'Business-like' Maple Leafs strive to go up 2-0 in Battle of Ontario
'It’s one game. What I see is we’ve moved on from it and we're ready for Game 2.'
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Jake McCabe prefers to get to the point.
The veteran defenceman has been that way with media since the Maple Leafs acquired him from the Chicago Blackhawks in Feb. 2023 and, with Toronto looking to take a 2-0 lead in the Battle of Ontario on Tuesday night, McCabe was concise after the Leafs’ optional morning skate.
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“On to the next one,” McCabe said on Tuesday morning. “Last game doesn’t mean much unless you follow up with a good effort.”
Leafs coach Craig Berube noted his players’ “business-like” attitude in practice on Monday after Toronto recorded a 6-2 win in Game 1 against the Ottawa Senators in the best-of-seven series.
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“I think we’re in a good spot,” Berube said. “It’s one game. What I see is we’ve moved on from it and we’re ready for Game 2. That’s the biggest thing. That was Game 1, throw it out. You look at things that you want to do better, and maybe what they’re going to adjust.
“It’s the mindset of getting prepared for Game 2 and understanding it’s going to be a harder game.”
Don’t expect any lineup changes for the Leafs, including in net. After goalie Anthony Stolarz didn’t practise on Monday as he was given a day of rest, he went through his usual gameday morning routine on Tuesday.
For the Sens, forward Ridly Greig — who tried to throw the Leafs off their game in the opener but failed — and defenceman Nick Jensen did not take the morning skate. Coach Travis Green said both would be available for the game. Forward Nick Cousins and defenceman Travis Hamonic took part in line rushes in the place of their absent teammates.
If the Leafs win to go up 2-0, it will be the first time since 2002 and a span of 16 playoffs series they have had that lead after the first two games. It hasn’t happened since the first round against the New York Islanders 23 years ago, a series the Leafs won in seven games.
There are several areas the Leafs have to be better — the power play isn’t one that needs vast improvement — and it starts at five on five.
What we learned from Game 1 is that having last change didn’t benefit the Leafs when the teams are five aside.
Toronto’s top line of captain Auston Matthews between Matthew Knies and Mitch Marner was outplayed by the Sens’ top line of Tim Stutzle between captain Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux.
When Matthews and Stutzle were on the ice at the same time at five-on-five (in eight minutes 58 seconds), Ottawa had 16 attempts to Toronto’s four and outshot the Leafs 5-2.
“We let Stutzle carry the puck through the neutral zone a little bit too easily at times,” Berube said. “We need to force them to put pucks in more deep than they did. I thought they gained the zone on us with possession too many times.
“That’s a good forechecking line, they’re heavy with Tkachuk and Stutzle is heavier than you think. We have to break the puck out better. When we force them to dump pucks, we have to make sure we’re getting that puck and we’re making a strong play right away and getting it out of our zone.”
Pontus Holmberg has been getting some attention as he has moved into the top-six on a line with John Tavares and William Nylander. If Bobby McMann’s game was in order, though, you have to think he would be on the left wing with Tavares and Nylander.
McMann had an assist in Game 1, but he has gone 12 games without scoring. Once McMann scored his 20th in a 7-2 win against Philadelphia on March 25, he didn’t score again in the regular season.
“He’s getting his attempts at the net,” Berube said. “There’s times where I’m not sure the attempt is worth it. I’d like to see him delay a little bit, or hang onto the pucks a little bit more. He needs to get on the inside. That’s going to be key for us with him.
“He could be an effective player with a speed, body, strength, size, we need him to get on the forecheck. We need him to get to the inside and to the interior of the ice. He can provide more. He can do more.”
Said McMann: “I can always push for more. That’s definitely what I want to do. Right now, the biggest focus is winning games and doing what I can to contribute. If I’m not scoring, I’m trying to be physical, trying to be hard to play against.”
Green, meanwhile, had confidence that goalie Linus Ullmark will recover after he was mediocre in Game 1.
“He has always bounced back and had good games,” Green said. “I’m expecting him to be good tonight, much like the rest of our team.”
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