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Giving Martin Jones one other begin within the Maple Leafs internet got here naturally for coach Sheldon Keefe on Tuesday.
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With the best way Jones has been taking part in these days, it’s of little marvel why.
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Jones, named the Nationwide Hockey League second star of the week on Monday, might be again within the crease when the Leafs play host to the San Jose Sharks at Scotiabank Enviornment.
As Joseph Woll recovers from a sprained ankle and Ilya Samsonov works with Toronto Marlies goalie coach Hannu Toivonen and the Leafs’ improvement workers, Jones has began the previous 4 video games and eight of the previous 10. Not often has he faltered.
“I believe he’s dealing with (the workload) nice,” Keefe stated. “And going into the sport (Tuesday), he has performed one sport within the final 5 days. From that side, I believe he’s feeling good and rested and clearly assured. Simple choice to maintain him going.”
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In the intervening time, backup netminder Dennis Hildeby should look ahead to his first begin within the NHL, supplied it comes sooner or later.
In opposition to the Sharks, who’re mired in an 11-game shedding streak and are in final place within the NHL, the Leafs will attempt to construct off their three-game sweep in California.
Toronto has received three in a row, together with a 4-1 choice in San Jose on Saturday, and has given up only one objective at five-on-five in its previous 4 video games.
“The final couple of weeks we now have defended lots higher, performed lots higher in our personal zone, breaking pucks out and defending higher as a workforce,” veteran defenceman Mark Giordano stated. “Everytime you try this, you give your self an opportunity each evening. As these previous couple of video games have gone on, we now have been actually affected person inside the sport. There have been some shut video games the place we’ve carried play, however we now have not acquired pissed off and stayed affected person and the (optimistic) outcomes got here.”
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There might be a lineup change for the Leafs. After sitting the previous two video games as a wholesome scratch, winger Nick Robertson may draw again in.
An sickness that made its means by way of the Leafs room just a few weeks in the past has popped again up, Keefe stated, although he didn’t determine which gamers might be game-time selections.
Keefe has preferred Pontus Holmberg on the left wing on the third line and has little curiosity in taking fourth-liner Bobby McMann out of the lineup. So Robertson has been the odd man out.
“I believe he has proven that he can play the league,” Keefe stated in reference to Robertson. “Additionally, I don’t know that he’s actually absolutely separated himself from the pack. That’s the subsequent piece. I’ve talked to him about significance of caring for the puck and having the ability to execute performs.
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“When there’s an opportunity to make a play or a move or shot on objective, a variety of these performs have kind of slipped off his stick or haven’t fairly been clean, and it’s kind of disrupted the offence, which results in having to defend extra.”
As for the Sharks, they haven’t received since beating the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 12 and have been outscored 47-16 in shedding 11 in a row in regulation.
“We’ve been in a troublesome stretch and one of many issues as a bunch we felt fairly proud about is we’ve misplaced some video games we in all probability ought to have received,” Sharks coach David Quinn stated. “(The loss in opposition to Toronto three days in the past) wasn’t one among them. There was not a variety of resistance on our finish of it. I don’t suppose anyone felt actually good about what occurred in opposition to Toronto.”
Kaapo Kahkonen was the primary Sharks goalie off the ice on the morning skate and is anticipated to begin. In two profession video games in opposition to the Leafs, he’s 1-1-0 with a .898 save share.
tkoshan@postmedia.com
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