Even at the old age of 35 — for a professional hockey player — Max Pacioretty figures he is catching opponents unaware every so often.
“Maybe when I’m playing against some top-six guys, they don’t expect guys in the top six to be that physical,” Pacioretty said. “It’s something that — not to sound cocky — I’ve been good at, but it’s hard to do. It’s really hard to play like that and then play offensive and make plays.
“I’m trying to find a balance. Not to say that I want to be less physical, but I have to find ways to extend plays because of it.”
Pacioretty has two goals and four assists through his first 11 games with the Maple Leafs after he signed a one-year contract at the end of the pre-season.
What’s more, he’s second on the team in hits with 33, one behind Matthew Knies and Steven Lorentz. And Knies and Lorentz have played in all 14 games.
In short, Pacioretty is doing what Craig Berube wants as the coach goes about changing the Leafs’ style.
“I think it rubs off on the whole team,” Berube said. “It’s an important part of our game, being physical. He is doing a great job of it.”
Playing on a line with John Tavares and William Nylander, Pacioretty has been able to toe a line with his physical play to the point that what initially appeared to be a penalty, was not.
We’re referring to the major that Pacioretty was assessed against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday for his hit on defenceman Andrew Peeke. Upon review by referees Pierre Lambert and Brian Pochmara, the penalty was cancelled.
“I just knew it was clean,” Pacioretty said. “I was yelling. If it looked like I was frustrated, it was because I didn’t know that they could overturn it.
“I thought the rule was you can reverse a five down to a two, but they got it right. It’s unfortunate to see a guy get injured, never trying to do that at all.”
Peeke departed the game with an upper-body injury. Bruins coach Jim Montgomery told media in Boston on Thursday that Peeke will be out of the lineup on a week-to-week basis.
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