Playoff spot no gimme for the Leafs
TORONTO If his Toronto Maple Leafs are starting to feel the pressure that comes with playing in Toronto — and the increased heat that comes with trying to nail down a playoff spot — Mike Babcock offered some advice.
“You could go home and watch you guys (the media) all day long if you wanted to,” the Leafs coach said after the players had an optional practice Friday.
“What I would suggest is you watch the hunting channel. They don’t cover anything on the Leafs. Go out for a nice dinner and get a good sleep and I would come in (Saturday) and get ready.
“Country music radio, they don’t talk about hockey. You know what’s going on around you and you want to do a real good job for the fans and the city of Toronto and all those things. These guys want to win for them(selves), too. I think that’s the priority.”
The Leafs remain in the driver’s seat heading into the final weekend of the regular season. With 93 points and two games remaining — at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday and the Columbus Blue Jackets Sunday — the Leafs hold the final Eastern Confer- ence wild-card spot and were three points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders heading into Friday’s games.
The Lightning were playing in Montreal against the Canadiens Friday night in the lone game on the NHL schedule. Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes would be finished with a loss.
Games involving the Islanders and Lightning this weekend were of little interest to the Leafs. If the Leafs get two points in their final two games, they’re going to the playoffs for the first time since 2013 and that was their focus.
As for whether the Leafs are battling nerves with a playoff spot for the taking, they’re drawing on past experiences to get them through the intensity. Yes, there have been back-to-back regulation losses for the first time in more than a month, but the Leafs have won 11 of their past 16 games.
“If you’re playing in the NHL, (the great likelihood is) you’ve had some success on big stages before,” defenceman Connor Carrick said. “When you are getting ready to play big games, what is it that makes you nervous? Screwing up. Well, you have already played big games and screwed up and still have a career.
“The most crippling thing is when you are afraid to make mistakes. That’s hard hockey to play when you’re really jammed up. You have to mentally saddle up.”
The hunting channel and country music to relax? It sounded more like they were going to catch some of the Masters golf tournament.
Even Babcock couldn’t stray from a golf analogy.
“It’s no different than being on the tee at the Masters,” Babcock said. “You step up there, you have to clear your mind and hit the ball. If there is momentary doubt, you push through it and hit it down the middle and get ready for your next shot.”