Leafs look to build on first-game win in showdown with Senators

Coming off a 3-2 overtime win against Montreal in their season-opener Wednesday at Scotiabank Arena, the Maple Leafs regathered Friday to practice and prepare to take on the Ottawa Senators, their next opponent Saturday in Toronto. And although players and coaches were happy to have the victory in Game 1, every member of the Leafs understood there was significant room to improve.

BABCOCK: LEAFS NEED TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR DEFENSEMEN TO EXECUTE

"Everybody at this time of year is real confident in their team and feeling good about themselves," Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said Friday. "We've got to get confidence by being better through the neutral zone with the puck, by being harder on the other team in the offensive zone, spending more time there so it's easier for our 'D' to execute. We never did a very good job of that (Wednesday) and made it hard for ourselves."

LEAFS 'FIGURING EACH OTHER OUT' ON MACRO AND MICRO LEVELS

The Leafs aren't just adjusting to each other in terms of the larger group as teammates, they're also getting used to each other on a smaller level - as in, just finding out what they want to do and who they are as linemates. For instance, winger Mitch Marner is now playing on a line with new Leafs centre John Tavares, and though both are terrific talents who make any linemate better, they're both acclimating to one another's specific instincts on the ice. That takes time, but the sooner they figure each other out, the better it will be for the Buds on the scoresheet and in the standings.
"We're still trying to figure each other out," Marner said of his budding relationship with Tavares. "I think it's more where we'd like to be in the 'O' zone, where each other likes to be when one has the puck. That's the thing we're trying to focus on the most, is just talk to each other, make sure we know where the other one is, and I think we know (linemate Zach Hyman) is always going to be around that net or down low for just kind of relief for us."

LEAFS SET FOR BACK-TO-BACK GAMES AGAINST SENS AT HOME, HAWKS ON ROAD

After the Leafs square off with Ottawa Saturday at Scotiabank Arena, they'll head out immediately for a road game against the Chicago Blackhawks Sunday. Chicago beat the Sens in their first game of the season, but they won't have any rest time before taking on the Leafs, as they've got a road game Saturday night against the powerful St. Louis Blues. So though Toronto has its work cut out for them in their first back-to-back games of the season, they know improvement on the smaller elements of the game will be what bring them success.
"We'd like to play with the puck a little bit more, be a little better in our own zone coming up the ice, and (be) able to put some pressure on the opponent in the offensive zone," Tavares said. "So (we) addressed that today, talked about it and worked on it in practice, and now (we have) another great opportunity this weekend with a couple games to be better and get the results we need."