Courageous seven guard the blue line

By LANCE HORNBY -- Toronto Sun If you are wondering why the Maple Leafs are 13 goals against lower than this time last year, simply follow the blue line.
Goaltenders Curtis Joseph and Glenn Healy have combined for three shutouts, but that is partly because fewer shots are getting through. In the first 12 games of last season, the Leafs gave up more than 30 shots on seven occasions. This season, a 50-shot game by the Senators is the only time the number has climbed higher than 27.
Despite the absence of defencemen Bryan Berard and Dimitri Yushkevich at the start of this season and the trading of Sylvain Cote, a distinct character has begun to develop with the starting six and injured spare Chris McAllister.
In even-strength situations, the Leafs are playing tough in front of the net and while the penalty-killing stats have taken a beating, there has been no reluctance to block shots.
"We might not have the seven best D in the league but in my opinion we have the seven most courageous," assistant coach Rick Ley said. "They are stopping pucks and most nights they are fielding pucks with their faces smashed into the glass. I would like to see our forwards do a better job protecting them."
Here is a look at how the seven defencemen have progressed:

Danny Markov seemed to attract more than his fair share of pain and punishment last season but the Russian has learned not to leave himself so vulnerable to injury.

Alexander Karpovtsev was ranked fourth in the league in individual blocked shots at mid-week.

Tomas Kaberle continues to show a veteran's puck sense and leads the defence with five points.

Cory Cross is not only playing as physically as hoped, but he is quite adept at holding his position in odd-man rushes.

Yushkevich is becoming a master manipulator of the opposition's best players through hitting and verbal jabs.

Berard, still a loose cannon at times, has the speed to atone for his risky plays and has also sacrificed his body, including a shutout-saver for Healy against Atlanta on Wednesday.

McAllister, when healthy, has played smart, conservative hockey and will be needed in future rough-and-tumble games.
"A big part of their (value) is that you can move them around with other partners," Ley said, speaking of the decision to break up Yushkevich and Markov earlier this month.

POISE
Berard has the coaching staff sprouting a few grey hairs but Ley remains in the 22-year-old's corner.
"I have seen him improve since he came here last year," Ley said. "Defence must be the toughest position to learn in this game. It's not just stick-handling and skating backwards, you know.
"A lot of kids think they have to go everywhere on the ice and try to put out fires. Some guys play (defence) their whole career and think that way."
Cross is amazed at the poise the Leafs display on defence after coming from the fragile Tampa Bay Lighting.
"A big difference is the goal-scoring here," Cross said. "In Tampa, we knew we wouldn't get much more than two a game and that had a bad effect on everyone's confidence.
"This team knows it is in every game. We know what our jobs are and it may not be pretty to watch, but we get it done."

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