Steady Leafs brace for Knights
Toronto coach says his team is finding path to consistency
LAS VEGAS Consistency can be elusive in the National Hockey League, but Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock is thinking his team might be on to something.
The Leafs have won six of their past eight games, including five of seven since returning from the bye week.
“We found a way most nights to be pretty good. Even when we lost, we were pretty good,” Babcock said.
“That’s what we’re trying to do. Older, veteran teams, they find a way to have less ups and downs.”
Toronto (35-18-3) continues its road swing Thursday with a visit to Las Vegas, where the Golden Knights (31-23-4) will get their first look this season at Auston Matthews.
When Vegas played at Scotiabank Arena in November, Matthews was recovering from a shoulder injury.
William Karlsson was effective in a matchup that night against John Tavares. Vegas coach Gerard Gallant could use Karlsson against Tavares again.
If not, it’s bound to be Karlsson versus Matthews.
Matthews has two goals in two career games against Vegas; Karlsson has three goals and four assists in nine games versus the Leafs.
Here are five things to watch for on Thursday:
Tread carefully: The Leafs expect a fired-up opponent after Vegas lost to Arizona on Tuesday. “I was disappointed, but (the players) were more disappointed than I was,” Gallant said. “We made too many mistakes.” Andersen effect: Babcock was saying in Denver he doesn’t often like to give the opposing team too much credit, but acknowledged Frederik Andersen has stolen some games for the Leafs this season. One of those came on Nov. 6, when Andersen made 36 saves in a 3-1 Leafs win over Vegas. Toronto had only 21 shots on goal that night. Finding a way: The Leafs weren’t terrific in a 5-2 victory against Colorado on Tuesday, certainly not at five-on-five, and relied on the power play to get by. Still, it was the 18th road victory by the Leafs this season, second-most in the NHL. Vegas has compiled a 168-3 record at home and has a goal differential of plus-22 (85-63) at T-Mobile Arena. The Leafs should expect a tough challenge.
Stingy on the PK: The Leafs finally struck gold on their power play, scoring three goals against the Avalanche. Vegas is tied with Tampa Bay for the best penalty-killing rate in the NHL on home ice, at 87.8 per cent. The Golden Knights have allowed just nine power-play goals at home.
Flower power: Marc-Andre Fleury has been the busiest goaltender in the NHL this season, starting 50 games and putting together a record of 29-17-4. Fleury has a good win/loss record against the Leafs in his career, going 18-11-4, but has a less-than-average save percentage of .898 versus Toronto in 35 games. The Leafs are one of just four NHL clubs against which Fleury has not posted a career save percentage above .900. If the Leafs can catch Fleury, as mobile as he is, in scramble mode, it will be to their advantage.