TORONTO – Throwing the first bodycheck. Drawing the first penalty. Scoring the first goal.
That was the focus the Toronto Maple Leafs took into their most important game of the season against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night.
Trailing 2-1 in the opening-round series, Toronto obviously doesn’t want to fall into a do-or-die situation. However, the players were trying to focus on the process rather than thinking about what the outcome might mean.
“It’s all about firsts tonight for us,” forward Nazem Kadri said after the morning skate at Air Canada Centre. “We want to be the more energized team out there. I think if we do play the same way we did last game I think we’ll be OK.
“We’ve got to limit those mistakes.”
All of the positive talk in the Leafs dressing room comes directly from coach Randy Carlyle. He’s made a point of remaining upbeat since taking the job in Toronto and believes that approach is especially important come playoff time.
“We can’t, and we will not, focus on the negatives,” said Carlyle. “We’re about the flushing of the last game. It was over and done yesterday.
“Our focus has to be on the positives that we brought out of the game and we’re going to try and build on.”
The Leafs were happy with the season-high 47 shots they directed at Tuukka Rask in Game 3, but would like to see more traffic in front of him. They also need to cut down on turnovers – three of which led directly to goals against on Monday night.
For the Bruins, the focus seemed to be on continuing to do what they do best.
This is a veteran team that has had plenty of success and you get the sense that it would take a lot to rattle them. During the run to the 2011 Stanley Cup, they learned about the importance of consistency.
“The teams that are rewarded are the ones that can have that,” said veteran defenceman Andrew Ference. “It’s extremely important. I think the playoffs are won with mental strength and with consistency.
“You pay dearly for it if you don’t have it.”
If they were to quibble, they would like to see a little more offence from the top line of Patrice Bergeron, Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand.
They’ve done well in their own zone but have just one assist between them to show for the first three games.
“They’ve had some chances and they haven’t buried them,” said Bruins coach Claude Julien. “Right now it’s about encouraging them to maybe create a little bite more and show them where they can. …
“Maybe tonight’s the night that they get what they want.”
The Leafs have a number of offensive players looking to contribute. In fact, Joffrey Lupul, James van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel were the only forwards who had found the back of the net against Boston in this series.
That left Kadri, Tyler Bozak, Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin among the group of secondary scorers who could help tilt the balance in Toronto’s favour.
“We’ve got some other people that we’re looking for to step up and provide some offence,” said Carlyle.
In the lead up to Game 4, the issue of faceoffs was once again a talking point.
Carlyle and the Leafs management group met with series supervisor Kay Whitmore to voice their concerns about what they perceived as unfair practices by the linesmen. On Tuesday, Julien likened those complaints to “crying wolf.”
Linesmen Scott Cherrey and Brian Murphy were scheduled to work their first game in the series on Wednesday night.
During the day off between games, the Leafs’ coach took in some of the other action around the league. Tuesday night produced a number of unexpected results but that is something the veteran Carlyle has learned to expect from this time of year.
“The game never ever is going to stop providing you with surprises,” he said. “That’s the beauty of playoffs and the beauty of sports. There’s always something that’s going to happen that puts you back in your seat and you say: `Wow, what the heck is going on out there.’
“That’s what the playoffs are about.”
