WASHINGTON, D.C. – Playoff nerves?
Very little evidence of them here.
The intensity and purpose Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews exuded while speaking with reporters before his debut in the Stanley Cup Playoffs suggested just the opposite. Teammates saw it, too, during their morning skate at Verizon Center.
"We were doing PP and PK (drills), and he’s giving second and third efforts on the PP at the morning skate to try and get something going," veteran forward Brian Boyle said Thursday. "I mean I was going heads-up against him and he kind of outworked me a little bit."
From the Toronto end of things, the biggest question seems to be how a team with nine players playing in the post-season for the first time will handle the stage against the more battle-tested Washington Capitals.
That is exactly half of their skaters. It’s a fair issue to raise, but it didn’t seem to be a source of much concern for the Leafs themselves in the lead-up to Game 1.
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"I know the players good, and I know the situation good," said coach Mike Babcock. "We talked a little bit about that this morning; we asked players what you saw last night, what’s one thing that jumped out in your mind, to try to get prepared for what they’re going to see.
"The game is the same. The energy in the building is different and the energy in each shift is different. So you’ve got to find a way to bring your game within that game."
Matthews has been a bedrock of the Leafs’ success this season.
Still just 19, he was their leader in goals, points and hope produced. He was a focal point of the Capitals meetings before this series and will need to find another level if Toronto has any chance of surprising here.
Like many of his teammates, Matthews spent part of Wednesday night watching the playoffs on TV. He noted how little space there was, how few scoring chances and goals were there to be had.
"You just see the atmosphere in the buildings, how intense it is and just the physicality and everything," he said. "It definitely looks pretty exciting."
Boyle faced Washington in three playoffs series while a member of the New York Rangers. He called Verizon Center "the loudest building I remember playing in."
The Capitals will almost certainly come out flying. It promises to be an experience Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Co. will never forget, especially if they find a way to spoil the celebratory atmosphere.
"There’s nothing like a bunch of fans who have long faces, who are sitting on their hands and are nervous like you can’t believe," said Babcock. "That obviously is the goal for us."
They will certainly have their hands full.
Nikita Zaitsev was forced to watch Thursday’s morning skate from the bench in a sweatshirt while dealing with a suspected concussion. He’ll be unavailable, forcing left-shooting defencemen Morgan Rielly and Matt Hunwick to play shifts on the right side.
That just happens to be the side Alex Ovechkin comes roaring down.
The biggest focus for the Leafs is not giving away any easy chances by letting the moment get the best of them.
"It’s all tight, and you never know what play is going to win you the game and eventually a series," said defenceman Connor Carrick. "So you’ve got to be dialled in, and all the details matter this time of year. At the end of the day it’s still hockey, five on five, puck’s the same size, net’s the same size, so you’ve got to play."
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What the playoffs do more than anything is identify the most competitive talents.
For Matthews, they offer an opportunity to put a cherry on an unforgettable rookie season. He’s handled his first year in the NHL like a 10-year veteran and teammates expect him to rise to the occasion on the biggest stage in the sport.
"Nothing’s really affected that kid so far," said Boyle. "He’s kind of been even keel since I’ve seen him. It’s really amazing, it’s impressive.
"The kid competes, he really does," Boyle added. "He works. He’s got a drive train that’s through the roof. It’s a huge thing for a player, you don’t see it, especially at that age. For the city, for our team, it’s going to be pretty impressive."
