Leafs not satisfied with blowout Coach Babcock says Toronto has to be better in tonight’s home opener
TORONTO — Despite watching his team win 7-2 in Winnipeg to kick off the season, Mike Babcock wants improvements in tonight’s home opener against the New York Rangers.
The Maple Leafs coach reeled off Toronto’s eight penalties Wednesday against the Jets, a docket that ranged from too many men on the ice and an equipment violation (Leo Komarov’s askew visor) to four high-sticking calls.
“Stay out of the box, that will really help us with goals-against and then just (a) commitment to doing things right,” Babcock’s wish list read after practice Friday. “As a group, we have been through enough. We know how to do it right, we’ve just got to do it right.”
Goaltender Frederik Andersen helped Toronto survive a rocky opening that saw three straight Leaf penalties. Then Toronto’s high-octane offence kicked into gear.
Veteran winger Patrick Marleau scored his first two goals as a Leaf with singles from Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, James van Riemsdyk and Nazem Kadri.
The young guns now get to showcase their skills before a home crowd filled with expectations after a breakthrough 2016-17 season that saw the Leafs (40-27-15) improve by 29 points over the previous year and take the first-place Washington Capitals to six games in a tight first-round playoff series.
For defenceman Morgan Rielly, the home opener is a chance to “get better defensively.”
“There are things we can improve on for sure,” he said. “We had a good meeting, talked about New York and what they bring to the table, so we’re going to be ready.”
The Rangers lost their home opener 4-2 on Thursday to Colorado despite outshooting the Avalanche 39-26. “You look around the league, there’s lots of speed and lots of skill,” said Rielly. “I think it’s great for the league, it makes it very exciting.” But not for defencemen. “Not fun,” added Rielly. For the 38-year-old Marleau, tonight’s curtain-raiser at Air Canada Centre follows 19 home openers in San Jose.
“I’m excited,” said Marleau. “It’s going to be a great atmosphere to go into. They usually all are, but now it’s a little bit different for me with the new club and everything.”
Toronto added some goaltending depth on Friday, acquiring Calvin Pickard from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for forward Tobias Lindberg and a sixthround selection in the 2018 draft.