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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 practiced at the MasterCard Centre on Friday.

- James van Riemsdyk’s goal drought hit 10 games on Thursday night, making this his longest dry spell in two years. Is he pressing? "No, not at all," the left winger insisted. "For me, I just try to focus on every game and focus on the chances you're getting and the little things you can do to convert on those chances." The injury to linemate Mitch Marner has forced van Riemsdyk and centre Tyler Bozak to adjust. Connor Brown has filled in as the right winger on the line. "It's obviously been a little different style," van Riemsdyk explained. "I think we've been playing a little more north-south, but they're both great players in their own right and we've had some pretty good chemistry so far. We're just a little bit off as far as converting on some of the chances, but I think we've done a good job of creating and carrying the play."

Head coach Mike Babcock wasn't thrilled with how the line played against the Rangers on Thursday even though Brown potted Toronto's only goal. "You know, lots of nights you say, 'Okay, we're young,' and stuff like that, but I didn't think our veteran guys up front last night were near as good as they normally are so we need them to be better. But, they were dominant for us the other night in Carolina [when van Riemsdyk assisted on two Brown goals] and they were good again the other night [against Winnipeg], but that line wasn't as good last night." Babcock came to van Riemsdyk's defence when asked about the goal drought. "He just got two great assists the other night," the coach noted. "I don’t know what he had last game. I didn't look. The biggest thing for me, I don't measure guys on how they score, I measure guys on how they compete and how much they have the puck and how many shifts they're in on the puck.” During the 10-game drought, van Riemsdyk is averaging 2.9 shots per game, which is right on his season average. He has three assists in that stretch.

- Of note, van Riemsdyk has seen his ice time decline in February to 15:14 per game. His season average is 15:45, which ranks ninth among Leafs forwards. It's the type of trend that leads to trade deadline rumours, but the 27-year-old, who has one more year on his contract, isn't concerned. "You try not to worry about it too much just because there are always a lot of things swirling around, but that's not up to us as players to worry about."

In general, this is a much different trade deadline around the Leafs than in previous years when the team seemed to be in sell mode. This year there are more questions about the playoff race than possible personnel moves. "I don't think anyone's walking on eggshells too much," Nazem Kadri said. "It's certainly a better feeling, a more positive feeling."

- Bozak, van Riemsdyk and Brown all missed Friday's practice, but Babcock indicated there were no injury concerns and all three are expected to play against the Canadiens on Saturday. So, how is the decision made about when a day off is needed? "There's always a give and take, lots of discussion that goes on," van Riemsdyk said, "just trying to put your best foot forward when the games come." Bozak and Brown were not made available to the media. With so many forwards missing from practice, defenceman Martin Marincin switched positions during the workout to even out the numbers.

- Babcock was asked if he was concerned about how his rookies will handle the heat of their first NHL playoff race. "Most of them have been in lots of playoff races," the coach argued. "It was just at a different level. You know, they're used to winning. The only guys that aren't used to winning are the guys who have been here for a while. So, we always talk about the kids, but that's not the group we have to worry about. We've got to worry about the group that's been here for a while. They've got to get used to winning every night." Kadri believes that the veterans who have experienced some collapses in Toronto, including in 2014 when the team faded badly down the stretch, have learned from those heartaches. "I feel like we've really matured since then," he said. "The guys who were on the team understand how awful a feeling that was just to be so close and drop out of it. As far as this team goes, I really feel like we got too much positive stuff going for us for that to happen. If we keep playing the right way we're going to be a dangerous team. You got to crawl before you can walk and you got to walk before you can run so I feel like that failure made us better people and better hockey players."

- Before Thursday's sparkling 37-save effort, Frederik Andersen had been struggling to find his form. So, what was the biggest difference for him against the Rangers? "Just really engaged and seeing the puck," he explained. "I think that was the biggest factor in feeling good and then making the first few saves was key." After the game, Andersen indicated he felt the performance could be a momentum builder. "This is how I want to be playing," he said. "I know I can play like this." After Friday's practice, he pointed out that he can't get too upset about bad games or excited about good ones. That's one of the lessons in a season where he's playing more than ever before. "You don't get to sit on a game for very long, you got to play the next one so you have to have a short memory," he noted. Andersen has now faced 1,561 shots, which is second in the NHL. His previous high for a season was 1,436.

- Marner skated on his own before practice, but still wasn't healthy enough to join the main group. He's expected to miss a fifth straight game on Saturday. Connor Carrick (upper body) was not on the ice.

Lines at Friday's practice:

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Komarov-Kadri-Leivo
Martin-Gauthier-Soshnikov
Marincin, Smith

Rielly-Zaitsev
Gardiner-Marchenko
Hunwick-Polak

Andersen
McElhinney