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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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TSN Toronto Reporter Mark Masters reports on the Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers (optional), who held skates at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday.

A lot has changed since the Leafs outscored the Oilers 13-1 while sweeping three games in late February and early March. Toronto has just one regulation win in nine games since then (3-6-0). The Oilers, meanwhile, have won seven of nine to creep to within two points of the division leaders.

And yet that three-game set in Edmonton remains fresh in the mind of figures on both sides of this rivalry. 

"We played as good as we have and I don't think we got the best that Edmonton has," said coach Sheldon Keefe. "I expect here now, with the week off and how things went the last time, that Edmonton is going to be at their very best and we have to find our way back to what we looked like out there. It's a good opportunity for us to do that. It's a great challenge. They're back playing extremely well and back confident once again and motivation won't be lacking for them."

Connor McDavid was held without a point in the three previous games against his hometown team. Since then, he's been on the scoresheet nine straight times with 20 total points. 

"We have to show not only to them, but to ourselves that we can play with these guys and we can beat these guys," McDavid said. "We've done it before." 

The Leafs and Oilers had split the first four games of the season series before the domination in Edmonton. 

"Any time you get whacked around for three games at home, you know, it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth," said Mike Smith, who gets the start for the Oilers. "I feel like tonight we have no excuse but to come out with our best game and hopefully that’s good enough to get a win."

Mitch Marner says that Toronto is looking to replicate "as much as possible" from that last series against Edmonton. The recipe for success against the high-octane Oilers is clear. 

"Make sure we're staying above [them] and not giving up too many odd-man rushes," Marner outlined. "We know they're a deadly team off the rush so just got to make sure everyone is doing their part, being smart out there, and not diving in too much." 

"We're prepared for them to make a push and play hard and be a motivated bunch," said defenceman Morgan Rielly. "We didn't allow too many odd-man rushes and we played to our structure. We made it tough for them coming through the neutral zone, clogged it up pretty good, and we’re going to have to replicate that." 

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The first three games of the Oilers road trip were postponed due to the Canadiens' COVID situation. 

"A strange week," said McDavid. "It's been boring, honestly. That's the first word that comes to mind. It's almost been a little bit of a bye week, I guess. We should be rested. Guys should have legs. Guys should have energy. Sometimes when you’re coming off a delay like this the attention to detail or the little things can be missed so it's important to dial that in right away."

During his six seasons in the National Hockey League, McDavid's played six games in Toronto. He has played here on a Monday, Tuesday, twice on a Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. So, is there any extra meaning to playing in Toronto on a Saturday?

"Absolutely," McDavid said. "The league likes to try to sneak us through here on a Monday, Wednesday night so for us to get a Saturday night game is exciting. As a kid, obviously, you watch Saturday night hockey and growing up in the Toronto area that was always the Leafs so it's exciting to be able to play here on a Saturday."

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McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have looked great while playing on the same line of late, which is something the Leafs didn't see consistently during the three-game sweep. 

"He passes the puck so well," McDavid said of the reigning Hart Trophy winner. "We think a lot alike. We've been playing together for a long time now and kind of understand what each other is thinking and what we'll be doing. Obviously, a special player and always fun to get the chance to line up beside him." 

"They're pretty deadly together," noted Marner. "They know where each other is going to be. You got to be ready. When you think a pass can't be made, they're pretty good at finding a way to get it there."

McDavid and Draisaitl skated on the same line at Friday’s practice, but Dave Tippett was noncommittal when asked about playing them together in Toronto. 

"It's just a tool that we use," the coach said on Saturday. "They play a lot together during the game whether it's power play or certain shifts here and there and then there are times when we want to play them together all the time. It just gives a different dimension to our team. They're both top, top players and the individual skill-set they bring is immense so you put them together and you're just doubling that."

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Keefe shuffled his lines this morning, moving Joe Thornton back to the top line with Auston Matthews and Marner. Wayne Simmonds moved to the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander.

"I've wanted to get Simmonds back with Tavares and Nylander," Keefe explained. "That line, to me, when Wayne left our lineup, was just starting to get going. I thought it's the best trio we've had there. Those guys were really going and had a lot of opportunities and Wayne was bringing a lot to the line so I've been wanting to go back with that."

​Simmonds played a couple games with Tavares and Nylander before breaking his wrist on Feb. 6 and missing six weeks. He has played the last two games with Matthews and Marner. 

Matthews and Marner, meanwhile, are likely to see a lot of Edmonton's top line tonight and Keefe likes how his No. 97 has handled things when on the ice against the Oilers No. 97. 

"Joe has played really good hockey against the Edmonton Oilers this season," Keefe said. "Defensively, especially, with what he's brought to those guys and how he's played against Edmonton's best players. He's done a really good job. Very conscious of when they’re out there and how he needs to play so wanted to get that back." 

Newcomer Alex Galchenyuk, who had been with Tavares and Nylander, moved to the fourth line with Alex Kerfoot and Jason Spezza. 

"Galchenyuk, getting him a good opportunity early was important," Keefe said. "We got him in a good place here now and I like a lot about what he's done. It's nothing against what he brought to that line, but I have wanted to get Wayne in that place."

Keefe also stressed it was important to keep the third line together. The trio of Pierre Engvall between Ilya Mikheyev and Zach Hyman had a coming-out party of sorts against the Oilers producing a goal in each game of the sweep. And Hyman really seemed to get under the skin of Smith in the final game of the series. 

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Kailer Yamamoto​ returns to the Oilers lineup for the first time since March 17. 

"He's just got to get back to playing how he was," said Tippett. "He's great on the forecheck. He keeps pucks alive. He's got good skill to make plays. Smart defensive player. So, he just has to get his game back up and going again. It was an injury that kept him out a little longer than expected and now with the break that we had he's back and 100 per cent healthy."

Yamamoto​ skated on the second line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Dominik Kahun at Friday’s practice. 

"He brings a lot of work," McDavid said. "He works his tail off and works [to get] pucks back. He's a good little player when he's got the puck. Sometimes he defers a little bit too much, but that can happen with a young guy. When he's confident, there's not many wingers better to play with than that guy. He works as hard as I've seen anyone. He's a guy that brings a lot of energy."

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Jack Campbell, who posted a shutout against the Oilers on Feb. 27, makes a third straight start for the Leafs. He’s vowing to be better with his puck touches after a pair of botched handles ended up in the net on Thursday in Ottawa. 

"Those types of goals just can't go in," Campbell said. "Those are 100 percent on me, of course." 

Keefe said that Campbell made the right decision to play the puck both times, but could've been more assertive. The fact he's only played five games this season makes it hard to get in a rhythm when it comes to moments like that, the coach noted. 

Frederik Andersen still isn't back on the ice. Toronto's No. 1 goalie hasn't skated since losing to the Flames on March 19. 

"No real update yet," said Keefe. "He's had some different examinations and different things he's had looked at ... his return is not imminent. I expect we'll have an update in the coming days."

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Lines at Leafs morning skate: 

Thornton - Matthews - Marner 
Nylander - Tavares - Simmonds 
Mikheyev - Engvall - Hyman 
Galchenyuk - Kerfoot - Spezza 

Rielly - Brodie 
Muzzin - Holl
Dermott - Bogosian 

Campbell starts 
Hutchinson 

Power play units at Leafs morning skate: 
1/20 in the last nine games

Rielly 
Matthews - Thornton - Marner 
Simmonds 

Brodie 
Nylander - Tavares - Spezza 
Hyman