was syndicated with permission..

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