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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes on the Maple Leafs. The team skated (optional) at Wells Fargo Center ahead of tonight's game in Philadelphia. 

After consultations with the team's medical staff this morning, the decision was made to keep John Tavares (broken finger) out of the line-up for a seventh straight game. 

"Just felt it was probably best to take advantage of the next three days and see some more progress in terms of the healing and my strength," said Tavares, who practised on a regular line twice this week. "Obviously, disappointing. You come in, travelling with the team, mindset trying to get yourself ready to play ... at the same time you got to be safe and make sure you do the right thing."

Is Mike Babcock disappointed with the development? 

"You know, you coach the guys who are ready to go," he said. "That's why (coaches) don't make those medical decisions. Obviously, he would’ve been in a week ago if I was in charge of that department."

The Leafs are 2-2-2 since Tavares got hurt. 

"He's just a born leader," noted right winger Kasperi Kapanen, "and not that we’ve been lacking that but, obviously, when your captain's out it’s not the same."

Tavares broke his right index finger on Oct. 16 in Washington. The initial timeline announced by the team was that he would miss at least two weeks. The 29-year-old insists there's been no setback with his recovery pointing out he was able to take part in Saturday's optional skate. 

"To say you're not a little disappointed, I'd be lying, but got to be smart and make sure I put myself in a good spot so when I come back I can play my game and also make sure the long-term is in good shape."

Tavares is hoping to suit up on Tuesday when the Kings visit Scotiabank Arena. What's the biggest challenge right now?  

"It's just gripping my stick," he said, "just being strong, being able to bear down and win puck battles."

Tavares also said getting quick shots off in awkward spots remains a challenge. 

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Jake Muzzin (personal) will also miss tonight's game. He's second in scoring among Leafs defencemen with three goals and six assists while leading the way in hits among the team's blueliners. 

"He's been very good for us," noted left winger Andreas Johnsson. "He's been making plays and been heavy back in the defensive zone and can shoot pucks too. I think he's been good everywhere so that’s big minutes that’s going to be missed and someone has to step up and take those minutes."

That someone will likely be Martin Marincin, who practised alongside Tyson Barrie on Friday. 

Before leaving Tuesday's game in the first period due to a charley horse, Muzzin had been averaging 23:11 of ice time per game (second on the team), including 2:58 on the penalty kill. 

What's the biggest challenge with him out?

"I don't look at it like that," said Babcock. "Marty's in, we got six D, let’s go. So, to me, we're set up great, we've had rest, we should set up as good as we've been since any time this year. We got a new group, we spent a lot of time working together, trying to get ourselves on the same page, let's play. Let's not talk about the guys who aren’t here, let's talk about the guys who are here."

Marincin has been a healthy scratch in the last four games. What does he bring to the table? 

"Just a defensive specialist," observed Kapanen. "You know, we call him 'The Specialist,' and he's got that long stick and just does his job well. So, it's hard to play against him and I think he's exactly what we need."

In the past Babcock has described Marincin as an elite penalty killer. 

"It's hard to get stuff by him, for sure," said Kapanen. "He takes up a lot of space, he's a big guy so he does his job really well and we’re happy to have him back."

The Leafs have allowed at least one goal while shorthanded in seven of the last eight games, including two on Tuesday against the Capitals. 

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This will be the first of nine away games this month for the Leafs and that road-heavy stretch could be a blessing in disguise. There are a lot of new faces in the fold this season and chemistry is still a work in progress on and off the ice. 

"We haven't had dinners in a while," noted Kapanen. "Whenever you spend time with the guys and have a good meal and you sit there and laugh and just talk, I think it's good for the guys, just get your minds off of hockey, and that's what we did last night and all charged up and ready to go tonight."

Three of the five road games in October came on the second night of a back-to-back set so Friday was a rare chance for the players to enjoy a night out together and many indulged in a Philadelphia specialty: cheesesteak. 

"I had one last night," said Kapanen with a smile. "It was unbelievable. It was the highlight of my night." 

Babcock is still getting to know his new assistant coaches, including former Flyers bench boss Dave Hakstol. 

"Hak set a new precedent," Babcock said. "He took us to the best cheesesteak (place). Oh my gosh, it was unbelievable! I could hear my daughter, a nutritionist, just yapping in my ear, but the smell, the line-up, the people there, so Hak set the bar for pre-game meals like I've never seen before. I think that will get us over the hump here tonight."

