MacKinnon presents big challenge for Leafs
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How can the Leafs slow down Colorado Avalanche centre Nathan MacKinnon?
"Well, I don't know, but if you find out before the game, you can let me know," head coach Craig Berube said with a smile.
No one has had an answer to that question for a while. MacKinnon claimed his first Hart Trophy last year when he finished second in league scoring. This year, he's leading the NHL in points.
"Someone asked me this morning, ‘Is he having a better year this year than last year?’ and I think in some ways that he is," said Avalanche coach Jared Bednar. "Our team was a little thin at the start of the year, lots of injuries, more onus on those guys to help you win games on a nightly basis. It wasn't always easy. We had some struggles, but guys like Nate and Cale [Makar] make the difference."
Makar, who leads all defencemen in scoring, points out that MacKinnon is always finding ways to get better every season. What's different this year?
"There's so many things," said Makar. "He’s added a couple different shots. He’s gotten away from the one-timer and then just a little bit more [reliance on] one-snappers. He's such a competitive guy."
"His game has evolved in the last couple years," said Avalanche winger Jonathan Drouin. "He finds late guys. He finds plays."
With MacKinnon leading the way, the Avalanche are on an 8-0-1 run, which is the longest active point streak in the NHL. This hot streak includes a victory over the Leafs. MacKinnon scored twice in Colorado's 7-4 triumph over the Leafs back on March 8 in Denver.
"You just got to try to stay on top of him the best you can," Berube said. "It's just like playing [Connor] McDavid, right? They've got great speed and they're competitive guys with tons of skill."
The Leafs will lean on their top line, including Selke Trophy finalists Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, to try and neutralize MacKinnon.
"I think they put in a lot of work, take a lot of pride in defending and playing against other top lines," said Leafs defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. "I really like how competitive they are and what they bring every single day. They want to win. They want this team to do good and that’s what you need from your top players."
Matthews scored a pair of power-play goals in Monday's 6-2 win over the Calgary Flames, which allowed Toronto to get back on track after a rough 1-4-1 stretch.
MacKinnon averages 22 minutes and 52 seconds of ice time per game, which leads all NHL forwards. He plays 19 minutes a night at even strength, while Matthews and Marner at around 16 per night. So, it will be more than one line that will be required to stop MacKinnon.
"One of the toughest challenges you’re going to face in the game," said Leafs second-line centre John Tavares. "Playing against a player like that, at this level, the type of player that he is, is a lot of fun and a great challenge and you gotta be at your best."
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Makar and Marner played together on Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off and picked up the assists on the overtime goal by McDavid in the championship game.
"He read the situation really well," Makar recalled. "It was kind of a weird play. We literally made eye contact. I looked at him and tried to rim it to him and then obviously McDavid filled the middle. For forwards, in general, your main goal is to find space on the ice and he’s really good at doing that. He identified that their D wasn’t flexing him and he stayed down low and gave us a little time and his pick up on the wall, obviously exceptional, and to make that play is a completely different thing. So, to be able to do that under pressure with guys coming at you is pretty impressive."
Marner scored twice against the Avalanche earlier this month and leads the Leafs in scoring with 82 points.
"He’s a very competitive, committed guy," said Makar. "I know all the media here tend to give a lot of guys a hard time. He’s a really complete player. He plays well at both ends of the ice and an incredible facilitator as well. Playing with him at the 4 Nations, I found that he was always in the right areas on the ice and especially as a D it’s easy to find guys like that. He definitely reads the play really well."
Making Marner's performance this season even more impressive is the fact he's in a contract year, which brings with it all sorts of distractions. Marner was approached by the Leafs about potentially waiving his no-move clause prior to the trade deadline.
But the 27-year-old winger has continued to produce for the Leafs with five points in five games since the deadline.
“I think the easiest part probably when there’s a lot of noise around things, is you can just go out there and put your gear on and play and do what you’ve done your whole life, and it’s something that you love to do," said Tavares, who is also in the final year of his contract.
"Obviously tremendous competitiveness, desire, all those sorts of things to make it to this level and play for this club. Certainly being from the GTA, from the city, I know how much he enjoys it and appreciates it, just with the locker room and support around us, it’s a very tight knit room. It’s a brotherhood in a lot of ways in how we all are always there to support each other."
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The Leafs had an optional skate scheduled for Wednesday morning, but none of the regulars took part.
"I think it's a reflection of the schedule," Berube said. "We had a skate yesterday, so I can see why, back-to-back games coming up, that there's not many guys going out in the ice."
Max Domi was on the ice early for a skills session with Denver Manderson of the player development department, but he did not stay out for the usual morning skate drills. This is the first time all season that no regulars took part in a scheduled optional skate.
The only players on the ice for the skate were projected scratches David Kampf and Philippe Myers and back-up goalie Anthony Stolarz.
The Leafs will also play on Thursday at the New York Rangers before heading to Nashville for a game against the Predators on Saturday.
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Joseph Woll will make consecutive starts for the first time since early February when Stolarz was sidelined with a knee injury.
"I liked his last two games, so I'm going to go with him again tonight," Berube explained.
Woll turned aside 24 of 26 shots to pick up the win against the Flames on Monday. He stopped 30 of 33 shots in regulation and overtime before denying two of three shootout attempts to beat the Utah Hockey Club in his previous start.
The Avalanche are the only team that Woll has yet to face in his NHL career.
Stolarz has lost his last four decisions (0-3-1), including allowing five goals to the Avalanche on March 8.
Mackenzie Blackwood was the first goalie off the ice at Colorado's skate and is expected to start against the Leafs.
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Tavares took advantage of a rare practice day at Scotiabank Arena by having his sons – five-year-old Jace and four-year-old Axton – join him on the ice after the team's workout on Tuesday.
"It’s our only practice day here at Scotiabank all year, so cool to get them out on the big rink and take it all in and spend some time with them," the 34-year-old centre said. "They’ve taken to the game, so it’s been a lot of fun sharing it with them all season long and to get some moments like that. I really enjoyed it."
So did teammates.
"It’s always fun to see them around here and you know how much they love being a little Maple Leaf," said winger Matthew Knies, who lived with the Tavares family when he first joined the team.
"Just the smile and the energy they bring, you know how much love they have for us," said Marner. "It’s always a lot of fun to see them and talk to them about what’s going on with them and now they’re getting into hockey themselves so it’s pretty cool just to talk to them about how they’re doing with that and getting updates from John."
Just like dad, the boys are quickly falling in love with the game.
"They really enjoy it," Tavares said. "It’s all day every day throughout the hockey season. Obviously having me around, they can’t get away from it in general. They’ve taken to it. It’s been a lot of fun just watching them grow as little kids and enjoy the game, and to be able to share it with them is really special."
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Leafs players are wearing special socks this week to raise awareness of World Down Syndrome Day.
"This is for 'Pistol' Pete," said Tavares. "World Down Syndrome Day is Friday and we're on the road, so it's for him. We have them throughout the locker room to support him and show what he means to our team.
'Pistol' Pete Flager is an assistant to the team's equipment staff.
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Projected Leafs lineup for Wednesday's game:
Knies - Matthews - Marner
Holmberg - Tavares - Nylander
McMann - Domi - Robertson
Lorentz - Laughton - Jarnkrok
McCabe - Tanev
Rielly - Carlo
Benoit - Ekman-Larsson
Woll starts
Stolarz