Defence-minded Leafs set sights on tricky Devils

At the start of this season, the Maple Leafs were winning games by carving out a lot of offence - and allowing a little fewer goals - than did their opponents. In its past six games, Toronto has built a record of 4-2-0, but only once in that span have the blue & white given up more than two goals. That's more like the type of hockey head coach Mike Babcock wants to see, but as the Buds prepare to host New Jersey at Scotiabank Arena Friday night, Leafs players and coaches believe there's room for growth at both ends of the ice.

"Just a little more sound defensively," forward Patrick Marleau said of one of the reasons for the Leafs' more recent success. "Our track game has gotten really good, so we're not letting teams enter as much and therefore, not get as many shots."
Another reason for Toronto's defensive prowess has been the performance of goalie Frederik Andersen: the Leafs goalie posted his first shutout of the season last Saturday against Pittsburgh, and in three of four games since Oct. 29th, Andersen has registered a save percentage of at least .939 or higher. With a total goals-against average of 2.18 thus far this year, the 29-year-old is, night-in and night-out, one of his team's top competitors.
"Since Freddie's got here, who he is now and who he is when he arrived (in Toronto), you've got to give him a lot of credit," Babcock said of Andersen, who works hard each offseason to improve his performances. "Freddie's a special guy, and the (players) here treat him that way here. He's a real likeable guy, but he's worked hard at it…some (goalies) just walk in and they start in the National League, but most guys don't. It takes a long time, and for you to be a dependable guy, you've got to be a workhorse. And you've got to be so mentally strong (and) you've got to have a short memory. He's done a real nice job of that, and we've just got to keep him going."
The next game for the Leafs, who are enjoying a two-game win streak, comes Friday when they host the New Jersey Devils, a team that has been much more successful at home (where they have a 5-1-1 record) than they've been on the road (where they're 1-5-0). However, Andersen said treating each team as an equally dangerous threat - and one that recognizes the Buds as one of the top up-and-coming teams in the league - is what gives Toronto a leg up on their opponents.
"Every team's going to (play) us and see a team that's on the way, building something, and teams are definitely respecting us," Andersen said Thursday after Toronto's practice. "They're going to come and give us their best effort. When you become a better and better team, that's the challenge, of seeing the best of (the other) team every night."