Andersen in control of the rebound
Babcock calls Leafs goalie ‘our best player’ after he bounces back from ugly start
Frederik Andersen heard something in the Leafs’ 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers that he hasn’t heard before at the Air Canada Centre.
Fans were chanting his name. Not all of them, but a section or two behind his net got into the act for a bit in the second period.
Andersen, who had been under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons through five games with his new team, turned in arguably his best game so far.
It wasn’t a thing of beauty, but in stopping 29 of 31 shots, Andersen picked up his second win of the season, and shook off some of the negativity of the past week.
“He stopped the puck, he gave up one down the wing there, but he was our best player by far,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said as his team improved to 2-2-3 on the season.
“We turned the puck over as much as we have (this season), but our goalie was good. You have to come here and just find yourself . . . I’m happy for him and I’m happy for the team.”
The difference, according to Andersen, was finding a way to relax. During his rough stretch to start the season, Andersen mentioned that he was trying “to do too much” for his new team, and not trusting himself.
The remedy included having more “fun” with teammates.
“I tried to have more fun yesterday and (Thursday) morning,” Andersen said. “Just get my mind off everything, when you have fun, it helps you relax more. That’s a challenge for all goalies . . . relax and be calm.”
The fans began chanting his name in the second period for a series of saves, including a beauty on Colton Sceviour on the penalty kill, that helped lead to James van Riemsdyk’s tying goal.
Andersen was cut — accidentally — in the third period by Sceviour, who was darted through the crease and poked his stick through Andersen’s mask, striking him between the eyes.
Andersen was on the ice in pain, and showed blood on his face when he returned to his feet. He skated over to the bench, got some treatment, and returned to his net, with a rousing cheer from the fans.
“A little different experience there, something that won’t happen the same way again,” said Andersen, who wound up with a cut on his left eye- brow.
Florida’s Jaromir Jagr notched an assist on Florida’s first goal, and now has 78 points in 60 career games against Toronto.
Anderson’s series of key saves certainly won’t erase the tough stretch he’s experienced to start the season; he entered the game with a 4.29 goals-against average, and an .851 save percentage, far below the numbers he’s accustomed to in his career.
He was beat cleanly in the second when Jonathan Marchessault sniped his second goal of the game, on a wrist shot from the top of the right faceoff circle that sailed over Anderson’s glove hand.
Anderson, though, did not deflate after that goal.
“You make a save on the penalty kill, and we score right after that . . . there was one shot I’d want back, but it was a good confidence win for the team,” Andersen said.