A winning record and a cache of scoring chances has thus far muted what normally would be very troubling signs — no points for Auston Matthews through three games and an 0-for-9 Toronto power play. The latter issue took up a chunk of Monday’s workout.
Matthews, who led the NHL with 69 goals in 81 games last year, shrugged off both his blank and the power play’s struggles, having fired a team-high eight shots Saturday against Pittsburgh.
“The chances are there, I think it’s just a matter of time,” Matthews said. “We’re playing good hockey, we’re winning, so that’s the most important part. You know that those chances will eventually fall and get going from there.”
Matthews is known as a fast starter, and had a hat trick in last year’s season opener.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
“It’s nice to get the first one to get going sometimes, but you take what you get and what the game gives you sometimes,” he said. “I like a lot of what we’re doing as a team. playing really sound hockey all throughout our lineup and that’s the most important thing.”
Berube is continuing a switch at power-play point to Oliver Ekman-Larsson, putting Morgan Rielly on the second unit. With OEL brought in this year, for a hard shot and ability to thread it through bodies to the net, it’s surprising the switch wasn’t made as soon as the power play started to sputter in camp.
While new assistant coach Marc Savard just inherited the power-play portfolio, Guy Boucher’s group was 1-for-21 in last year’s playoffs. With John Tavares still away after an undisclosed illness, Matthew Knies also was in the first wave Monday.
“We moved a few things around, they seemed to have some energy and excitement in it,” Berube said. “That’s a big thing for power-play guys, they have to feel it. Right now in the games we aren’t. We’ll get a little more work in tomorrow and see where it goes.”
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP
Steven Lorentz was the newest Leaf talking about adjusting to Toronto’s bad traffic the other day for a media crowd that included Colby Armstrong, a former Leaf turned Sportsnet analyst.
Armstrong recalled how frustrated teammate Mikhail Grabovski once handled gridlock while trying to get to Scotiabank Arena for a game.
“It was about 5 p.m., he couldn’t move, he was scared of being late,” Armstrong said. “So he just left his car where it was with his four-way flashers on and ran to the rink.
“I think one of the equipment guys, Bobby Hastings or Tommy Blatchford, had to go find it and drive it in.”
MANY COLOURS OF STOLARZ
While off-ice fashion is something the Leafs usually let Matthews and William Nylander take the lead in, Anthony Stolarz is quickly gaining noticed for his striking blue and silver chrome mask and the white-angled cutouts blended into his blue pads.
“The mask, the coloured pads, I’ve done that the past couple of years, starting in Anaheim,” said the 30-year-old of his four years as a Duck before last year’s Stanley Cup with Florida. “I just like the way it feels. I don’t really like the puck marks showing (on too much white background). It’s just a little different. I kind of feel ‘swaggier’ out there.
“As a kid, you were on the goalie pad websites making all the mock-ups. You don’t really want all white, you want some colour. It’s the childhood me going back and doing that.”
ALEX GETS ROLLING
Both William and Alex Nylander were realistic about the chances Alex would have a monster camp and join his brother on the Leafs for opening day. But a two-goal game Sunday in the farm team’s 4-1 win over San Diego was noteworthy.
“This (AHL deal) is what (we knew) would happen when he moved and signed here,” William said last week. “Now it’s just for him to get going on the Marlies, have a good start. Hopefully everybody here stays healthy, but if something happens, maybe he will get the chance.”
LOOSE LEAFS
Joseph Woll is skating on his own, but not yet practising with the Leafs nearly a week after going on injured reserve with lower body tightness. Berube said Tavares is getting better, too, but will see what Tuesday brings … Berube said 35-year-old Max Pacioretty’s progress has been “up and down,” but noted his goal Thursday in Jersey in the slot was his “bread and butter” … Metropolitan Toronto University’s men’s team was working on the opposite pad to the Leafs on Monday. Nik Antropov’s son Danil is with the school team in player development, the role his father has with the Leafs.
X: @sunhornby