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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes on the Maple Leafs, who held an optional practice at Scotiabank Arena ahead of tonight's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe has no plan to limit Morgan Rielly as Toronto's No. 1 defenceman returns tonight against the Lightning. 

"We're going to watch him early, but we're not going to hold him back. That doesn't help him, I don't think. He's a horse, he wants to get out and get moving and get playing. We'll have to probably watch his minutes, of course, just see how he's managing that, check in with him, but in terms of his play and how we'll utilize him, we'll just let him go.

"I'm a little nervous for sure," Rielly admitted, "but, you know, it's also excitement. It's also very serious. This time of year you want to win, you want to collect points ... We came back from a California trip where we were disappointed with how we played and we go right into a home game against one of the best teams in the league, it's a great opportunity for all of us to be prepared and prove to ourselves we can play with anyone."

Rielly, who leads the Leafs in average ice time (24:15) this season, will be playing for the first time since Jan. 12 when he broke his foot during a game in Florida.

"The past couple of days there's been times where you're not as comfortable as you'd like to be with the puck just because you haven't had it on your stick as much in the past," Rielly said. "It just takes a little bit of time. That being said, the difference between the first period and the third, I’m sure there'll be a difference for me, I'm sure I'll be more comfortable. It's important to work hard and just put that first and the rest will come."

Rielly has gone through three full practices in the last eight days.

"He's going to help us everywhere," said Tyson Barrie, "getting out of our own end, defending, jumping in the rush, joining the rush, he’s literally an all-around player so he'll be huge for us in all areas."

Rielly will skate with Cody Ceci, who was his partner at the start of the season. Travis Dermott remains with Justin Holl while rookie Rasmus Sandin re-enters the line-up and will play with Barrie.

"There's some familiarity there," noted Keefe of the Rielly-Ceci pairing. "Obviously, with (Jake) Muzzin still being out, we have a little bit of uncertainty there with our pairs in terms of what we would like to do. And Dermott and Holl have been doing well together so just thought we'd give this a go."

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Jon Cooper coached Rielly as part of the Team North America staff at the 2016 World Cup.

"I'm a big Morgan Rielly fan, I'm not going to lie," the Lightning coach said. "He kind of was just that guy that did everything right for you. I like his game, I like his vision, I really like his compete. I think he's an intangible defenceman that can do everything for you. And not only what he brings on the ice, he's a guy you want to have in your locker room. That's what I liked about him."

"Phenomenal player," agreed defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk. "His ability to join the rush and be that second wave of attack (is important), especially for these guys, they seem to find their defencemen really well. He's especially good breaking pucks out of his own zone, using his feet, making great little passes and after that, he's gone."

Considering Rielly has missed 23 games, Tampa Bay is placing an emphasis on making his life difficult tonight.

"It's on us to make sure we're getting a bump on him, slowing his momentum down, make it as hard as possible for him to come back," Shattenkirk said. "I know he's been out for a little while and you just don't want to make it an easy game for him out there."

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The Lightning will be forced to play a second straight game without Victor Hedman, who's sidelined with a lower-body injury.

"Victor Hedman can dictate a game," said Cooper, "so when you're taking out 25, 26 minutes a night, in all your special teams, a driving force of what helps drive your team, it has an effect. The one thing about this year is we've had to live without (Ryan) McDonagh, we've had to live without Hedman, we've had to live without some guys and ... those are the things you have to fight through."

Tampa Bay has dealt with its fair share of adversity dating back to April's shocking first-round playoff sweep against the Blue Jackets. 

"It really, really hurts when you go through it," Cooper said, "but when you do go through it you learn for how much it hurts and you try to alter your behaviour to make sure it doesn’t happen again."

The Lightning are on pace to score the most goals in the NHL for the third straight season, but they believe they're a more well-rounded group this year. Tampa's shots against per game has dipped from 32.1 (21st in the NHL) to 30.9 (12th) this season.

"We've grown up as a team," said Cooper. "We've gone from maybe teenage kids to young adults in a way. There's a lot more responsibility in our game and I think that's what guys are feeling confident about this year."

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Anthony Cirelli is a key part of Tampa's responsible game despite being just being 22.

"His strength on his stick when he bears down on pucks in 50-50 battles is something," observed Shattenkirk. "For a player at his age to be doing that is pretty unbelievable stuff. He's someone we rely on and we know when he goes into the corner, nine out of 10 times he’s going to come away with the puck."

The Toronto-born centre shoulders the tough match-ups for Cooper and is earning Selke Trophy buzz even though the award for top defensive forward tends to go to older players. A player under the age of 23 hasn't taken home the prize since Buffalo's Michael Peca (22) in 1996-97.

Can Cirelli end that drought?

"Being in Toronto right now and the fact you're asking that is a good sign, because that means people are noticing," Cooper said. "It is a little bit of a pay-your-dues award, but I would anticipate he'll be in that conversation much sooner than later."

Per the NaturalStatTrick website, Tampa Bay had a 10-6 edge in shot attempts in the 10 minutes and 40 seconds that Cirelli and Auston Matthews shared the ice in five-on-five play two weeks ago. The Leafs won 4-3, but Matthews didn't do any damage at even strength.

Cirelli believes his time with the Oshawa Generals was key in allowing him to mature so quickly into a two-way force.

"In junior, my coach was D.J. (Smith) and he taught me you have to be good in both ends of the ice if you want to play," Cirelli said. "I knew if I wanted to be effective I had to be able to do that, because I'm not just out there to score goals."

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The Leafs managed to win two weeks ago in Tampa on the strength of two power-play goals.

"I didn't mind our five-on-five game," Cooper said. "It was a special teams war that they were better than us at and that got them two points. As that game wore on, I liked what we brought to the table."

The Leafs killed off all three Lightning power-play chances in that game.

But more than the special teams success, K​eefe recalls how the Leafs held their nerve after falling behind 9:46 into the game. It was their first outing after the embarrassing home loss to emergency goalie David Ayres.

"I liked that we just kept playing and came right back and evened the game and took the lead and virtually played with the lead the rest of the way," Keefe noted. "They scored to make it 2-2 and we scored right away again ... to be able to respond all the time is what stood out to me."

Toronto has scored the first goal in just 30 games this season. Only Ottawa (26) has scored fewer opening goals this season.

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Projected Leafs lines for Tuesday's game:

Nylander - Matthews - Hyman

Kapanen - Tavares - Marner

Engvall - Kerfoot - Malgin

Clifford - Gauthier - Spezza

 

Rielly - Ceci

Dermott - Holl

Sandin - Barrie

 

Andersen starts

Campbell