Leafs keen to end losing streak

ANAHEIM As much as the Toronto Maple Leafs want to stop turning the puck over, especially in the neutral zone, their former coach would be quite happy if the Leafs’ woes continued.

“They like to stretch the neutral ice out,” Anaheim Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said on Wednesday, following the clubs’ morning skates at the Honda Center.

“They make as many long passes as any team in the league, and I would say similar to what Pittsburgh has done over the last little while in stretching out that neutral zone with one pass, they have their centre low but they will fly their wingers.

“They’re going to try to play an uptempo style and we have to be prepared to have our checking hats on versus turning the puck over and allowing them to have that rush game.”

The Leafs are getting to the point that they don’t much care how they win, just that they do. They’ve lost three in a row, including a poor effort in San Jose on Monday, and four of their past five. Toronto has not lost four in a row in regulation since March/April 2016.

Still, Leafs coach Mike Babcock knows that controlling the puck with more efficiency is key. The Leafs have been charged with 152 giveaways through 12 games of the 2017-18 regular season, fourthmost in the National Hockey League.

“We just can’t turn the puck over,” Babcock said. “The neutral zone can’t be an obstacle for us. We have to get on the forecheck and spend some time in their zone. We didn’t do enough of that the other night.

“It’s a long night for your D, not a lot of fun for your forwards. You want to have the puck and you want to play in the O zone, and in order to do that, you have to get through the neutral zone.”