Leafs find ways to win despite rash of injuries

Goalie Andersen likes the way team is playing

to win the division the Maple Leafs must first win the battle of attrition.

That’s why Sportsnet cameras thought it timely to switch from John Tavares’s exit down the ramp to the “quiet room” at the bell Centre Wednesday right up to Kyle dubas in the isolated team box where the general manager looked to be anxiously texting medical personnel for details.

Tavares did answer the bell from concussion protocol after getting his face mushed into the ice by Montreal’s Shea Weber. It could’ve been the Leafs fifth significant injury in 14 games and increased their average to one setback every 2.8 games, a bad-luck streak that has already shelved Joe Thornton, Nick robertson, Jack Campbell and Wayne Simmonds.

Someone posted the opening credits of MASH on Twitter before Tavares returned, in a season where all 31 teams are already in fear of COVID-19 seeping into their dressing room to ground several players.

The Leafs, who lead the North and the NHL with 11 wins in 14 games, have thus far managed to plug the holes created by the injuries. The Taxi Squad radio has been crackling, with players moving up to the fourth line or higher, the club was victorious in its only game without leading scorer Auston Matthews, Frederik Andersen has won six of seven since backup Campbell went down and the bug has spared the blue-line with only Travis dermott missing a game with a charley horse mishap.

And for the second straight night when their “A” game was off, when Matthews’ eight-game goal streak ended and Mitch Marner’s equally lengthy points streak went poof, three players who hadn’t scored in a year led a 4-2 win over the Habs.

“Not our best two periods, but we got better as the game went along,” team captain Tavares said. “We didn’t give them a lot, then came out and took the game in our hands.”

FRED X DELIVERS

The anti-andersen mob was no doubt massing on social media when he gave up a first-shot goal Wednesday, his first test in a much-hyped series against Montreal’s more accomplished Carey Price. but between that Josh Anderson strike and a late-game punch by Tomas Tatar, the dane denied the Habs 33 times.

“That’s the (mental) skill you have to have as a goalie,” Andersen said. “you just can’t let it bother you. even after a great save, you can’t live in the past, you have to be really quick to turn the page. you can never work enough on that.”

until Andersen gets another shot at playoff redemption, his hands will be full in a compacted 56-game schedule facing some of the best shooters in the league who reside in the North. The same for Price or his backup, Jake Allen, who survived Matthews and Marner only to face Connor Mcdavid and Leon draisaitl.

“It’s another part of the job description,” Andersen said of seeing the offensive weapons on edmonton, Calgary, Montreal and Winnipeg several times.

“every team will try to limit (the opposing stars’) time and space (while) our team tries to challenge their goalies.

“We have great talent up front, too, so I don’t think we’re too worried about that, just keep our confidence that we can score.”

Coach Sheldon Keefe said his internal numbers ranked Thursday’s match as the fewest scoring chances Leafs have allowed this season. Andersen certainly likes what he sees when the flow goes the other way.

“It’s the patience in our game, the confidence that we don’t have to force it. We let the plays develop and stick to our process. It’s really paying off.”

THE BIG M-EMORY

A wee addition to colleague Steve Simmons’ story about Frank Mahovlich from the big M’s NHL swan song with the WHA Toronto Toros between 1974-76.

Mahovlich had departed his last NHL team, the Canadiens, after a 31-goal season and six Stanley Cups, so the low-budget Toros took some getting used to.

After a few games, he turned to young linemate Gavin Kirk and said in jest, “you’re the worst centre I’ve ever played with.” Kirk was angered by the comment and Mahovlich kept up the needling, recalling the story in the Toronto Sun a few years ago at the Toros’ 40-year reunion. “Finally, Gavin says, ‘So who’d you play with before me?’

“I said, ‘well, there’s dave Keon, Alex delvecchio and Jean béliveau (all Hall of Famers). Gavin thought for a sec and said, ‘OK, it’s not a bad list to be fourth on.’”