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TSN Toronto Reporter Mark Masters reports on the Maple Leafs, who practised at Ford Performance Centre on Wednesday before travelling to Calgary for Thursday’s game against the Flames.


Auston Matthews has avoided any serious injury after the knee of Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Brett Pesce hit his head late in Monday's game.
 
"I wasn't expecting it so I was just a bit shaken up," the Leafs centre explained. "It happened so quick. Fortunately, I was able to calm down and everything checked out well. I'm fortunate it was nothing serious."
 
Matthews realized he'd be OK shortly after arriving in the dressing room. 
 
"I just felt like I got hit on the side of the head pretty hard," Matthews said of the play. "I felt fine later that night. Felt good the next day and throughout the day. So, just talking to the medical team, there was no hesitation to jump into practice today."
 

 
Matthews skated in his regular spot on the top line and top power-play unit. 
 
"He was eager to get back out there today and seems no worse for wear," observed coach Sheldon Keefe. 
 
"He looked like himself out there," agreed William Nylander. "I mean, obviously, that seemed like a scary situation, so happy to see him back today like normal."


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"Normal" for Matthews means scoring. He has lit the lamp in three straight games, including sneaking a couple pucks past his good friend and former teammate Frederik Andersen on Monday.
 
"It's weird," Matthews said, "because I feel like he knows where I want to shoot it and I know that he knows where I want to shoot it. So I try to maybe shoot it to the second option or something like that."
 
Andersen, who played five seasons in Toronto with Matthews, certainly seemed to have an edge early on.
 
"He made a number of one-on-one saves on Auston," noted Mitch Marner. "It helps that they skate together in the summer as well. It is tougher sometimes. He knows our shots pretty well."
 
"He made unbelievable saves on me," Matthews said, "and I was going to lose a little sleep over some of those if I didn't capitalize on one."
 
Matthews eventually solved the Dane. He also scored on Andersen in their first meeting in October. So, does the Arizona native have bragging rights? 
 
"In the middle of the summer this year maybe I'll bring it up silently," Matthews said with a smile, "but I'm not really one to kind of rub it in somebody's face like that."
 
Matthews is getting set to face another friend and former teammate in Calgary's Matthew Tkachuk, who he played with at the USA Hockey National Development Program. 
 
Tkachuk, Johnny Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm have been among the top lines in the NHL. They are a big reason why the Flames are enjoying a resurgent season. 
 
"It seems like they've been playing solid all year," Matthews said, "What jumps out about their team is just how solid they play on both ends. Offensively they're at the top of the league in a lot of categories and then defensively they don't give up much."

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The second goal that Matthews scored on Monday came off a nice passing play following a faceoff win late in the second period. Apparently, it wasn't a set play. 
 
"Just the first part," Matthews revealed. "Mitchy rolling up high is what we planned and the rest happened organically."
 
With 27.8 seconds left, Matthews won an offensive-zone faceoff against Vincent Trocheck. The puck went directly to Morgan Rielly at the point. Marner came up high in the zone and played a little give and go with the defenceman, who then fed Matthews in the high slot. Michael Bunting, meanwhile, was jostling with Tony DeAngelo and creating a screen in front. 
 
It may not have been a set play, per se, but it was a sign of some high hockey IQ. 
 
"They play with a lot of pressure and their [guy] came out really hard at Mo," Matthews said. "Him and Mitchy made a really nice play. I tried to create some space and he made an unbelievable pass to me. A big goalie like Fred, he moves so well so a play like that is a better chance of scoring. You got a guy screening him and the puck changing side to side and he has to get over and make a save. So, it was a nice play all around and we executed it really well." 
 
The Leafs coaching staff will rarely call for set plays off draws. They leave that in the hands of the players. 
 
"I am not a big faceoff-play guy," Keefe said. "There are so many variables that happen on a faceoff and they don't happen as clean as you would like them to be. Mitch and Auston, in particular, talk a lot and make a plan inside of what we want to do. Some of that is within the structure that we talk about and [assistant coach] Manny Malhotra puts together with our plans. A big part of it is just the players communicating and — most importantly — executing.
 
Against an elite opponent like the Hurricanes, you have to jump on any mistake. 
 
"We took a breath on one right at the end of the second period and it's in your net," said Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour, "and that's what these guys do. If you give these guys any room, forget about it." 


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Wayne Simmonds missed Wednesday's practice after his wife gave birth to the couple's second child. 
 
"They welcomed a new baby into the world so he had good reason to be away," Keefe said. "He won't fly with us here today and I'm not certain exactly when he'll join us. Him and his wife will have that discussion and make that determination."
 
The Leafs currently don't have an extra forward on the roster. If Simmonds doesn't play on Thursday, Keefe suggested he may dress seven defencemen. 
 
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Jake Muzzin is close to returning from a concussion, but hasn't officially been cleared. 
 
Muzzin has gone through three full-contact practices since returning from the All-Star break. He has skated in his usual spot alongside Justin Holl on the second pair in the last two sessions. 
 
"He looks good," said Keefe. "He looks like himself. When you're coming off a head injury, you're dealing with that and making sure that you're comfortable with that. And then there's just getting comfortable on the ice again and touching the puck and making plays and handling pressure. He looks to me like he's handling that well."
 
Muzzin hasn't played since Jan. 15. 
 
"He looks like he's in a good spot to me, but both Jake and the medical team will make the determination tomorrow about whether he's available to us," Keefe said. 
 
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During the All-Star break, John Tavares spent a couple quiet days up north with his young family. Nylander decompressed at home by playing the Call of Duty video game.
 
"We had a good break," Nylander noted, "and now build off of that and come out hot here."
 
Tavares and Nylander only recorded one goal and one assist each in five-on-five play in the 10 games leading into the break. 
 
"I thought last game was a positive step for them," said Keefe. "John makes a big-time play that gets overlooked a little bit on the overtime-winning goal. Those are the kind of things that can get a guy going."


Tavares picked up a pair of secondary assists in Monday's win, but his line was outscored 2-0 in five-on-five play. Tavares is now a team-worst minus-9 over the last 11 games. So, it was no surprise that the Leafs captain mentioned defensive awareness as a key for his group moving forward.  
 
"It's just the attention to detail," Tavares said. "When we get the puck on our stick or we're transitioning the other way, [it's about] the execution and making sure we're making the game a lot easier for each other. You know, try not to think too much, keep it simple, compete and play hard and, naturally, your instincts and your ability come out from that."
 
Keefe believes all the COVID-related postponements in December and January sapped the second line of its momentum. 
 
"Once you find your rhythm and your game everything falls into place," he said. "Those guys, at different times this season, have been really firing at both ends of the ice. A lot of it is just to do with pace and speed – both with and without the puck – and overall intensity. There's been a little bit of a dip there." 
 
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Lines at Wednesday's practice: 
 
Bunting - Matthews - Marner 
Kerfoot - Tavares - Nylander 
Mikheyev - Kampf - Kase
Engvall - Spezza - Potts*
 
Rielly - Brodie 
Muzzin - Holl
Sandin - Liljegren/Dermott 
 
Campbell starts on Thursday
Mrazek 
 
*University of Toronto's Kyle Potts
 


Power-play units at Wednesday's practice: 
 
QB: Rielly 
Flanks: Matthews, Marner 
Middle/net front: Tavares & Nylander rotating 
 
QB: Sandin 
Flanks: Spezza, Engvall/Mikheyev 
Middle: Kase
Net front: Bunting