Samsonov's swagger evident as he preps for first Game 1 start

The Maple Leafs held an optional practice at Ford Performance Centre on Saturday. Mark Masters has you covered with the news and notes heading into Game 1 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Ilya Samsonov isn't worried about going up against Andrei Vasilevskiy. 

"I'm more worried about how I'm feeling," the 26-year-old stressed. "We not play against Vasilevskiy. We play against full Tampa team. I have more concentration on this locker room and how my teammates feeling."

And when it comes to his team, Samsonov is feeling mighty confident. 

"I think we're elite team," he said. "I think probably best team in the league."

The Leafs are the top team in the National Hockey League? 

"For sure," Samsonov said without hesitation. 

Why? 

"Because we have a nice group. We have best doctors, best therapists, best workout coaches, yeah. We have the best coaches. We have the best players here."

The standings suggest the Leafs are clearly better than the Tampa Bay Lightning. The bulge between the two teams was 13 points in the regular season. But sometimes the best team doesn't win a playoff series. Sometimes the best goalie does. And no one has won more playoff games during the last three seasons than Vasilevskiy, who will make his 100th post-season start on Tuesday. 

Samsonov, meanwhile, has just one playoff win on his resume over eight appearances during the last two seasons. And he's never started Game 1 in a series. 

The Leafs have not won a series since 2004 and Samsonov can feel the urgency in the city.  

"I notice everybody waiting [for] result for us," he said, "but we need a little bit not see outside, just inside [and] concentration for just [our] game."

Samsonov's game seems to be in a good spot. He posted a career best .919 save percentage while starting a career high 40 games. 

"He's just been really composed all season long," said coach Sheldon Keefe. "It hasn't been a perfect season for him. It's been a great season, but it hasn't been a perfect season. At times he had to deal with adversity and he had to sort of regroup and reconnect with his structure and the foundation that he put in place through the off-season and early in this season. He's had to find his way late in the season to get success on the road and he closed out the season tremendously in that regard. Our team's played well in front of him. The guys are confident and comfortable playing in front of him."

After last season, the Washington Capitals didn't extend a qualifying offer to Samsonov, who was a first round pick in 2015, which made him an unrestricted free agent. He signed a one-year pact with the Leafs for only $1.8-million. He bet on himself and so far it's paying off. 

"He came in just trying to get a sense of things, get a feel for his surroundings, and I think he's just really blossomed," said captain John Tavares. "His personality, his confidence on and off the ice, and just the comfort level he has with his game, how he's fit in really well in the locker room and the respect that we have for him just as a competitor — I think you've seen that really grow. Just the competitive fire that he has and the ability, no doubt, is great. All that has kind of meshed together really well. When challenges have come, he's faced them extremely well and has responded great, and that's a great sign for him and his growth here this year. He's an important piece of our success."

While some goalies wilt under the intense spotlight of the Toronto market, Samsonov has embraced it. In fact, he's been dominant at home with a 19-3-3 record and .927 save percentage at Scotiabank Arena. 

"So different for me," he said of the move to Toronto. "Different worlds. I'm so lucky. I love my teammates. I like this city. You know, it's unbelievable ... I like to be here so much."

If Samsonov delivers a strong performance in the playoffs he will likely solidify his spot as Toronto's go-to goalie. So, there's a lot on the line for both the team and the goalie over the next couple of weeks. 

Samsonov has limited playoff experience in the NHL, but he does have some championship experience. He was the back-up goalie for Magnitogorsk in the KHL when they hoisted the Gagarin Cup in 2016. 

"I love everybody here," he said. "I so enjoy come to the rink every day. I never see this before maybe just [when] I play in Russia. My team in Magnitogorsk, [the] time we win Cup, I feel the same in locker room."

"He has been very motivated and very focused," noted Keefe. "The talent has always been there. He has a great pedigree as a goaltender. He is still a young guy that needed to find his way, but he has certainly done that."

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Matt Murray, who has been sidelined with a concussion since April 2, skated before practice. 

