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TSN Toronto Maple Leafs Reporter

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TORONTO – Frederik Andersen’s 13-game career with the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn’t been long, but it has already spawned its share of drama.

His struggles amid the team’s slow start quickly put the goalie under fire, but he has found his game and is looking like the number one netminder Toronto was after. 
 
So when Andersen was tapped to start both Friday and Saturday games last weekend instead of the team turning to backup Jhonas Enroth, the decision left no question as to where the team’s confidence lies in net.
 
“It’s not like a pitcher in baseball. You can go two nights in a row. You don’t really need to [rest],” Andersen said. “It’s not like it’s going to drain me. It’s just about being strong mentally. You might be more tired but you’ve just got to push through.”

Andersen gets the call again on Tuesday, when P.K. Subban and the Nashville Predators pay a visit to the Maple Leafs. Toronto has relished the friendly confines of the Air Canada Centre this season, going 5-2 at home. The team is tasked with 15 back-to-backs on their schedule, with many on the road. Andersen’s attitude of the more work, the better will continue to serve them well.
 
“I’m getting used to playing a lot of more than last year,” said Andersen, who previously split time with John Gibson as the Anaheim Ducks’ tandem. “The year before I had a similar kind of workload, but that’s some experience you can pull from. I love playing so it’s a lot more fun than watching.”
 
Enroth would like to be there too, but he’s endured his own rocky start as a Maple Leaf. He’s lost both games he’s started this season and gave up three goals in extended relief of Andersen in Toronto’s 7-0 loss to the L.A. Kings on Nov. 8. Enroth’s .866 save percentage and 4.41 goals-against average didn’t give head coach Mike Babcock the confidence to go with him against the reigning Stanley Cup champions in Pittsburgh, even on a back-to-back with travel.
 
Part of sticking with Andersen is likely due to Toronto giving up more shots per game than any team in the league (34.3). Their defence has been a revolving door of pairings while the coaching staff searches for a solution. While Andersen sat at the bottom of the league after five starts with a .851 save percentage and 4.29 goals-against average, he has rebounded to a .901 save percentage and 3.42 goals-against average.

 
“I think we’ve been in games and playing well, but we’ve got to limit their opportunities around the net,” Andersen said. “I’m fine with a lot of shots coming at me if they’re from the outside and we’re on the right side all the time. That’s what we’re going to look to improve on. We’ve been getting all the scoring chances too, that’s a real positive.”
 
No one in the NHL has gotten more individual 5-on-5 scoring chances (23) than Toronto rookie Auston Matthews. Heading into Tuesday’s game, Matthews is mired in a nine-game scoring drought, tallying just two assists over that span. The refrains from the 19-year-old rookie, his teammates and Babcock have been the same throughout the duration: The kid is doing just fine and his moment to break through is on the horizon.

“In our situation, we need him to be a dominant, dominant centre for us,” said Babcock, who is using clips of Sidney Crosby and Henrik Zetterberg to coach Matthews on his game. “We think he’s going to be by Christmas time. We think he’s a very good player already, but we think he can be lights out with and without the puck.”

Morning skate notes

- Zach Hyman returned to the team after missing Monday’s practice. Hyman said Monday was a maintenance day for him and he wasn’t dealing with any injury from Saturday's game in Pittsburgh. Hyman is riding a two-game goal-scoring streak after finally breaking through with his first of the season on Friday. “I’m doing the same things I did all year but sometimes when one goes in, another will go in. It’s hockey. The bounces go in sometimes and sometimes they don’t. My game is going to the net, going on the forecheck, doing those things. You just have to keep doing what you’re doing.”

- Frank Corrado, who just played his first game of the season, and Connor Carrick look to be the odd defenders out for Tuesday’s clash. Carrick was scratched Saturday along with Roman Polak, but Polak was paired with Jake Gardiner at the skate. Andersen said better communication with the six defenders on the ice will help everyone. “Playing the puck has been better from my side and communication-wise [with the defence], that’s been better. That helps us with not taking some big hits and throughout a long season you’ve got to be more fresh once you’re hitting games 60-82.”

- For the first time in his NHL career, P.K. Subban is playing against his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs as a member of the Nashville Predators. When asked about what advice he’d give to the young Maple Leafs, who have slowly been revealing their own personalities publicly, the always-affable Subban said he’d just enjoy the ride. “I remember my first couple years in the league, I was always at my best when I just went out there and played the game. And you’ll learn as you go and you make mistakes but enjoy it, have fun. They should be singing. They’re playing in a great city, for a great team and organization. How many kids at 18, 19, 20 years old dream about playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs?  They’re living the dream. At 18, if I was in that situation, I’d probably be singing Bon Jovi as well.”