Leafs checking big gains

By TIM WHARNSBY -- Toronto Sun
The Maple Leafs' on-ice quarterly report shows profit margins are up.

But the Leafs, who are four points ahead of last season's 20-game pace and in a four-way tie for second overall in the NHL, hope the investments made now will pay even bigger dividends in the spring.

Advancing to the Eastern Conference final last spring raised expectations and the Leafs are hoping their defensive prowess this season will translate into more success during the playoffs.

The Leafs lead the league with a 1.97 goals-against average and have allowed 19 fewer goals at this point than a year ago.

"Last year, night in and night out we were counting on CuJo (goalie Curtis Joseph) to stop the rushes and the other way we would try to score goals," captain Mats Sundin said. "We're playing better defensively. We still have kept up our offence.

"There still are going to be some nights when CuJo wins us a game, like (Monday night, 4-2 against San Jose). But a lot of other nights we have cut down on the shots (against) and given us a better shot at winning."

The Leafs, 11-6-3, have concentrated so much on their defensive work this season, their offence has suffered slightly. They are down two goals from their production at this point last season.

"We might not have that elan offensively we showed last year," Leafs general manager/coach Pat Quinn said. "Our guys have been working hard on the defensive side of the game and they have been doing a pretty good job.

"Sometimes when you are concentrating on your defence, you get into that defensive framework. We're still looking for that balance."

Although the Leafs recently played tough defensive teams in Boston, Anaheim, Detroit and San Jose, they have averaged just 20.5 shots in their past four games and have been outshot in six consecutive games and in seven out of eight.

As a team, the Leafs have yet to demonstrate they can handle speedy, hard forechecking teams like the Ottawa Senators. The St. Louis Blues will be a good test at the Air Canada Centre tonight.

Individually, rookie Nik Antropov and Jonas Hoglund have been the biggest surprises. Antropov, who scored his first career goal against San Jose, has displayed toughness, a lot of skill and versatility. He can play both centre and the wing.

Hoglund already has 10 goals, two more than he scored the entire 1998-99 season in Montreal.

"Young Nik has done very well, Hoglund too," Quinn said. "I don't think we expected him to score 10 goals. We thought we had a good two-way player."

Sundin acknowledged he has struggled in recent games. But he and his linemates stepped up their play against San Jose.

Now the task will be to kickstart a struggling Steve Thomas, one goal in 20 games and goalless in nine.

"I'm not worried at all about him," Sundin said. "He has been around so long. It's a part of the game. He still is producing, getting chances and assists.

"I know goal scoring is important for him and important for his own game. He is probably putting more pressure on himself than anyone else. If he keeps playing the way he has, he will start getting some goals that Hoglund has been getting."

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