Third line’s the charm on Leafs road trip
Kerfoot-mikheyev-engvall combination finds groove in pair of games in Alberta
After being dealt some unsuitable roster cards, the Toronto Maple Leafs might have found a third line that’s three-of-a-kind.
For the better part of three months, former coach Mike Babcock and now Sheldon Keefe tried to assemble a chain that could be quick, defensively reliable and take some scoring pressure off the top two groups. Success could be at hand following a road trip that ended with Alex Kerfoot, Ilya Mikheyev and Pierre Engvall having a pair of strong games in Calgary and Edmonton, striking twice against the Oilers in Saturday’s 4-1 win.
After John Tavares joined the team last year, it was the Leafs’ master plan to have three centres who could stretch the enemy’s checking resources. That worked at times with Nazem Kadri, except for his habit of getting suspended at crunch time. He was traded to Colorado for Kerfoot and defenceman Tyson Barrie, but Kerfoot started slow, seemed incompatible with numerous wingers, including Mikheyev on his right side. The return of injured Zach Hyman and Mitch Marner restored order to the first two lines, leading to Keefe’s latest experiment, Toronto Marlies call-up Pierre Engvall on Kerfoot’s right, Mikheyev moved to the left.
On Saturday, with Tavares’ line keeping focus on Connor Mcdavid and Leon Draisaitl and Auston Matthews’ trio neutralized, the Kerfoot crew could shine.
“They worked, they made plays, they attacked the net ... they were feeling it,” Keefe said. “That’s a good sign for our team, three guys like that who skate. I felt comfortable every time they were on the ice, even against Mcdavid.”
Kerfoot, still wearing full facial protection after a mishap required jaw surgery, said the low autumn output was beginning to wear on he and Mikheyev, who had gone 22 games without a goal before Edmonton. “It’s never a good feeling. You want to help the team. This has been a tough stretch for me in particular and I guess him as well. But this was a great road trip for our line.”
RUSSIAN EVOLUTION
Mikheyev has experienced a lot in his first few months as a Maple Leaf; new team, new city, language lessons, the high of a fast start and his Soup Man nickname, and the low of the protracted scoring slump. He was no doubt shaken by the Babcock firing after he’d signed in Toronto in large part because the famous coach came to Russia and made a strong pitch.
“Micky’s young and he’s still finding his way,” said Tavares. “I still think he has so much room for growth. You see his potential, his skill set, how dynamic he can be and how effective he is for us. I played with him a few weeks ago and he was fun to be with. You could tell with that speed, his tenacity and that poise with the puck, it makes him dangerous.
“It can’t be easy with the language barrier and coming to a place you’ve never been and settling in. We try to make him as comfortable as we can. He’ll only get better from here.”
Mikheyev is feeling less intimidated about large interview pools. He cracked up the crowd when he profusely apologized for destroying the net cam on his goal. He and Kerfoot are communicating well. “His English is a little better than my Russian,” the centre said.
HOLL MONITORING
Yes, that was second star Justin Holl with the coveted Hockey Night In Canada towel on his shoulder for the post game interview on Saturday. A solid 26:10 of work after Barrie was hurt by a first-period shot block, much of it helping partner Jake Muzzin lasso Mcdavid.
Tavares didn’t mind sharing his usual post-game spotlight with the defenceman.
“You can just see his confidence and feel for the game continue to grow,” the captain said. “He’s been great for us this season. It doesn’t get talked about much, but I just think his physicality, mobility and plays he’s making, becoming such an all around solid guy for us on the back end.”
It has some people wondering why he wasn’t used more after Babcock scratched him 71 times last season, though there were extenuating circumstances with a mostly healthy defence.
BOYS ARE BACK IN HOGTOWN
Winning three of four on the road against teams that were ahead of them in the standings certainly made for a happy plane ride home.
But the quest this week is to get back in wild-card playoff position among a pack separated by just a few points. Home highlights will be a game against surging Jack Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday and a beatable Detroit team that could see winless Michael Hutchinson’s first start since Nov. 29, if not the night before in Manhattan.
Then on Dec. 23, it’s the “Next Generation Game” against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes.
“This (trip) should give us some confidence,” Tavares said as the Leafs headed to Edmonton airport. “It should have been even better (they fell back to old ways in a loss to Calgary), but it is what it is. Now we have to follow it up, turn the page.”
LOOSE LEAFS
An update on Barrie is expected Monday. X-rays after his painful shot block were negative ... Winger Pontus Aberg and defenceman Martin Marincin were shifted to the Marlies roster on Sunday, but the Leafs’ farm team doesn’t play all week. Greg Moore officially takes over as coach of the AHL club on Monday ... Frederik Andersen on Mcdavid’s best chance against him, pulling around Holl and trying a dizzying set of dekes to get the Dane’s five-hole open: “I was expecting (one more) move,” Andersen joked. “He definitely had me in the blender for a little bit, but I was able to squeeze it and hang on.”