Lance Hornsby
runs down what to watch out for when Toronto (2-1-0) takes on the Stars (2-0-0) in Dallas:
Hey, aren’t you ...?
Not only are ex-Leafs defencemen Connor Carrick and Roman Polak now in green, they’re playing together.
“In terms of predictability, it helps me, playing and talking to Roman,” said Carrick, who was aboard for only two Dallas Stars practices before the season began, while Polak was a Day 1 camper. “Our (entire) defence do a good job reloading, gapping up, to give our (forwards) open space to get cooking.”
Leafs coach Mike Babcock extolled Carrick’s strong character the past few years and hoped he and his new wife found a secure home with the Stars.
“I feel similarly,” Carrick said of bearing no ill will. “I had goals and dreams all summer of making the Leafs and trained to get a bigger piece of the pie. Mike didn’t see it that way. But that’s what this league is all about. Sometimes you fit in and sometimes you don’t.”
Keep the power on
Dallas has manufactured three power-play goals on seven chances, two by big man Jamie Benn. The Leafs, who are more of an artistic lot, have a man-advantage goal in every game, so it will be a case of who behaves better.
Freddy’s back
After Maple Leafs goaltender Garret Sparks got the start on Sunday, a rested Frederik Andersen is back in Toronto’s goal. His career save percentage in five games versus the Stars is below .900. Sparks won’t be the backup goalie for long if he keeps allowing six goals a night like he did in Chicago, but had sort of a Grant Fuhrtype game Sunday where he kept making the big save before things spiralled out of control.
“We have lots of confidence in him and he’s proved he can play well at this level,” defenceman Morgan Rielly said of Sparks.
“Moving forward, this (win) should build his confidence.”
Kap space
The Leafs are expected to keep Kasperi Kapanen on Auston Matthews’ right side after an early switch in Chicago. That will give Toronto’s attack some speed and bite, though the Stars will have last line change at home Tuesday.
Hold the Fort
The Stars have allowed one goal in two games, while the Leafs have been a leaky boat at times, giving up 13 in three starts. Toronto’s unforced errors don’t help, but 29 shot blocks in Chicago partly atoned for the slipups in their own end.