Apr 25, 2018
Matthews admits there’s ‘another level’ for him
With just one goal and one assist through six games, the Maple Leafs centre has been quieter than expected in this series against the Boston Bruins, Mark Masters writes.
By Mark Masters
TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The Leafs held a full skate at TD Garden on Wednesday morning. The Boston Bruins held an optional skate at Warrior Ice Arena.
Auston Matthews fired five shots on net in Game 6. He would've had an assist had Zach Hyman's goal not been overturned due to goalie interference. He was in all alone on Tuukka Rask late in the third, but couldn't convert. So, is the 20-year-old Maple Leafs centre looking for more of the same on Wednesday night or is there more to give?
“There’s another level, for sure,” he said. “You just want to do things to help the team win and, obviously, you want to produce on the scoresheet.”
With just one goal and one assist through six games, Matthews has been quieter than expected in this series against the Boston Bruins. Certainly, Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron deserve some credit for that, but Matthews is a special player and special players often rise to meet the moment.
“It’s exciting,” he said of his first NHL Game 7. “I mean, these are the games you kind of dream about and watch a lot of them as a kid and you get to experience it now.”
While Matthews has struggled to dominate, his good pal Mitch Marner has excelled, leading the team with eight points. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy listed off a series of priorities for his team tonight and keeping Marner off the scoresheet was the first thing he mentioned.
“Matty is a real good player. Mitch is a real good player,” said Leafs head coach Mike Babcock. “The beauty of being on a team is you pick each other up. Sometimes in the National Hockey League season there’s a couple of weeks at a time where you're in a lull and someone else picks you up and then they don't notice at the end of the year because the numbers add up right. In the playoffs, the same things happen. But, if you get out too soon, sometimes there's no equalization. If you keep playing a long period of time, those who get ‘em, get ‘em.”
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Watching Game 7s as a fan growing up, what stood out to Marner?
“Watching [Patrick] Kane, how he’d come out to play and help his team,” said the diminutive Leafs winger, whose skillset is often compared to the Blackhawks star. "That’s the thing that’s stood out to me about Game 7s.”
Now, Marner gets his first crack at the ultimate deciding game.
“These are all moments you get to enjoy and that you don’t want to look back on and regret," he said. “I’m enjoying every moment, having fun with it and then when the time comes I get serious ... I think if I get too serious too far away from a game then my mind gets tired a little bit.”
Marner has excelled on big stages in the past. He was MVP of the 2016 Memorial Cup, for example. Nerves don't seem to bother him.
What were his plans for this afternoon?
“Go home, eat, sit on my phone, probably look at Twitter, look at video games, watch people playing Fortnite probably, to be honest. Just get my mind off hockey, not think about it at all,” he said.
How about his road roommate?
“Watch a movie,” said Matthews, “Watch Fortnite videos. You can hear him over there on the other side of the room so it’s easy to get sucked into those.”
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Boston's dynamic top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak has been held off the scoresheet in the Bruins' three losses in the series.
In Game 6, they missed the net on several quality chances. At one point, Marchand slammed his stick on the ice after an offside call. On Tuesday, Pastrnak was asked how he can get scoring again and called the question “stupid” noting he wasn't going to change anything.
So, have the Leafs succeeded in frustrating the trio?
“Possibly,” said Nazem Kadri. "I know, being a scorer, it is tough when you're not scoring. They had a great early start and they're great players. They don't need much time to open the floodgates. That's why we've got to make sure to stay on top of them."
Cassidy admits his top scorers are a bit frustrated at the moment.
“I’m not going to sit here and say they’re not," Boston's coach told reporters. "They want to do more. But, to the point where it’s affecting there game? I don’t think so. They’re still winning pucks, generating shots. Maybe they’re trying to squeeze it into a tighter hole than maybe just getting it on net. Just get it on net and force them to make saves. We'll talk about that. At the end of the day, they're good players and I think they'll be fine in that regard. Sooner or later, when you win faceoffs like Bergy did the other night and you have puck possession, I think the good players are going to finish, I really do.”
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During the morning skate, Leo Komarov and Andreas Johnsson split left-wing reps on a line with Tomas Plekanec and William Nylander. Both Komarov and Johnsson worked as part of the penalty kill during special-teams drills. Afterwards, Babcock refused to confirm his lineup for tonight's game. Komarov is available to return after missing four games with a lower-body injury.
Lines at Leafs morning skate:
Hyman-Matthews-Brown
Marleau-Kadri-Marner
van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Kapanen
Johnsson/Komarov-Plekanec-Nylander
Moore, Leivo, Martin
Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Dermott-Polak
Carrick
Andersen starts
McElhinney