'Dealing with it the best I can': Pacioretty sits for second straight Leafs game

The Maple Leafs held an optional skate at Ford Performance Centre on Saturday. 

Max Pacioretty will sit as a healthy scratch for a second straight game when the Leafs host the New York Rangers on Saturday night. 

"I'm dealing with it the best I can," the veteran winger said. "Just work. I mean, I'm at this stage of my career for a reason. Would I rather be playing? Of course, anyone would rather be playing. But, at the same time, I know I can help the team even when I'm not playing."

After Wednesday's game, head coach Craig Berube said he had no specific message for Pacioretty. 

"We have extra players," Berube noted following the 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. "Not everybody can play every night. That is the bottom line."

"I don't really need a message," Pacioretty said. "I've played for a long time and I know it's a long season. And then if you're lucky enough to get in the playoffs, it's a whole new season there. Obviously it's a big deal that I'm getting asked about it but, at the same time, I don't focus on any of that stuff that I can't control. I just can control coming in here and working on my game and being a good teammate."

The Leafs are carrying 13 healthy forwards so there's always someone sitting. Bobby McMann started the year as a healthy scratch before scoring three goals in the next three games. Ryan Reaves sat out the second game, but the 37-year-old offers the Leafs a heavyweight presence on the fourth line and the Rangers will be dressing their tough guy, Matt Rempe, on Saturday night. John Tavares missed Toronto's third game due to an illness. And now, with Tavares feeling better and back in the lineup, Pacioretty finds himself as the odd man out. 

"Anyone would be up here talking honestly and [saying] they want to play and feel they deserve to play," Pacioretty noted. "But, you know, it is what it is ... It's a long season and looking forward to the chance to get back in there."

Pacioretty slotted in on the third line in the first three games. On Saturday, that line will feature Tavares between Nick Robertson and Pontus Holmberg. Pacioretty rotated in with that group during Friday's practice. 

Berube feels Holmberg hasn't been at his best the last two games and is expecting a bounce-back performance from the 25-year-old against the Rangers. Unlike Pacioretty, Holmberg has a role on the penalty kill and is able to play centre when needed.

Robertson has yet to hit the scoresheet, but has drawn three penalties while earning praise from Berube for his tenacity.   

After scoring four goals in 47 games with the Washington Capitals last season, Pacioretty attended Toronto's training camp on a professional tryout. He eventually signed a one-year deal with a base salary of $873,770, along with two games-played bonuses ($313,115 after 10 games and $313,115 after 35 games). 

Pacioretty scored once on four shots in his first three games with the Leafs. He also took a pair of penalties while averaging 11 minutes and 19 seconds of ice time.  

"I thought I played well," he said succinctly on Saturday morning. "Yeah."

"He has been fine when he has played," Berube said on Wednesday, "but I have to make decisions as a coach. I am going to make those decisions based on what is best for the team."

Pacioretty was the last player on the ice on Saturday morning. 

"I'm having fun right now working on my game," he said. "Whether I'm 19-years-old or 35-years-old, I always want to keep working at it." 

After an injury-plagued stretch, the Connecticut native is relishing the chance to work with the Leafs player development staff while taking advantage of all the resources the organization has available. 

"There's so much to work on," said Pacioretty, who will turn 36 next month. "That's what I love about this sport, nothing's linear, black and white, it's a game that's all instinctive and reactive. When you do get in you want to make sure, if you haven't played, and in my case has been over a week so far, you want to stay fresh."

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Star centre Auston Matthews scored his first goal of the season on Wednesday night. 

"It was just a matter of time," said linemate Matthew Knies. "Hopefully he can get on a hot streak here and lead the boys."

Matthews stayed hot almost all of last season as he finished with an incredible 69 goals. It will be tough to match that total, but Toronto's top line may be even more dangerous this season. Mitch Marner is already on the board with a goal and is vowing, as always, to shoot more. The greatest area of growth, though, may come from Knies, who scored 15 goals as a rookie last year. 

Berube and Matthews have both referred to Knies, who celebrated his 22nd birthday this week, as having a high ceiling. And the University of Minnesota product is doing his part to maximize that potential. For example, he worked with skating consultant Paul Matheson prior to practice on Friday. 

