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Toronto Maple Leafs: Don’t Take Your Eye off the Puck

By Andrew Boehmer

Apr 17, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby (70) reaches to knock the puck away from Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) during the second period in game three of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 17, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby (70) reaches to knock the puck away from Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) during the second period in game three of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have a plethora of gifted puck handlers capable of keeping your eyes fixated on the puck.

While they’re dipsy-doodling, their opponents eyes are locked in on the puck. That’s the key to the Toronto Maple Leafs success.

Think about it for a second.

Mitchell Marner skating up the far boards with the puck.

A few nifty moves around one guy creates some open space and in jets Tyler Bozak to the side of the net who taps in the easy one.

Those moves might not be too mind boggling, but the point of the matter is that they were good enough to distract the opposition to generate a scoring chance.

The Key(s) to Game Six

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Be creative, control the puck and with that, the pace of the game. The Leafs can easily take away the Washington Capitals scoring chances if they’re the ones with the puck the whole time.

Now I know a guy like Jake Gardiner plays some risky hockey.

So?

High risk, high reward.

Here are the NHL’s five keys to the game.

The Dump and Chase… Then Recover…

The simple dump and chase method isn’t going to stop this offensively minded powerhouse opponent in the Capitals.

If you break out of your own zone only to dump it into theirs, what good is that?

Give it a skate, pass it back to the one quarterbacking the play. The point is, don’t give up possession so easily.

Heck, the Leafs have got a phenomenal puck-handling goaltender in Frederik Andersen.

Give it to him and make a change. I’ve seen him throw out a stretch pass or two. I’m sure he can handle a little extra time with some vulcanized rubber.

After all, that is his job, isn’t it?

I know it’s dangerous to give the puck to the goaltender. All I’m saying is if you’re about to dump it and there’s absolutely no opponent near your goalie then just dish it back.

He can recover it along the boards behind the net and try a stretch pass.

By the time all of that occurs, the change will be complete. Better yet, the Leafs have still maintained puck possession.

I know, I’m thinking out of the box. I’m just tired of seeing the Leafs work hard to gain possession, get gassed and just give it up for nothing.

When you have such incredible depth as far as puck handling goes, including you goalie, utilize it effectively.

Leafs look to even out the series Sunday night.

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