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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes on the Toronto Maple Leafs.The Leafs (optional) and Colorado Avalanche skated at Scotiabank Arena ahead of Monday night’s game. 

The line of Gabriel Landeskog (27 goals, 24 assists), Nathan MacKinnon (26 goals, 40 assists) and Mikko Rantanen​ (20 goals, 48 assists) has been dominant this season, but with the Colorado Avalanche struggling it may be time to split up the trio, at least for a bit. 

“That would probably be a good thing, too,” agreed MacKinnon. “Good to spread it out. We tried it at home for a few periods and it was OK ... but, yeah, it’s definitely something that we should try in the future especially if we don't win here.”

MacKinnon notes that other Avalanche lines absorb most of the defensive-zone draws allowing his group to stay on the attack and put up some gaudy numbers. He also points out that Carl Soderberg and Alexander Kerfoot are trending toward 50-point seasons so there are good options to mix and match throughout the lineup. And Colorado could use a shake up having lost nine of 10.

So, why is Jared Bednar staying the course by keeping his top weapons together? 

"They like playing together," the Avalanche coach explained. "They’re excited about playing together every night. They put a lot of responsibility on themselves. It’s been working for us at times. We've broken them up and used them with some other linemates during games and sort of shuffled lines around, but we keep coming back to those guys as a group ... they've played some more shifts away from each other recently, but I still like playing them together. 

“They’re one of the best lines in the league if not the best line in the league. If we’re going to get out of this thing we’re going to lean on those guys heavily and that’s what we’re intending to do here.”

After losing 3-0 to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, Bednar says his team has reached the “put up or shut up” moment in the losing streak. 

​“We feel a lot of pressure," MacKinnon said. “I mean, to give our team the best chance to win we’re going to have to produce and we didn’t do that against Montreal. The power play was in one a little bit (0/4) and it cost us the game ... The West is tight, fortunately for us. We’ve lost 12 of 15, but we’re still in a playoff spot somehow so we’ll take it.”

Considering how things have been snowballing of late, you can understand why Bednar is doubling down on his best players. MacKinnon (averaging 22:12 ice time per game), Landeskog (21:27) and Rantanen (21:14) log big minutes and have seen their playing time get pushed even higher when the team has trailed late in games as was the case last Wednesday against the Flames. 

"In Calgary, I think we played 26 and after the game you’re kind of in shock," said MacKinnon, who lost his composure and yelled at Bednar on the bench late in that one, "that’s a lot of minutes. But you kind of get the adrenaline going, especially late when you’re down, you’re pushing. It’s mostly the next day I feel it. Definitely a little sluggish, a tough sleep and things like that, but I love it. It’s a lot of fun. You can’t complain about playing a lot."

Bednar noted that the average ice time for his top players is on par with other elite guys in the league and the team does everything to ensure the trio gets the recovery time necessary should the minutes skyrocket in certain games. He also adds, "We got to worry about the present here a little bit and not just the big picture."

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Just like on Saturday against Patrice Bergeron and the Boston Bruins, it will be Zach Hyman, John Tavares and Mitch Marner getting the toughest assignment tonight. Leafs head coach Mike Babcock confirmed that line will see MacKinnon and company a lot at even strength. 

"I'm doing what I can to win the game," the Leafs coach explained. "I think they’re, right now, playing our best."

In the past, Nazem Kadri and Auston Matthews have gotten the tough assignments. 

"I'd like to be able to give all three of those groups matchups as time goes on," Babcock said. "We've got to be playing good enough."

Tavares was asked to offer a scouting report on Colorado's top line. 

"Landeskog is a real good finisher and strong on the puck, good in a lot of areas where maybe you don’t notice," the centre observed, "and, obviously, MacKinnon has dynamic ability with the puck, his skating, his shot and Rantanen’s hockey sense and playmaking ability is one of the best in the league so they have, really, a good blend of kind of everything."

Babcock, meanwhile, prefers spreading his top threats throughout the lineup something he's able to do thanks to Toronto’s tremendous depth up front. 

"Over the course of 60 minutes you’d like to think you’re able to wear a team down that way and find a way to get opportunities," noted Tavares.

Babcock was asked why more teams seem to be embracing the load-up-one-line approach.

“Whatever works best for their team. The team that's running away with hockey though, that's not what they're doing,” he said referring to the front-running Tampa Bay Lightning. “They're spread out, they've just got good players on every line. Those are the ones that tend to play a long time in the spring, too.”

“Tampa spreads it out fairly well,” said Tavares. "I think we spread it out fairly well. It depends maybe the way the team’s built or the way they’re looking to play. Sometimes you get three guys that click so well together, it’s hard to not do that."

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Rantanen and Kasperi Kapanen helped Finland win a World Junior gold medal in 2016. Rantanen was the captain of that team while Kapanen scored the golden goal on overtime against Russia. And the pair linked up even before that magical run in Helsinki through the Finnish national program. 

"I knew back then that he'd become an amazing hockey player," said Kapanen, "but if you’d asked me if he’d be leading the league in points pretty much the whole season and just tearing it up that’s something I couldn’t tell you. He’s a fascinating player."

"His skating is probably the biggest thing that impresses me," said Rantanen. "People don't talk about it, but I think he's one of the fastest guys in the league. He's getting better and better. He was an offensive talent, but here he was playing more of a defensive role last year, but now he's getting more offensive (chances) and he's scoring goals so that's good for him."

Tonight the pair of Finnish friends will be facing off in the NHL for the first time. 

"We talk to each other every now and then," said Kapanen. "I'm sure he's busy and, you know, he's kind of far away from me, but every time I see him or he's posting something or whatever I'll give him a little chirp or try to talk to him. He's a good guy and fun to be around. I can't wait to play against him tonight."

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Projected Leafs lineup for tonight's game: 

Forwards
Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Johnsson-Matthews-Kapanen
Marleau-Kadri-Nylander
Lindholm-Gauthier-Brown

Defencemen
Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev 
Dermott-Ozhiganov

Goaltenders
Andersen starts
Sparks