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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 Maple Leafs practised at the MasterCard Centre on Wednesday before travelling to Philadelphia. 

Tyler Bozak likes that Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock is sticking with his lineup status quo. 

"In my experience, when you have chemistry you stick with it," the veteran centre said Wednesday, the day after a 2-1 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues. "I don't think it's an easy thing to find, so when you do find it you stick with it. You can change it in-game if things aren't going well, but last night I thought we were doing well and we had a lead with a minute left."

Bozak’s linemate, Mitch Marner, has just two assists in the last eight games and was caught out of position on the overtime winner Tuesday, earning a rebuke from Babcock. 

"You can't be on the wrong side of the puck, you just can't," Babcock said. "What you learn from good teams is you don't cheat, you just keep doing things good and you stay patient and take your opportunities. When you cheat for offence you lose."

For his part, Marner admitted he made a bad read on the play that led to the Vince Dunn winner. He was trying to prevent a reverse play to Vladimir Tarasenko.

The Leafs have not won in regulation since Dec. 28 and have produced just 10 goals during their recent six-game homestand (2-2-2), but the record during that stretch would be much better had they​ not allowed late goals in their last three games – against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 8, Ottawa Senators Jan. 10 and the Blues Tuesday at Air Canada Centre – which all resulted in losses.

Babcock said he “didn’t mind our game last night. Actually, this last little bit I thought we played better and didn’t get the results.

“Things are never as good as you think when you’re winning and they’re never as bad when you’re losing, so you just keep on going and try to get better.”

Despite Marner's mistake Tuesday in OT, Bozak said the sophomore is playing well. 

"He's doing good," said Bozak. "Obviously (during) your rookie year guys aren't going to key on you as much, they don't know as much about you and this year everyone sees how great a player he is and they key on him more."

Before Tuesday's game, Babcock echoed that sentiment when asked about the decline in production by Marner and fellow second-year player William Nylander

"The league catches up to everybody," the coach said in his morning briefing. "I think the league knows who you are. I think both players are substantially better, both of them have had their moments this year. I thought Mitch started slow and really got going. I think Willy has had really good stretches and not as good stretches ... Part of it is them and part of it is the competition. The competition didn't even know who they were last year and, if you remember, you didn't even know who we were either last year.

“Now you're just starting to take us seriously yourselves and so are the other teams."

Marner is on pace for nine goals after potting 19 as a rookie. His shooting percentage this season is 5.2 down from 10.8 last year. 

Matthews regains neutral zone quickness

Auston Matthews has now gone three games without a point, which matches his longest drought of the season although it certainly appears as if Toronto’s top-line centre is poised to break out in a big way. 

"I thought we were pretty good, honestly," he said on Tuesday night after firing four shots on net against the Blues. "Our line especially felt pretty good out there, created some offence and didn't give up too much against and had some good legs. A couple good chances, we just couldn't capitalize."

Babcock was asked if the Matthews line was looking like its old self. 

"Well, I thought Matty looked more like himself," Babcock said with a smile. 

Matthews has missed time twice this season due to injury and also had some time off over the holidays and during the bye week. Only now does the coach see the 20-year-old returning to form. 

"This little skating every day that you do just to keep the motor running and keep going, that's a hard thing (to miss). When you're out for a while, anyone who’s played will tell you, you don't have the same kind of legs,” said Babcock. “He's a guy who can get up and down the ice for us ... I thought last night he had real good quickness through the neutral zone and that's usually a sign things are going good."

Van Riemsdyk shares Lindros memories 

The Flyers will retire No. 88 in honour of Eric Lindros on Thursday night.

"Watching him growing up, he was as dominant a player as there was in that era, so it was cool to watch him play," said James van Riemsdyk, who started his career in Philadelphia. "I got a chance to meet him once, but didn’t see him too often. I remember growing up a Rangers fan, watching those games and he was a guy you hated to play against and probably loved to have on your team."

Puck drop has been moved back to 8:08 p.m. Thursday to accommodate a lengthy pre-game ceremony

Lines at Wednesday's practice

Forwards
Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Marleau-Kadri-Komarov 
van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Marner 
Martin-Moore-Brown 
Leivo, Gauthier 

Defencemen
Rielly-Hainsey 
Gardiner-Carrick
Dermott-Polak
Borgman

Goalies
Andersen 
McElhinney