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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 team practised on Wednesday at the MasterCard Centre.

Auston Matthews blocked an Aaron Ekblad shot in the final minute of Tuesday's win over the Florida Panthers. Moments later, in the dressing room, Frederik Andersen couldn't help but take another shot at his good buddy.

“Everyone blocking shots, even Matty at the end there, probably felt a little guilty about some comments earlier today,” Andersen said cracking a smile.

On Tuesday morning, Matthews had revealed that his good friend, Andersen, was the worst Leafs player when it came to the video game Fortnite.  

“I told him we’re even now that I took that one in the foot for him last night,” Matthews said after Wednesday's practice, “we’re even for all the comments we made about him yesterday. We’re all good.”

But that block on Ekblad was far from an isolated incident. Matthews actually leads all Leafs forwards with 54 blocked shots this season, which places him sixth among all NHL forwards.

“He’s been unbelievable,” said alternate captain Leo Komarov. “It’s not only skill, but he does that thing too and it fires up the whole team. It’s great to have guys like that.”

“Obviously, you want to block shots,” said head coach Mike Babcock. “I don’t know if we want it going off his heel like it did last night, but it’s one of those things where there’s a price to be paid to win and we all know that and understand that.”

Matthews, as is his nature, downplayed the last-minute block, which helped preserve the 1-0 win.

“It’s just what you do, I guess,” he said. “I mean, they got a 6-on-5, they’re obviously trying to get the puck to the net and there’s not too much time left so just try and get in front of the shot and block it.”

Playing Matthews, a sophomore centre, in the final minute is part of Babcock’s plan to get the 20-year-old to evolve into an elite two-way pivot.

“You’re trying to get him to become a 200-foot player so you got to put him in those situations,” the coach explained. “The other thing is, he does enough good things and he’s big and strong enough to handle it.”

What stands out in a 5-on-6 situation when the other team is pressing for the tying goal?

“You just have to be in a good position, keep the play in front of you and not let them outnumber you at the net,” Matthews said. “I think that’s probably the most important part.”

“In the end, skill’s a wonderful thing, but knowing where to stand in the D zone and how to play without the puck is a great thing too,” Babcock said, “that leads to winning so he’s getting better all the time.”

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Komarov will often remind reporters that it isn’t his job to score goals. His job is to play the right way and help the Leafs win. But that doesn't mean the 31-year-old doesn't get frustrated when he misses glorious chances like the pair of two-on-ones he failed to convert in the last couple of games. Right?

“Obviously, you see all these highlights everywhere so people are making fun of it, but as long as we win as a team it’s good," Komarov insisted. "When we start losing then we need to figure it out.”

Toronto has won 11 of 13 with Komarov picking up just one goal and one assist in that stretch while playing on the fourth line. The recent misses by Komarov led one commentator to suggest he sleep upside down to change his luck.

“I heard that,” Komarov said with a grin. “Someone said that. It hasn't really bounced my way. I mean, you could call it luck or bad luck, but you need to deserve it too and I just need to work hard and eventually it’s going to go in sometimes.”

There’s another reason why Komarov, who has five goals and 10 assists on the season, may want to tune out the media these days. The trade deadline is looming and Komarov is a pending unrestricted free agent.

“You see it everywhere,” Komarov said of the deadline coverage. “I’m just trying to stay away from the TV and just play the best I can.”


Lines at Wednesday’s practice:

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

Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Dermott-Carrick/Polak

Andersen
McElhinney