"Just want to keep my posture in a good position," the 6-foot-3, 227 pounder said. "The more I can work on it the better. I think that's somewhere I can improve a lot. I think that's going to help me a lot more, you know, kind of getting away from defenders and creating space and stuff like that."

Tavares has credited Matheson for helping him stay light on his feet at age 34, and the veteran centre was part of the pre-practice work with Knies. The pair also worked together on plays in and around the net after practice wrapped up. 

"I try to mimic what he does," said Knies, who lived with Tavares for part of last season. "He's at the net front on the power play, so just kind of following what he does. He's been an incredible player in the league for a long time so it's not a bad guy to follow."

Knies, who scored his first goal of the season in last Saturday's win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, plays the net-front role with the second power-play unit. 

Berube wants Knies and fellow big winger McMann, who stands 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, to focus on the same things. 

"It's being a power forward," Berube said. "Getting in on the forecheck and creating loose pucks with their bodies and their size. Skating strong and getting to the net. Both those guys, with the size and the puck skills they have, if they get to the net, they're going to score a lot of goals around the net just out-battling people and getting their sticks on things. They both can still continue to do a better job of getting to the net."

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McMann got to the net a few times on Wednesday as he scored twice against the Kings. 

"Any time you score a goal you get a little more juice in the legs," the 28-year-old said. "The two guys I'm with have incredible vision, know how to pass really well, so I'm just trying to find open spaces."

Toronto's new-look second line of Max Domi between McMann and William Nylander seemed to click right from the start of the game against Los Angeles. 

"They used their speed well," Berube observed. "You know, slashing for each other and creating space, and had some real good O-zone time in the game. They capitalized on their chances and I thought they were solid defensively."

The Leafs outscored the Kings 3-0 with the Domi line on the ice. 

"They're buzzsaws," said winger Steven Lorentz. "They're all over the ice. They force turnovers. They're up in the rush, and they're forcing the D to make decisions. They're just kind of relentless. When you do that stuff, you get under the opposing team's skin and turnovers happen, and they capitalize on those mistakes. They obviously have the skill to be able to finish."

Nylander set up McMann's second goal on Wednesday with a slick pass. 

"You just see how calm he is all the time," McMann said. "You know that he can make plays in tight spaces, and in a ton of space he's going to make the right play, and he's just calm with it. He's never panicking with the puck. He always has that poise. It's nice to play with and it's fun to watch." 

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Lorentz is already emerging as a fan favourite because of his high-energy approach on and off the ice. The Kitchener, Ont. native also has a feel-good backstory. 

After Lorentz picked up a goal and an assist during a win in New Jersey last week, his sister posted a picture of an old school yearbook. Students were asked to finish the sentence, "Where I'll be in 15 years" and Lorentz wrote, "Playing in the NHL (with the leafs)."

"That's going way back," the 28-year-old said with a big grin on Saturday. "That was probably not the only yearbook I put that in. That was definitely the goal my whole life so to be able to be standing here right now in front of you guys is definitely special. I take a lot of pride in that and I don't take it for granted."

Lorentz points out that it wasn't exactly a strange thing for a student to strive for. 

"I think a lot of kids probably put that in the yearbook, especially after a good mini-stick game at recess," he said with a laugh. "It's every kid's dream."

But one that is rarely realized. 

What do his old schoolmates think? 

"I haven't really checked my phone because it was going crazy for a little bit there," he said. "But talking to some of my friends and family, they're like, 'Yeah, it's pretty cool that it has kind of come full circle.' It's definitely cool to be able to pull the sweater over every single day."

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After five straight days on the ice, goalie Joseph Woll (groin tightness) did not skate on Saturday. 

"A mandatory off day today for him," said Berube. "He's been on quite a bit. Take it off and then we'll get back going."

Anthony Stolarz is expected to make a third straight start on Saturday. 

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Projected Leafs lineup for Saturday's game:

Knies - Matthews - Marner
McMann - Domi - Nylander 
Holmberg - Tavares - Robertson
Lorentz - Kampf - Reaves 

Rielly - Tanev
Ekman-Larsson - McCabe
Benoit - Timmins

Stolarz starts 
Hildeby