Leafs coach choosing to keep stars Marner, Matthews apart
TORONTO Winning points for artistic presentation and gaining points in the NHL standings have no correlation for Mike Babcock.
So Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner will remain on different lines, despite the Toronto Maple Leafs coach putting the two playmakers together the past two games when “a spark” was badly needed. That was Saturday in Montreal, where the duo, with fourth-liner Matt Martin, scored twice with the Habs already flat on the canvas, and Monday’s loss to Arizona, when a potential tying goal by Matthews was scrubbed on an Arizona challenge for goalie interference.
But Tuesday, Matthews, Zach Hyman and William Nylander came out together again for practice, while Marner kept saddling up with James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak.
Afterward, the Leafs jetted south for games in Florida and Carolina, with Babcock again pooh-pooing the idea of a permanent MatthewsMarner move.
“That’s great everyone wants it,” Babcock said of fan preference. “If we thought that would help us win more games, that’s what we do.
“We’re about winning games. I don’t foresee (putting them together) anytime soon. When we aren’t playing good, we move people around, that’s a different thing. But for us to be the best we can be, they’re both split to drive a line.”
RON RARELY IN THE WRONG
Ron Hainsey has taken 629 shifts, 11th most in the NHL, but Monday’s holding call, whistled by the ref at the other end off the ice, was just his second minor this season. In 929 career games, he has 394 penalty minutes.
“The idea is certainly to defend without taking penalties, including myself,” said the 36-year-old member of the 2016 Cup champion Penguins. “To defend without reaching, slashing or using your stick, hooking or whatever.”
THEM’S THE BREAKS
No storybook finish was in the cards for Matthews on Monday, with a huge third-period goal against his childhood team in his 100th NHL game wiped out by a Hyman penalty. He later rang one off the post.
Other gremlins’ hexes on the Leafs were a rare penalty to Ron Hainsey, a late Arizona powerplay goal just as Connor Carrick was going to exit and only one man advantage all night compared to four for the visitors. After leading the league in first-period goals, Toronto has been blanked in the opening frame three straight games.
“We’ve got some pretty fortunate bounces throughout these last 10 games,” said centre Nazem Kadri. “I felt we were able to turn the page today and move on to the next one.”