Struggling Jackets suit Leafs just fine
COLUMBUS, OHIO— Mike Babcock uses the school teacher analogy a lot.
The coach of the Maple Leafs calls every game an exam.
On Friday, the Leafs put got an A for effort in earning their first victory of the season, 6-3 over the winless Columbus Blue Jackets.
“Full marks to the guys for the win,” said Babcock. “That’s a positive for them. We got points two games in a row. It’s a long way from where we started . . . just got to keep getting better.”
The Leafs had almost a full week of practice between games, and Babcock used that time to continue his teaching and preaching ways. Finally getting a win, he thinks, will help cement his messages.
“What I need for the group is to reinforce that what we’re doing is good,” said Babcock. “Sometimes when you don’t get any wins in this league, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing that is good, it’s not being reinforced.
“It’s good for the guys to understand they’re working harder, they’re playing with better structure and they’re competing harder. And if you keep doing those things you’ll be rewarded over time.”
Babcock has tried to preach to his team to be more resilient, not to let a goal against get you down. And in particular he’s been preaching for his players to take more time with the puck, that they have more time to bury their chances than they think.
That resiliency and patience was on full display on the winning goal by Joffrey Lupul. Columbus had tied the game early in the third after Toronto had opened a 3-1 lead. Lupul, on a grinding line with Daniel Winnik and Nick Spaling, kept forechecking.
Lupul grabbed a loose puck in front of Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and held it — for what seemed like an eternity — until he saw his chance.
“I had good position, but I didn’t have anything to shoot at and I waited,” said Lupul. “Bobrovsky started to get up and I was able to slide it five-hole.”
Leo Komarov scored twice, one on a breakaway late in the third to clinch the win and then again into an empty net. Jake Gardiner, Nazem Kadri and James van Riemsdyk also scored for the Maple Leafs. Nick Foligno, Boone Jenner and Scott Hartnell scored for Columbus.
“It feels good,” said Leafs goalie James Reimer of his first win of the season. “They always feel good. The first one feels nice.
“We outplayed them in the first and we were down 1-0. When that happens, you have a tendency to feel down, or feel sorry for yourself. We kept going, kept chugging away. We came out and had a great second period and showed more resiliency when they tied it in third. I’m really happy with how the guys battled.”
Ex-Leaf David Clarkson, who said earlier he stays in touch with his old teammates, got into a small scuffle with Dion Phaneuf.
Leaf centre Tyler Bozak left the game in the second period, came back briefly in the third but left for good with a lower body injury. His status is uncertain heading into Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh.
In Columbus, there was a palpable feel of panic among the hockey folks here. It was the fifth game of the season and the Jackets — healthy for a change, and a team expected to be in the playoffs — had yet to register a victory.
“It’s on us as players,” said Foligno. “Urgency and embarrassment. We haven’t played well enough any game. It’s embarrassing we haven’t done it and there’s an urgency . . . now is the time.”
Clarkson suited up for the Blue Jackets for the first time this season.
“Not many guys are left,” Clarkson said, addressing the changes on the Toronto side.
Clarkson was traded to Columbus last year for an injured Nathan Horton in a move that created salary cap space for the Leafs and closed the books on what became a disastrous free agent signing.