What was the name of the place? 

"I knew you were going to ask me that," Babcock said with a laugh. "I don't know. He took me there, I ate, we left. But it was great. It was unbelievable, you should go there some time."

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Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe has incorporated music into practices for years going back to his OHL days. It's something he picked up on by watching NFL practices. And this season Keefe is making music an even bigger part of the Marlies' workouts. 

"It's something now we're trying to do a little more regularly," he confirmed. "There's no area of my life that isn't enhanced by the presence of music and I think most people feel that way. So, if we can get our players feeling better about practice and the drills they are doing that's better for us."

In the American Hockey League games are concentrated around weekends, which can lead to a string of practices in a row. 

"The real thing about it is just trying to create a little energy," Keefe explained, "especially in our league here with the long weeks of practice, things can get old and a little extra energy is a positive thing."

"It's a lot of fun, actually," said winger Jeremy Bracco. "There are certain drills when you're trying to call for a puck and you can't really hear so we give it to Keefer for that, but it's awesome. It's a great vibe."

They do turn off the tunes at certain times like for special teams work on Thursday. Keefe says the staff is still determining when music works best, but he kind of likes the idea that his players have to struggle to hear each other. 

"Having the presence of music in certain drills provides an additional stress and that in itself can be a productive thing," Keefe said. "We got to communicate differently as a team. I have to communicate differently as a coach so that's part of it."

"Games are loud," said goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo, "and when there's a lot going on you get dialled in. I like (music in practice), especially if it's a good song, like, it kind of relaxes you, gets you going."

But this isn't as simple as it sounds. You can't just hit play on an iPod and away you go. 

"It’s not the easiest thing to implement if you don’t know what you're doing and don't know how to run a practice properly," said veteran forward Rich Clune. "There's a lot that goes into it."

Clune recalled being on a team earlier in his career where they tried playing music, but the staff didn't like the feel and quickly pulled the plug. 

For many Marlies players, this is new.

"Mike Van Ryn back in Kitchener used to do it a little bit," said Bracco, "but not in Windsor, Rocky (Thompson) would yell a little bit more. This is kind of the first time I've had it consistently and as an up-tempo guy like myself, a guy who likes to be loud and yell, it's a lot of fun."

Defenceman Timothy Liljegren admitted he found it "weird" at first, but he has warmed to the idea. 

The Marlies are doing it more consistently this year, because Keefe has a better idea of what works. 

"It's not a perfect process yet," the coach cautions, "we're still fine tuning how to use it, when to use it, what type of music to use, it's a work in progress, but I think it's important and something we can utilize in a productive manner."

Picking the music is also tricky. For that, Keefe leans on Clune, the team's resident DJ, to pick many of the playlists. 

"He has a good mix," said 19-year-old defenceman Rasmus Sandin. "It could be anything from rap to country so it's been good."

Does he take requests? 

"Ah," Sandin says, "no."

Clune, 32, insists he's open-minded ... to an extent. 

"Some days I'll take requests and some days it's like, 'No, I’m listening to Stevie Nicks and I'm going to listen to it as loud as possible," he said with a laugh. "I’m just kidding."

Thursday's session featured a lot of metal tracks. 

"He's a little heavy metal-ish sometimes for my liking," said Bracco, who rooms with Clune on the road. 

"There's some Nirvana songs that get me going," said Kaskisuo. "I like the rock so some of those songs are good and then there are the crowd-pleasers for the other guys that are more into rap, but I like the heavy stuff that Rich plays."

There's no doubt, however, that Clune takes the job seriously. 

"We'll drive home from the rink and he's always like, 'Oh, what's that song?' And I'll be like, 'That song's been out for 12 years,' so he's getting a little old," Bracco says with a chuckle. 

"Judge me," Clune says. "I don't care, like, I’ll put on Brittney Spears, and that's deep stuff too, it's all subjective."

While the choice of music may be up for the debate, everyone seems to agree it enhances the process. 

"I love it," Clune said. "It sets a tone for practice, hard to emulate without it. We've been doing it for a few years now and it's our secret."

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Leafs projected line-up tonight in Philadelphia: 

Johnsson - Matthews - Nylander 

Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Marner 

Moore - Spezza - Kapanen 

Timashov - Shore - Gauthier

 

Rielly - Ceci 

Marincin - Barrie 

Dermott - Holl 

 

Andersen starts 

Hutchinson