Time to upgrade in net

So perhaps a No. 1 centre may not be the top priority for the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline after all.

On a night when Tyler Bozak, who skates between Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul on Toronto's top line, scored two goals, the focus moved off him and directly into the goal crease.

Leafs goalie James Reimer entered the night riding a three-game winning streak -- two of which were shutouts -- but he struggled in a 4-3 loss to the Flyers in Philadelphia. In a game where the Leafs really needed big saves, he didn't have enough in his arsenal. And as well as his partner, Jonas Gustavsson, has played when given the chance to start, the Leafs goaltending continues to be an area of concern on a nightly basis.

While the Leafs continue to tread water just above the playoff cutoff line, the suspense continues to build in terms of what GM Brian Burke will do to pump their tires with the Feb. 27 deadline inching closer by the day.

There is no denying his team is on the right path to becoming a real factor in the NHL's Eastern Conference, but just how quick they get there remains to be seen. Burke said Thursday his continued pursuit to increase the Leafs' odds of making the playoffs this season is a daily priority.

It won't be easy.

"Our goal is to make the playoffs and we're far from there," Burke said. "We're in a playoff position today, but the way this race is going to go with the three-point games you're going to be in one day and out the next. You're going to be in fifth one day and ninth the next. It's going to be like nails on a chalkboard right until the end of the season.

"The type of guy we'd like to add will be a guy who increases our chances of having success. Getting in and getting our asses kicked isn't that much fun. Getting in and winning a round or at least bloodying their nose of the team you play and making them stagger into the next round; that's what it is all about and that's what we'd like to do if we can."

Burke has indicated a top-six forward -- preferably one who doesn't require a GPS to find the net -- has been his top priority and if you're thinking big picture, that hasn't changed. However, in the short-term, getting a goaltender that doesn't always seem to be auditioning for the job is probably of greater value. Oh, and a defenceman who can make life miserable for opponents in the Leafs defensive zone would help, too.

Reimer and Gustavsson might eventually form a respectable combination, but for now, neither has done enough individually to suggest they are ready to carry the team into battle in the post-season. This post-season, that is.

As for Bozak, he might not be the ideal top-line centre, but the third-year pivot is certainly doing whatever he can to make an impact for his team. With four goals and seven points in his last four games, Bozak is doing his part to get the Leafs to the playoffs When your linemates sit fourth and fifth in league scoring, you can't be doing that bad a job, right?

Bozak said the fact the opposition pays special attention to Kessel allows him the opportunity to make a greater impact. That was certainly evident in two straight road games.

"Phil (Kessel) gets attention every night," Bozak said. "He's a guy that other teams key on every night and that creates a little extra space for me."

For the second straight game the Leafs were unable to get pucks to the net early. They were out-shot 16-5 in the first period, but played better over the final 40 minutes.

"We sat back a little bit too much for our liking," said captain Dion Phaneuf. "We weren't happy with the way we started the game and we fought hard to get back into it. We let them dictate the pace of the game at the start and that's not like us. We're a high-tempo, fast team and when we move the puck and skate we're effective. We like to dictate the pace of the play and when we get away from that; that's when team can capitalize on us."

At this stage of the season losses, no matter how close you are in the game, are crippling.

"We have to start winning games," Phaneuf said. "We've been playing well and I thought, for the most part, we played well tonight, but we had a few lapses that cost us against a good team. You have to give them credit."

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