Most members of the Maple Leafs enjoyed the chance to catch their breath away from the rink on Thursday after playing consecutive nights at the end of a six-game in 11 day stretch, but goaltender Jonathan Bernier was not one of them, as he took to the ice in Etobicoke, ON with coach Rick St. Croix to do some drills and stretching.
The injured Leafs netminder is participating in team practice at the Mastercard Center Friday morning, which could be an indicator that Bernier may be ready to play on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens at Air Canada Center or the following night in Newark against the New Jersey Devils.
While Toronto’s chronic inability to play consistent team defense was on display against Tampa, fatigue has to be considered as a contributing factor in the loss. The pressure and scrutiny is mounting on the Leafs, as three regulation losses in a row has them entrenched in a battle for an Eastern Conference playoff spot.
The scoreboard was not helpful to Toronto on Thursday, as Tampa Bay won their fifth straight game in Ottawa over the fading Senators, Columbus defeated Montreal 3-2 at the Bell Centre, Detroit survived a five-minute butt-ending major to David Legwand late in regulation and overtime to win 5-4 over Pittsburgh on a Daniel Alfredsson goal with 0.4 seconds left and Washington earned a point in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Kings in Los Angeles.
The Leafs trail the Lightning by five points and Canadiens by three points in the race for a top three spot in the Atlantic Division. The wild card race has Philadelphia with 81 pts (13 games left), Toronto 80 pts(11 games left), Columbus 78 pts(13 games left), NY Rangers 78 pts(12 games left), Detroit 77 points(13 games left) and Washington 77 pts(11 games left) with the teams in the Metropolitan Division fighting over second and third spot as well as one of the two extra playoff spots.
A potential positive sign is center Dave Bolland taking full line rushes with wingers David Clarkson and Mason Raymond at practice on Friday. Bolland was seen skating more vigorously at practices and morning skates this week and a hastened return may be necessitated with the club’s precarious playoff positioning.
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University of New Hampshire defenseman and Maple Leafs prospect Eric Knodel was honored by the Hockey East Conference by being named a Second Team All-Star on Thursday.
The 23-year-old native of suburban Philadelphia was selected 128th overall by Toronto in 2009 and is having a great senior season at UNH, with seven goals and 20 assists in 39 games. The 6’6…, 225 lb blueliner is tied for second in defensive scoring in Hockey East and first in blocked shots.
Knodel cannot sign a professional contract until New Hampshire’s season is complete and the Wildcats take on Providence in the Hockey East semifinal on Friday. Similar to the situation Toronto faced with former Leaf Matt Frattin in 2011, the club has until this summer to get Knodel signed or he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
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