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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The Leafs and Florida Panthers skated on Tuesday morning at the Air Canada Centre. 

He may not be in Pyeongchang, but Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock is following the 2018 Winter Games closely.

On Sunday night, like many Canadians, the coach was transfixed by how figure skaters Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue claimed another ice dancing gold medal. 

“I've got to tell you, when they were going back a third time I wondered what they were doing,” Babcock said. “But it goes to show you when you have passion, you have a dream and you want to get things done, it's unbelievable what you can do. I think there's lots of inspirational moments for all of us in life.”

After winning gold in Vancouver and silver in Sochi, Virtue and Moir took some time away from the sport before deciding to return for one more Olympics.

“When you watch the best of the best grind and their stick-to-itiveness, in the end, that’s what makes them champions,” Babcock said. “Your skill only gets you so far.”

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Auston Matthews and linemates William Nylander and Zach Hyman missed out on some glorious scoring chances on Saturday in Pittsburgh and then again in the first two periods on Sunday in Detroit. Eventually they broke through producing the late winner against the Red Wings. 

“Willie and I looked at each other like, ‘Finally,’” Matthews said after the game. 

Mitch Marner was asked if Matthews, his good friend, ever gets frustrated. 

"No, not really in hockey,” Marner told reporters before smiling. “I've seen him get frustrated in Fortnite a lot, but not in hockey."

Fortnite would be the video game that has captivated the young Leafs stars of late. 

“It’s absolutely sweeping the nation,” Matthews proclaimed on Tuesday. “Everybody’s playing it. I see all my buddies from home, guys I played with at the (U.S. National Development) Program, I see them online. Everybody’s playing Fortnite now.”

When you’re a young superstar in a big market like Toronto life can be stressful. You need to have a release off the ice. For Matthews, Marner and many of their teammates the current go-to escape is Fortnite. 

“Unbelievable,” said Matthews when asked to assess how his Fortnite skills have progressed. “Oh yeah. Been playing a lot lately. Off days, I don't really leave my apartment too much, because you just want to relax so been trying to get better every day in Fortnite and it’s been going pretty well, honestly.”  

Matthews and Marner agree that Tyler Bozak is the best Fortnite player on the team. So, who’s the worst? 

“I don’t want to say, because he’s my really good friend," Matthews said with a wry grin, "but he starts in net for us.”

Alright Frederik Andersen, what do you have to say for yourself? 

“I’m a team player,” the soft-spoken Dane shot back. “I wear the other team down and then they swoop in to get the kills. I think that’s usually how it goes down. I’m definitely improving, but they’re at another level I think.”

Andersen then proceeded to serve the pair of 20-year-olds some humble pie. 

“Bozak is the best. I think both Mats and Mitchy think they are, but there’s no question.”

Marner, initially reluctant to critique his goalie’s Fortnite abilities, feigned outrage when that comment made its way across the room. 

“Fred said that?” Marner gasped. “Okay. Then Fred’s the worst player on our team. I’m going to say it. Fred’s the worst on our team. I don’t know why Fred said that. We’re usually trying to revive him a lot in the battles.”

As you can tell, the mood was loose inside the Leafs room on Tuesday morning. The offence is flowing as Toronto has won 10 of 12 to open up a 19-point cushion in the playoff race. 

So, what about the initial comment that started this whole Fortnite firestorm? Auston, do you really not get frustrated on the ice? 

“I mean, I get frustrated out there sometimes,” Matthews admits, “but, I get pretty frustrated in Fortnite. But so does Mitchy. I think everybody does. It’s a pretty frustrating game, but it’s a pretty fun one.”

“Not just him, all of us get worked up,” Marner agreed. “It brings the angry out of me pretty quickly if stuff goes wrong. It’s pretty funny how quickly it escalates.”

​Fortnite is set in a world where a storm has wiped out most of the population and zombie-like creatures attack those who remain. Players co-operate on various missions. 

“It’s a different game," Marner explained. "It’s cartoonish [in design], but at the same time you can build stuff, build barriers to protect yourself, build forts and it’s just a fun game." 

“It’s about teamwork,” said Andersen. “You play as a squad and you’re not just trying to win, but get the win as a team so it’s in our nature.”

 

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Matthews seemed to get a bit frustrated during his last game against the Panthers way back on Nov. 22. In that game, Matthews fired eight shots on net, matching a career high, adding one more in the shootout, but couldn’t beat Roberto Luongo. 

“He’s obviously still a really good goalie,” Matthews said. “They’re a good team. They’ve been hot lately. They’re big and strong so it will be a good test for us tonight.”

After missing 26 games due to a groin injury sustained in early December, Luongo returned to action last week in Calgary stopping 30 of 33 shots in a Panthers win.

“I still wasn’t as good as I wanted to be,” the 38-year-old said. “It’s just a matter of being patient and keep working and building it up.”

Luongo is well aware of the pull-and-drag move Matthews has been using to great effect this season. 

“It’s tough,” he said, “especially if he gets it off when the goalie’s trying to pick it up, that’s the hardest part is when you don’t see the release off the stick. It’s something we, as goaltenders, have to be aware of and when he’s coming down the wing, keep our eye out for it and be ready for it.”

Luongo had been rolling before the injury notching a .943 save percentage in his previous 10 games. 

What keeps him going despite the health issues of late? 

“At the end of the day, I still love the game as much I ever have. I have a passion for it. Even though it’s not fun to be out for long periods of time, it’s all worth it when you get a chance to come back and play.”

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Luongo (43 saves) and Andersen (42 saves) had quite the duel on Nov. 22 in Sunrise, Fla., with the Panthers goalie eventually winning 2-1 in a shootout.

“It's always fun to compete with some of the best,” Andersen said. “He's been around for a long time and has had a great career. It's incredible.”

Andersen, 28, is starting to earn more buzz as a potential Vezina Trophy candidate and Luongo can understand why.

“This year he's taken it to another level, obviously in the top-tier of goalies in the league right now,” Luongo said. “He's given his team a chance to win every night. As a goalie, you look around the league and the best goalies give their team a chance to win every night and I think that's what he does for the Leafs.”

Can Andersen see himself playing to age 38 like Luongo? 

“I hope so,” he said. “Yeah, I mean, why not?”