Leafs look to stay on the right side of the referees as they go for series sweep

The Ottawa Senators (optional) and Toronto Maple Leafs skated at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies was penalized for cross-checking Ottawa Senators winger Ridly Greig at the end of the second period on Thursday night. 

"I kind of took a dumb penalty and little things like that you have to learn," the 22-year-old said following Toronto's Game 3 win. "I just got to keep my stick down there."

The Senators have had seven power-play opportunities in the last two games while the Leafs have had just three. As Toronto looks to complete the franchise's first playoff series sweep since 2001 on Saturday night, discipline is being stressed. 

"It's just understanding that, you know, the scrums and all that don't react to it," said Leafs coach Craig Berube. "Play hard between the whistles. I get there's desperation plays sometimes and you take penalties and, you know, that's going to happen in the game, but it's the other stuff. You want to be really good at having composure."

What's the key? 

"I don't have an answer for it," the coach concluded. "I mean, it's just the understanding of it."

The Leafs always have pictures and names of the officials posted on the doors of their bench. That started years ago when veteran Jason Spezza encouraged his teammates to be more collegial with the men in stripes. 

And discipline for the Leafs also means not complaining about calls when they are made. 

"Trying to stay off the refs," said winger Steven Lorentz. "In the heat of the moment sometimes it’s easy to be yelling at guys and the refs are guys too, and the more you are yelling at them they’re probably not going to do you any favours."

Lorentz, who had just two minors in 80 regular season games, was whistled for tripping Tim Stutzle in Game 3. 

"I definitely wasn’t trying to get a piece of him on the lower half of the body," Lorentz said. "I was coming through my lane and he cutback and I was just trying to finish my check. I think he was just trying to jump out of the way of the hit. You know, it is what it is. I don’t know if I got a piece of him, but definitely no intent to take his legs out or anything like that."

Earlier in the game, John Tavares was sent to the box for hooking Senators winger Brady Tkachuk. 

"Just let the refs call what they call," the Leafs centre said. "Hopefully it’s called correctly and you move on from there."

---

The Senators have struggled to get shots through during the series and winger Adam Gaudette was asked what the Leafs defence has done well. 

"I think their D is an area of their game where we can take advantage of," Gaudette responded. "We’re getting in on the forecheck and they’re turning a lot of pucks over. We have to stick with that and we’ll be good."

Defenceman Tyler Kleven hit on that theme as well. 

"We’re doing a good job on their D and creating turnovers," Kleven said. "Just getting in on the forecheck. All of our forwards have committed to the physical style and we’re buying into that."

The Leafs actually have committed the fewest giveaways per 60 minutes in the playoffs so far (9.43) and the team's defence seems satisfied with how things are going. 

"We’re doing what we want to do and trying to break pucks out as best as we can," said defenceman Chris Tanev. "Obviously sometimes in playoffs there’s momentum swings and the other team maybe has a little jump and is coming and they’re putting a lot of pressure on you so you gotta be composed and try to make  plays under duress and try to do a good job off the rush. They’re a dangerous rush team. They had a few looks off the rush last game including a goal."

---

Former Flyers teammates Scott Laughton and Claude Giroux have butted heads a couple times in the series. 

"He’s coming after me," Laughton said with a smile. "I need to stand my ground. He’s a great human, a guy I learned a lot from in my time so I gotta nothing but respect for him, but when we get on the ice it’s a different ballgame and you want to be at your best for your team. I don’t expect anything else tonight."

Laughton, who was traded to the Leafs at the deadline, and Giroux played together for eight seasons in Philadelphia. 

"I know exactly what type of player and competitor he is," Laughton said. "We’ve had a couple skirmishes and that’s what it is. Playoffs brings that out in you. I think he’s a Hall of Famer and a special player. You need to limit his time and space. He sees the ice so well. He makes plays. He can shoot the puck. He does everything."

---

Berube likes the "gamesmanship" Laughton has provided in this series. 

"He's been really good in the face-off circle," the coach highlighted.  "The checking side of things, understanding his role, you know, the D-zone face-offs and penalty kill."

Laughton, who has won 53.1 per cent of his faceoffs in the playoffs, spent time after Saturday's skate giving Max Domi some tips.

The Leafs are winning 57.2 per cent of draws in the series. The overtime winner by Simon Benoit on Thursday night came directly off a faceoff win by Auston Matthews. 

Matthews is winning 60. 3 per cent of his draws to lead the way for the Leafs.

Giroux won 61.5 per cent of his faceoffs in the regular season, but is down to 42.3 per cent in the playoffs. 

"I just feel like their timing is a little bit better than ours right now," Giroux told reporters following Game 3. "We know we need to be better at the dot. We were pretty good all year. We gotta keep grinding at the faceoff dot. Just gotta be better."

---

Benoit's phone has been flooded with messages since his overtime goal. 

"It means a lot to me," the 26-year-old from Laval, Que. said. "It’s fun to see that old teammates, old coaches, old friends, they still keep track of what you’re doing out there, so it’s fun."

Any message stand out? 

"They’re all good," he said with a smile. "It’s all good. All love, all good. It touched me."

The defensive defenceman has only scored six goals in 279 regular season games. He said the overtime tally was his biggest goal since PeeWee hockey. 

Following Game 3, Benoit addressed the media from the podium instead of inside the dressing room. Benoit actually received more questions than captain and fellow Game 3 goal scorer Matthews, who was seated beside him. 

"I’m not used to it, that’s for sure," Benoit said of all the attention.  "It’s fun. We have the greatest fans out there, so you just have to embrace it."

Benoit assisted on the overtime winner by Domi in Game 2, but isn't losing sight of his identity as a player. 

"My first job is to be reliable defensively," he said. "But if I see an opening, I’ll take it. I’ll try to take it for sure. But my first job is to be reliable back there and I’ll just focus on that. If an opportunity comes offensively, why not?"

---

Nick Cousins participated in Ottawa's optional skate, but was not made available to the media. On Friday, the Senators forward was fined $2,083.33, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for unsportsmanlike conduct. He shot multiple pucks at Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz during warm-ups ahead of Game 3. The Senators were also fined $25,000. 

Cousins and Stolarz played together last season with the Florida Panthers. So did Lorentz. 

"I don’t have much to say about that," Lorentz said. "It is what it is. We’re buddies and you know sometimes little things like that happen. Yeah, whatever."

It was a similar sentiment down the hall. 

"I don’t really have a reaction," said Senators coach Travis Green when asked about the NHL's punishment. "The league handles things the way they see fit and, to be honest, it hasn’t come up once in our room. It’s a zero, non-factor, nothing, and yet I understand what the league is doing. But, as far as from our standpoint, it’s more of a talking point for other people."

---
Lines at Saturday's Leafs skate: 

Knies - Matthews - Marner
Holmberg - Tavares - Nylander
Jarnkrok - Laughton - Lorentz
McMann - Domi - Pacioretty
Robertson, Kampf

McCabe - Tanev
Rielly - Carlo
Benoit - Ekman-Larsson
Mermis - Myers

Stolarz starts
Woll 

Power play units at Saturday's Leafs skate: 

QB: Marner
Flanks: Matthews, Nylander
Middle: Tavares
Net front: Knies

QB: Rielly
Flanks: Domi, Ekman-Larsson
Middle: McMann
Net front: Pacioretty