"He is progressing well," said Keefe. "I am not sure what number of skates this was, but he was skating when we were away as well. He is making progress."

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Samsonov didn't dress in the final two regular season games, because general manager Kyle Dubas said he was dealing with a minor injury. Samsonov downplayed any health concerns on Saturday and said it was more about getting a rest before the playoffs. 

Vasilevskiy made 60 starts this season and also got a much-needed break down the stretch. 

"Thank God I played only one game from the last four so I have pretty good time in the gym," he told reporters following Tampa's practice on Saturday. "The last two weeks I had more time to spend in the gym and get myself ready for the big run, I hope. I put myself in the best position to succeed and now it's go time. No excuses."

The Lightning struggled down the stretch going 14-15-5 since Feb. 1. However, Tampa Bay has managed to flip the switch and find their game in previous playoffs. 

"It's not like it will be the case all the time," Vasilevskiy warned. "Like, it's hard, especially we're playing, probably in my opinion, one of the top three teams in the NHL. It will be hard ... It's not going to be like this (snaps finger) so we have to work hard to flip it. We'll see in a few days."

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The Lightning have made the Stanley Cup final in three straight seasons. The Leafs haven't won a Cup since 1967. 

"I don't think we think about it in that aspect," said Tavares. "There's just a lot of belief in the group. The additions we've made have been really solid. It's another opportunity that as a group we've worked hard to earn."

The city is yearning for playoff success. The Leafs have lost six straight series in the Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner era. 

"We're aware of it, obviously, no doubt, but all we can do is prepare for what's in front of us and the opportunity that we have at hand," said Tavares. "We know we have an incredible fan base and organization and a team that has a tremendous, rich history that is really special. Don't let the pressure outweigh the pleasure of this opportunity and the excitement we have to go out there and compete and everything we've done to earn this."

"There is a lot that goes into being a Maple Leaf," said Keefe. "It is a special thing. I think everybody that has the honour to be a part of our organization recognizes what comes with that. We don't take it lightly for a day. That said, we can only focus on controlling what we have in front of us."

On Saturday, the team held an optional practice. 

"Today is a day about preparation for us — more about preparation for the body than anything, which is why we opted for an optional skate," Keefe explained. "We still ended up with about 17 guys that were on the ice in various capacities, but it is more about time in the gym, time in the training room to get treatment, and things like that to get prepared for important practices upcoming and the playoff games against our opponent upcoming. That is really all you can control: what is in front of you. We have a really good team. As long as we remain focused on the task and do not get outside of anything outside of our control, we think we will be fine. We have great confidence in our group."

Tavares, who missed Thursday's game for personal reasons, was among those on the ice. 

"It was kind of getting back in rhythm a little bit and feeling my skates, feeling the puck, feeling my stick and getting moving and reinforcing some habits and parts of my game that have been strong all year and that are in important that you want to be dialled in with as next week comes," the 32-year-old said. 

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Dubas does not have a contract beyond this season and the general manager did his part to push the core over the hump by acquiring six players during the trade deadline period. The headliner was Ryan O'Reilly, who led the St. Louis Blues to the 2019 Stanley Cup. 

"This is the best time of the year," the Conn Smythe Trophy winner said. "This is what you play for all season ... It's going to be extremely competitive, extremely difficult, but an exciting challenge."

O'Reilly is among the rare players, who averages more points per game in the playoffs (0.88) than the regular season (.071). 

"I don't really have an answer for that," he said with a smile. "It's just doing what I can to win and getting lost in that. Through the course of a season sometimes you draw on your numbers and when I think about that I think my game kind of falls apart and playoffs you just go play. When winning's all that matters things tend to be better for me, I guess."

O'Reilly also finds it hard to explain what it takes for a group to get over the hump. 

"I wouldn't even know how to explain," he said. "It's decisions you make at the right times. Going up against Tampa, they've been the best team in hockey the last three years and they know how to win and it will take our best in order to beat them."

O'Reilly also knows how to win. 

