Maple Leafs Notebook: Laughton enjoying war of words with Marchand
As Brad Marchand chirps at the Maple Leafs in yet another playoff series, he’s found a new combatant in Scott Laughton. Sportsnet’s Luke Fox dives into their verbal battles and more ahead of Friday’s Game 3.
FORT LAUDERDALE — Brad Marchand’s reputation as one of the sport’s elite trash-talkers and pot-stirrers was on full display during the Florida Panthers’ Game 2 loss in Toronto.
He engaged in a lengthy chirpfest with veteran Scott Laughton. The longtime Eastern Conference rivals have never crossed paths off the ice, but share a history of gabbing on it.
“We’ve gone at it quite a bit throughout my career. It’s nice. For myself, it gets you involved in the game a little bit. It’s good,” Laughton smiled Friday, following the Maple Leafs’ brisk morning skate at the Cats’ Fort Lauderdale practice facility.
Laughton has toned down his chirp game since he entered the league as an eager first-round pick a decade ago.
“I probably talked a little bit too much when I was younger. Kind of reined it in,” Laughton explained. “You have different little things with guys, but it’s just little bit of chatter.”
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It’s no secret that Marchand thrives off the extracurriculars, and the deadline rental was Florida’s best player in Game 2.
“He’s such a competitor,” Sam Reinhart said. “He’s looking to make a difference every shift he’s out there. I think that shows.”
Leafs coach Craig Berube doesn’t care if his players yap it up, provided they don’t get sucked into silly scrum penalties. The Panthers are experts at drawing a retaliatory response.
“We harp on (it) a lot, but it is difficult,” Berube said. “It’s fairly ingrained in our heads. Anything can happen, right? But we got to keep harping on it. Because I really believe it’s highly important that it’s hard between the whistles, and the stuff after the whistle hasn’t accomplished a whole lot.”
Nylander building Conn Smythe case?
If you’re compiling a way-too-early Conn Smythe leaderboard, Dallas’s Mikko Rantanen would fly to the top of the list.
But William Nylander wouldn’t be too far behind.
The second-line dynamo ranks third in playoff points (13) and goals (six) and is solidifying his rep as a big-game stud.
“He’s just got ice in his veins,” said fellow winger Steven Lorentz. “He goes out, it’s like the biggest game of his life, and he just performs. It’s great to see him deliver, and we need it.”
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Laughton marvels at Nylander’s cutbacks, puck control and ability to find his linemates with space.
“You see it in practice too, when you’re going against him and then trying to catch up to him. He’s very dynamic. He finds ways to score and make plays, and he’s been big for us,” Laughton said. “We’re going to need him to continue to be big.”
Added Auston Matthews: “Just seems like he’s very tenacious. Obviously getting opportunities. He’s scoring and just hard on pucks. His skill level and all that, everybody’s seen, but I just think his focus level has been really good for us.”
Since the beginning of the 2021 playoffs, Nylander’s post-season production has overshadowed that of Matthews and Mitch Marner. He leads all Leafs with 21 goals and 41 points in 37 playoff games.
“Lost for words because there’s so many words to describe it,” linemate Max Pacioretty said. “He’s just all over it every night, always in a good spot. Just works insanely hard — and that often gets overlooked because you’re blown away by his skill.”
Count Panthers coach Paul Maurice as one of those who is blown away. His bunch hasn’t been able to contain Nylander yet.
“His ability to control the puck, change angles and change directions is elite,” Maurice said. “There may not be anybody better than he is.”
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Panthers pressed
With Toronto aiming for another 3-0 series stranglehold Friday night in Sunrise, all pressure has shifted to the Panthers. The franchise is 0-5 when trailing a series 2-0.
But Maurice is encouraging his players to channel their desperation appropriately, not recklessly.
“The game still has to be played intelligently at a high level,” Maurice said. “So as pressure mounts, whether the team’s trying to close out or trying to claw back, you just want to make sure that you’re not trying to hit a home run every time you touch the puck.”
They’ll lean on the experience that comes from back-to-back four-round playoff runs and the welcome energy of a noisy Amerant Bank Arena.
“Desperate hockey team. We need to be just as desperate,” Laughton said.
“At this time of year, you have to — or you’re chasing the game.”
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One-Timers: Anthony Stolarz did not travel with the Maple Leafs to Fort Lauderdale. The team won’t confirm a concussion. “There’s never any worry with either guy in net. Joe showed it again why he’s one of the best,” Mitch Marner said.… The Panthers have a couple game-time lineup decisions due to health. We wonder if Evan Rodrigues falls into that category after he embellished his face getting smashed into the glass by Laughton in Game 2…. Toronto set a franchise record this season with 25 road wins, while the Panthers were a much better squad at home (27-12-2) than on the road this season.
Maple Leafs Game 3 lineup vs. Florida Panthers:
Knies – Matthews – Marner
Pacioretty – Tavares – Nylander
McMann – Domi – Holmberg
Lorentz – Laughton – Järnkrok
Rielly – Carlo
McCabe – Tanev
Benoit – Ekman-Larsson
Woll starts
Murray
