Matthews back in Leafs’ lineup
GLENDALE The Toronto Maple Leafs have high hopes that this road trip will be a second-half catalyst.
Yes, it starts with another backto-back, but they’re against two of the weaker teams in the standings, Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche and comes after a four-day Christmas break. There’s another day off before they take on the surprising Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday afternoon in Sin City.
The Leafs will also have leading scorer Auston Matthews back, coming off a two-point game against the Rangers in New York and are adjusting without injured workhorse defenceman Nikita Zaitsev, winning two of three without him in the lineup.
Matthews, who was excited about the prospect of playing in front of family and friends against the Coyotes, said there are no cobwebs from concussion symptoms that caused him to miss six games earlier in December.
“I don’t think it’s really something we need to talk about every day,” Matthews said. “I feel good. I’m back to normal. It’s in the past now.”
Beyond Vegas and after having New Year’s Day off, the Leafs will play a season-high five-game home stand that leads into another fiveday break in the schedule heading to the halfway point in the season.
“We have an opportunity,” head coach Mike Babcock said. “These are big points for us. We’ve done a nice job setting ourselves up (147-1 since Nov. 6). Now we have to get to work. We have to be way more efficient than we have been. We think we can be way better as a club. I believe that and the guys believe that.”
Babcock’s message for Matthews — and the rest of the Leafs — was to remember the last meeting against the Coyotes. They were wallowing in misery before shocking the Leafs 4-1 on Nov. 20 at the ACC.
“It wasn’t very good,” Babcock said of Matthews’ performance that night and the general effort. “I thought they skated us into the ground, outshot us 10-1 at the start. They were ready, we weren’t.”
Matthews went into Thursday’s game with Dave Keon-type numbers, 14 goals, 14 assists, a plus 14 in 27 games.