"Having a deep run before, you know, that can help for sure," he agreed. "Every year is different, you know, teams are completely different, everything like that, but it gives me confidence going in. I know what it should look like and can feed off it."  

That's why O'Reilly is so important. His return from a broken finger on April 6 was an important development. 

"I really like the way it has come together here, certainly over the last month, and even more so in the last two or three weeks — really since O’Reilly’s arrival coming back in and solidifying our group that much more," Keefe said. 

O'Reilly produced six points in the final five games of the regular season. 

"Every game it's gotten a little bit better not in the sense that it hurt or anything but just more getting used to having it a little different, having the buddy tape and fingers like that," he said. "It's just been a little different, but every game it's been more comfortable and not even thinking about it." 

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Brayden Point is the leading goal scorer in the series after tallying a career high 51 this season. 

"He will be feeling good, confident, and is taking a step from where he was even a year ago, and he has always been a dynamic player and difference-maker for them," said Keefe. "He is skating probably better than ever, which is where a lot of his offence is coming from. He is generating from inside his own blue line with the speed he brings up the ice. It is a lot for us to contend with there."

"He's got speed, but that puck control at full speed too is unbelievable," said O'Reilly. "He's up there with the best in the league. He gets a step on a guy and having those quick hands, he's going to have an elite scoring chance."

Point's previous career high was 41 goals during the 2018-19 season. So, what sparked the big increase this season? 

"Health," said Lightning captain Steven Stamkos. "That's the most important thing as a player. He dealt with some stuff last year that was tough. He scored 40 before and he's just stronger, faster, healthier and it's one of those times when the puck's been going in the net, which has been great to see. He's an elite player in this league. He's a goal scorer. He has that knack for getting in front of the net."

This year was only the second time Point played in all 82 games. Despite standing 5-foot-11 and despite some tough injury luck, Point remains a fearless force on the ice. 

"For a guy his size, I think 95 per cent of his goals come within that slot area," Stamkos noted. "He can create that with his quickness and speed, but he's not afraid to go to those areas and that's where you score goals from in this league."  

Point managed just one assist in three games against the Leafs this season. 

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Luke Schenn, who won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Lightning, is ready to battle his buddies. 

"Obviously a lot of great memories with guys on that team but, in saying that, they're competing for their team and organization and fan base and I'm here to do that for my team and I can flip the switch," the defenceman vowed. "Obviously some of these guys are really good friends and going to be lifelong friends. When you create bonds and memories when you win together in any sport, you'll be friends for life, but it's competitive out there."

Schenn caught up with Pat Maroon on Tuesday morning before dropping the gloves with him that night. 

"Just typical talk 'How’s your family?' and that type of thing," Schenn said. "I have a lot of respect for Patty. My brother [Brayden] played with him in St. Louis and, you know, I've been playing against him for a lot of years and got the chance to play with him a couple times. He plays the game a certain way. He's obviously a big, heavy body out there, plays with emotion, plays a physical game, not afraid to go after anyone and I recognized that previously in the shift and went in the corner and not even much was said. He saw me coming and mitts were off and away we went." 

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Erik Gustafsson missed the last three games after tweaking something in warm-up on Monday night in Florida. The defenceman skated before practice on Saturday. 

"He had a good day today," said Keefe. "We are expecting him to be at practice tomorrow."

Sam Lafferty missed the last three games of the season. He sat out the games in Florida after something tightened up following last Sunday's practice. He then left the team for personal reasons ahead of Thursday's game in New York. 

"He is still not back with the group today, but he is traveling back today," said Keefe. "We expect him here tomorrow morning."

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Players on the ice on Saturday: 

Forwards: Zach Aston-Reese, Michael Bunting, Alex Kerfoot, Matthew Knies, Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, Wayne Simmonds and Ryan O'Reilly.

Defence: Mark Giordano, Erik Gustafsson, Morgan Rielly, Luke Schenn and Conor Timmins. 

Goalies: Matt Murray, Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll.