'The right way': Maple Leafs' easy win based on hard defence

TORONTO – So what if the Toronto Maple Leafs were entering the sluggish half of a back-to-back? Or have found themselves light on even-strength scoring? Or are missing their best player?

When a mismatch is this lopsided, when one team plays to its (new) identity and the other one is fumbling around in the dark, banging its shin on the coffee table searching for one, well, it’s only a matter of time before the good team prevails.

Even though the Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens combined for zero high-danger chances in the first period, the more patient and confident, more talented and organized group waited for its opportunities and pounced.

The result: A clean and structured, albeit boring, 4-1 victory for the home team.

That makes nine straight over rebuilding Montreal at Scotiabank Arena, where the Habs haven’t won since Game 7 in 2001 — when Toronto fans stayed home altogether instead of leaving early and post-game clichés were uttered through mandatory baby-blue facemasks.

Let’s be clear: The Canadiens, losers of six straight, are a bad and frustrated hockey team, probably the NHL’s worst right now.

The Maple Leafs have refashioned themselves into a top-five defensive unit under coach Craig Berube; the Canadiens are the most porous club in the league.

Easy assignments haven’t always made for an easy two points in these parts, though.

So, give these lockdown Leafs credit for sticking to the script and delivering three road-style home wins over three division rivals this week.

“We gotta make sure we’re playing to our identity and not opening things up,” Berube warned pregame. “Check. Smart with the puck. And be patient.”

For 40 minutes, his players took heed. 

Third-pair defenceman Conor Timmins scored his first of the season through traffic, the scorching-hot power-play chased in twice amid a torrid five-for-five run, and Mitch Marner tacked on a slick shorthanded strike after a give-and-go counterattack with David Kämpf.

Take what the opponent gives you. Don’t press to create something out of nothing.

“I call it hard offence. It’s not about making cute plays or risky plays. It’s about hard offence and recovering pucks and recovering rebounds and things like that. Point shots and traffic,” Berube explained. 

“We gotta be focused on that. I know it’s difficult at times because guys want to get scoring chances, and they want to score. And I want them to do the same. But you gotta do it the right way.”

The right way, according to the Bible of Berube, means staying out of the penalty box. It means denying odd-man rushes and untouched access to the slot. It means big defencemen snuffing out cycles before they even think about rolling and forwards clogging the middle.

It means an easy 20-save night for backup Joseph Woll, who saw most of the rubber launched his way and had little in the way of dangerous rebounds or clean breaks to contend with.

Play the right way against an inferior team, and you should win.

“I just don't think we're shooting ourselves in the foot,” said Marner, enjoying an eight-game point streak. 

“We've been playing some teams with some very serious firepower up front and with their back end joining, so I think we've done a good job with putting pucks in good areas, staying above and trying to just be smart with our play and try to read off them. And thought we've done a good job. We got to continue doing it.”

The Maple Leafs’ special teams are sharpening up, and their goaltending is solid. But it’s their staunch defensive performance this week that has provided the foundation.

Toronto has not allowed a single even-strength goal during its current three-game win streak.

That’s why they’ll have a shot to go four-for-four against Atlantic Division foes when the Ottawa Senators come through town on Tuesday.

“We know how important it is to defend and check. To get where we want to get to, that's obviously imperative,” John Tavares said.

“There's been a lot of signs of it over the years, and I think it continues to grow and mature, and we just want to keep getting better when we get back to work Monday.”

Fox’s Fast Five

• Morgan Rielly has found his stride, both at even strength and rejoining the top power-play since Auston Matthews went down.

Rielly notched his 400th career assist on Saturday’s game-winner and has 10 points over his past nine outings.

"More than anything, he’s making good decisions with the puck," Berube praises. "And doing a good job in our own zone, checking well and being hard at our net. He's just taking the risk out of his game with the puck and making real good decisions with it." 

• There is no sense that Martin St. Louis’ job is in jeopardy, but the rebuilding Canadiens have become a brutal watch, especially defensively.

They are surrendering a league-worst 4.1 goals per game and own a league-worst minus-23 goal differential. Ugly stuff. We understand they are young, but their structural issues run deep, and their talent does not.

“It all starts with effort. We’re a team that can’t not be desperate every night,” St. Louis said.

Can’t blame the Habs if they feel morally defeated. One month into the season, and they’re falling out of relevance.

• Injury updates!

Matthews hit the ice for just under a half-hour Saturday morning, his first skate since playing last Sunday in Minnesota and hitting the IR with an upper-body injury.  

“Great news,” Berube said. “He's feeling better.”

Matthews is eligible to return Tuesday versus Ottawa, but the Leafs will need to clear a roster space to activate him.

Max Pacioretty injured his left leg and needed help to the room from Ryan Reaves and John Tavares at the end of the first period. He did not return, and there was no immediate clarity on the severity.

“You just hope that the news is better than how he's feeling in the moment,” Tavares said. “We're obviously going to miss him and what he's been bringing to the table.”

Finally, there is still no timeline for the return of Calle Järnkrok, who has been out since Oct. 3.

“He’s probably a ways away still,” Berube said.

• Lane Hutson’s average ice time (23:06) through his first 16 games is the third-most among all active players, behind only a young Seth Jones and Victor Hedman.

Berube gives a glowing scouting report on the rookie: “Dynamic skater. Head’s up all the time. He really sees the ice well, and he’s got great feet and agility. Probably compare him to (Quinn) Hughes in Vancouver to some point. But he’s a dangerous player.”

• Simon Benoit is doing his part to turn a red province blue. 

“The Blue is growing in Montreal,” the Laval, Que., native smiled. “I have a lot more family growing into fans of Toronto, so we love that.”