Brown making his mark

For Mike Brown, it was just about the perfect game. A perfect game, that is, for the Mike Brown's of the world.

For starters, the Toronto Maple Leafs forward scored a rare goal. When you're a guy who only has 12 goals in their first 200 games, finding a way to score is kind of a big deal. He also had a fight, with former Leaf Kris Newbury -- which he won handily -- in a convincing 4-2 victory over the Rangers in New York.

One day later, being the team guy he is, Brown shrugged his shoulders and suggested it was all in a night's work.

"You know, the biggest thing was the result; that's what matters most to me," Brown said. "Of course I like to score goals and the fight was good, too, but getting two points in a game like that is what drives me."

Brown is a role player who can make a difference in a game, but given his ice time -- which averages just under 10 minutes per night -- he knows he can't afford to make mistakes. First-liners and second-liners goof up and they get sent back out, most often, without question. If you play on the third or fourth line and you make a mistake, well, that just might be your last shift of the night. So far, in his time with the Leafs, Brown hasn't made too many mistakes.

The biggest difference for the Leafs in 2011-12 compared to the past few years is their depth and Brown is a big part of that.

"Basically right now I'm playing the same way that got me into the NHL," Brown said.

"I never made it to the National Hockey league on skill or anything else; it as more about battling and giving the guys energy every practice day and every game day."

"It started in Vancouver when I wasn't playing much. I had to make an impression in practice. It was all about working hard in practice. That's the player I am. I give it everything I have because if I don't, I'm not going to be that effective."

Brown decided early in the second period he could best affect his team by fighting. So he picked a scrap with Newbury and won it.

"I just wanted to get some energy into the game," Brown said. "I kind of instigated that one, but he was obviously willing. It was just two good guys going at it. I thought it was a good fight. I was definitely surprised he got back up, but good for him. He was chuckin' 'em pretty good and I was chuckin' 'em pretty good. It was a good fight."

Fighting is obviously a big part of what Brown does to stay in the NHL. At 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, he's hardly a heavyweight, but he plays like he has no fear of anyone. He credits Colton Orr, the team's most experienced fighter, with giving him a helping hand.

"I've been working with him after practice; working on balance and confidence," Brown said. "A lot of guys grab onto my right, so if they don't I'll be able to throw 'em, but if they do, I have the confidence to switch up and throw lefts. He has been helping me a lot with that.

Fighting has its downside, too. A day after his bout with Newbury, his right hand was clearly swollen and there were cuts on his knuckles.

"My hand is definitely a little sore and I have a few cuts, but they'll heal up," he said. "Ice helps. You just do what you can to do get back to normal."

On the evolving Maple Leafs, depth is a new and exciting feature. A guy like Brown might not challenge the top six forwards, but plays an important role on a club trying to make it back to the post-season.

"He's a pretty good penalty killer and he's great on the forecheck," said Leafs head coach Ron Wilson.

"He'll take on anybody who'll challenge him and that's what happened last night. That's what happened last night and fortunately he came out on top of that exchange. Later on he added what for me was a huge goal. It doesn't look important at the time, but when they made it 4-2 that two-goal cushion made us much more relaxed on the bench, Wilson explained."

As good a game as it was for Brown, he said he's never had a Gordie Howe hat trick in his career. That's a goal, an assist and a fight in one game.

That said, for a kid who grew up in Chicago, it's no surprise he was inspired by a few ex-Blackhawks.

"Guys like Jeremy Roenick and Tony Amonte because of their energy," Brown said. "I always appreciated guys that made it who were smaller; like Theo Fleury and Sergei Samsonov. They were small, but they were workhorses. They showed that if you put everything you have into your game you can make it. Those were the guys I appreciated and liked to watch play.

Brown is happy with his role and it shows. Every day he comes to work and does the best he can. Be a hard worker and they'll probably want to keep you around.

"It's definitely something I take pride in; doing my job to the best of my ability," he said.

"The No. 1 thing they say is to not try to do things that you're not capable of doing…don't go outside your comfort zone. My style is to play a hard, physical game and don't try to get too fancy," Brown explained.

Asked if he ever led any of his teams in scoring, Brown reluctantly said no. But he wasn't always a grinder.

"I was never the top scorer, but back in midget I had 50 points in 66 games," he boasted. "That's pretty good. It felt good scoring goals back then."

Just as it felt good scoring his first goal of the year to jumpstart the Leafs win over the Rangers.

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy will cover the Toronto Maple Leafs for sportsnet.ca for the 2011/12 season.