When the Core Four scorers need a jolt from the Bottom Six, it’s clear the Maple Leafs are stuck in a goal gulch.
After potting six against Boston nine days ago, capped by Auston Matthews’ return from injury with an empty netter, they’ve totalled nine the past four games, ending with nil at home against the Canucks on Saturday, held to just 20 shots.
So after a day off to ruminate and finally time for a full practice, coach Craig Berube not only turned the hour over to power-play drills as expected, there was a notable change on the board when even strength lines were posted.
Tinkering with Matthews and Mitch Marner almost always involves an interchange with the talent on the second unit, sometimes a third liner might get bumped up. But four-goal fourth line winger Steven Lorentz thought he’d won the lottery seeing his No. 18 on the left beside 34 and 16.
“I’m used to looking a bit lower down the lineup for my name,” Lorentz cracked on Monday. “I won’t lie, it was a little nerve wracking. But what the coach is after (for him) is don’t change your game. Just go get the pucks back, like I’ve been doing, and get it to them.”
Lorentz, who was not a full-time member of the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers last year, has been in all 44 games for Toronto so far, putting the E in Energy Line, killing penalties and amazingly avoiding the penalty box all year despite his role requiring a degree of the dark arts.
“It takes a little time to get used to those guys and how they process their game,” Lorentz said. “But I talked to both. They said just play your game, we’ll make the pretty plays.”
Craig Berube has been looking for ways to reward the Waterloo native, starting his line in recent games.
“I like his size, his pace, the way he plays and is getting on pucks,” the coach said. “Forechecking, getting to the net, things like that. He’s a simple player, but I’m just looking for someone to get in there with Matthews and Marner, create some loose puck battles where he’s at the net all the time.
“This time of year (Berube feared a glut of January games at the NHL season’s halfway mark would cause a drop in effort) we have to dig in a bit more, be a little more hungry to score.”
Getting bumped for at least the start of Tuesday’s home game against the Dallas Stars is Matthew Knies, considered the perfect complement for Matthews and Marner before a quiet couple of games last week. He’ll be on the left with centre John Tavares and William Nylander.
“We haven’t played our best the last couple of games,” Knies said, citing the January blahs. “It’s the middle of winter, the hardest time of the year, it’s dark outside when you wake up.
“So little things like changing up the lines can spark some juice in the guys. We’re looking for the cute plays (an old Berube bugaboo) when we can simplify, especially on the power play. Getting around the net, getting havoc is going to help us. That’s what we were doing at the start of the year.
“We’re trying to spark some energy, find something new. I’m excited because Johnny and Willy are incredible players, too.”
Max Domi didn’t figure in Monday’s line promotion, Berube hoping that his current 11-game goal slump with just two assists the past seven games will eventually reverse itself with his regular third chain complement of wingers Bobby McMann and Nick Robertson.
There’s more offence to give and Berube wants Domi shooting more.
“It’s something I’ve stressed with Max, I think he over-passes at times. But he’s a passer, we all know that. I like his playmaking, but there are times he forces it when he doesn’t need to.
“He can shoot it. He roofed one today in power play. That’s the type of shot he has. He just has to be more direct, get on the inside a little more, don’t be on the outside waiting for a pass.
‘It’s a mindset that he needs to attack the net more with his shot. Get to the net and he’ll score more.”
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