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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in with news and notes from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The team skated at the Staples Center ahead of tonight's game against the Kings.

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- Mike Babcock was disappointed that his team allowed a late goal in Tuesday's 2-1 loss at San Jose, but more worrisome to the coach was the fact his older players failed to answer the bell. "The other team was better than us, played harder than us, competed [and] their veteran players were better than our veteran players and really set the tone and we can't have that again. We got to respond here today." Among Toronto's top three forward lines, nobody has more NHL experience than James van Riemsdyk (508 games) and Tyler Bozak (493 games). And yet, lately, as the games have gotten tougher and the stakes higher, their contribution has dwindled and their ice time has dipped. Van Riemsdyk is goalless in 12 games while Bozak has just one goal in his last 13 games. Babcock was asked how much he'll lean on those two down the stretch. "Well, that's up to them, right? So, whoever's playing the best gets to play the most. That's the great thing about this time of year: Everyone has an opportunity to lead and we need those guys to be at their best. We need everyone to be at their best." For his part, van Riemsdyk still isn't losing much sleep over the dry spell. "I feel good about my game right now," the left winger insisted. "I feel like we're creating a lot as a line and I'm getting lots of good looks on net so, again, it's only a matter of time." Bozak, in a rare move, was unavailable to the media on Thursday morning. "I think, for the most part, you have to earn your breaks this time of year," Brian Boyle said when asked what it takes to win late in the season. "Teams aren't going to give up much. That's the biggest thing."

Nazem Kadri, the third most-tenured forward in the top three lines (388 games), admitted the veterans are feeling pressure to step up. "It's very important," he noted. "I think, as a group, we want to make this push as bad as anyone else." Asked a general question about Kadri's improvement this season, Babcock went out of his way to prod the pivot, who has been held off the scoresheet in three straight. "Well, I think he's made lots of steps, but I think he's got a lot more steps to go and we need him to dig in. We talked about Bozak and van Riemsdyk, but Naz is a guy who really needs to dig in." While Kadri is short on experience when it comes to intense NHL playoff races, he can draw on what he learned in 2013 when Toronto made it during the lockout-shortened campaign. "It was definitely an exciting feeling and a feeling that I won't forget," he recalled. "I think we're starving for that not only as a team, but as a city and we're focused on bringing that back."

- On Nov. 8 in Toronto, the Los Angeles Kings embarrassed the Leafs 7-0 handing the young team its worst loss of the season. That defeat remains the most lopsided setback suffered by the Leafs this season. "It was a humbling experience for our players and myself here in our building," Babcock said in his post-game news conference. "We have a lot of real good fans that come and support us and they don't want to watch us play like that. We embarrassed ourselves here today." Babcock put his team through a rigorous conditioning skate the next day. A lot has happened since then and the coach isn't using that result to motivate his group ahead of Thursday's rematch. "I can hardly remember it," Babcock said, "other than it was a shellacking." The Leafs rookies have more experience and confidence now. "You definitely watch video and stuff, but that was a long time ago," Morgan Rielly said. "This team's changed and we've learned and we've grown a lot as a team since then. So, you try and not think about it too much, but you definitely watch video." Added Kadri, "Obviously, it's something that we remember, but, as far as the standings go, right now it is irrelevant. We understand that if we don't come ready to play this team is going to take advantage of us, so it will be important to have a good start."

- It appears Babcock is considering a shake up to his top two defence pairings. At Thursday's skate, Rielly was with Alexey Marchenko while Jake Gardiner skated with Nikita Zaitsev. Those pairings were together at Monday's practice, but the coach reverted back to the usual alignment – Rielly-Zaitsev and Gardiner-Marchenko – for most of Tuesday's game. "It doesn't change too much," Rielly said when asked about partnering with Marchenko. "We're all pretty comfortable playing with each other and know what to expect. We've practised together, we've played a couple shifts together [against the Sharks] so there shouldn't be any adjustment period here tonight."

- Trade deadline pick-up Eric Fehr joined the Leafs for the morning skate, but won't play tonight. "He's here to be a good influence in the room and be a good pro and ideally some of his habits wear off on our guys," Babcock explained. "Between him and Boyler I think we've really improved that part of our room, which is real important for us. He played on real good teams and you get used to winning and you know how to win and you prepare like a winner." Fehr arrived in Los Angeles late last night and said he's ready to be patient as he awaits his first chance to crack Babcock's lineup. "I'm really excited for the opportunity to come back and play in Canada and play in front of the biggest fan base in the league," the Manitoba native told reporters. Fehr knows some of his new teammates better than others. He skated with a young William Nylander when his dad, Michael Nylander, was Fehr's teammate on the Capitals. The pair shared a laugh about that this morning.  

* Lines at Leafs morning skate: 

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Komarov-Kadri-Brown
van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Marner 
Martin-Boyle-Soshnikov
Extras: Smith, Fehr, Leivo 

Rielly-Marchenko
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Hunwick-Polak
Extra: Marincin 

Andersen starts
McElhinney