Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev kept things simple ahead of Game Two when talking to the media, leaving one reporter with more questions than answers.
As the Toronto Maple Leafs head into Game Two of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they are looking to take a commanding 2-0 lead against their provincial rivals, and if the first game was any indicator, things are going to get intense early and often.
They weren’t exactly perfect though and head coach Craig Berube relented that the team needed to work on a couple loose ends in order to fully implement their game plan, which is what got them here in the first place.
But what happens when you ask a player what they need to work on? Well, you get Chris Tanev’s response ahead of Game Two:
We’ve talked about that. But we don’t want to tell them.
Tanev smiled with his signature gap-toothed grin, the same one that has endeared him to Toronto and shows just the type of player he is.
In his first season with the Maple Leafs, Tanev recorded 18 points (3G, 15A) but where his true skill lies is the shot blocking ability; he’s fearless and moves around with reckless abandon. His 189 blocks ranked sixth this season, and he’s formed an elite duo with Jake McCabe.
Tanev was a plus-one but didn’t get any blocks, however his partner Jake McCabe had four. It shows that if one particular player can’t disrupt the lanes, they have backup; plus it’s not going to be long before Tanev is flying in front of pucks anyways.
Toronto is going to have to stick to their guns and what got them here in the first place, and need to make sure they stay disciplined, work hard, play smart, and don’t get too cute. It may be a boring style of play for some, but so far it’s been working and there’s no point in fixing what’s not broken.
There’s only one change in the Leafs lineup tonight, with Pontus Holmberg and Max Domi swapping places on the second and third line.
Holmberg adds size, strength and a penalty drawing ability that’s second to none. He makes the second line better and can give Domi a bit less pressure to produce; though he probably should start very soon.
But if the team can just come out swinging, with whatever their changes Tanev alluded to, it’s going to be light work for Toronto, especially with the Senators potentially down a couple players.
Time to get to work though.