Leaf notes: Pin cushion Lorentz back at practice after painful game

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Steven Lorentz used his right foot to block pucks almost as much as a padded Joseph Woll did on Wednesday night.

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Back at practice Thursday, the winger confirmed three of his team-high four blocks versus the Vegas Golden Knights hit him there, two in the same place on the same shift.

“Definitely didn’t feel too good,” Lorentz said as he showed reporters the swelling. “But worth it when the guys come through, we win and Woller gets a shutout.”

With each of Lorentz’s blocks, the banging of sticks on the Leafs bench and shouts of encouragement grew louder, while appreciative home fans got on board, too.

“That’s cool, the little things, but you do it for the team, to win games, not for the cheers and applause,” said last year’s Stanley Cup champion with Florida. “But I definitely heard the crowd reaction. Nice to see they had my back and recognize stuff like that. When everybody’s doing it, that’s what takes you further in the playoffs and that’s winning hockey.”

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Lorentz quipped the shot blocks were him “channeling my inner Timmy Brent”, a nod to the former Leaf from 15 years ago who also specialized in absorbing puck pain. A young Alex Ovechkin splintered Brent’s shin guard one night with a rocket and Brent wanted to send the remnants down the hall post-game for Ovie to autograph.

The Leafs have blocked 53 shots the past two games in front of Woll and Anthony Stolarz. Woll even promised to buy Lorentz dinner after Wednesday’s performance. Defenceman Chris Tanev, the league leader with 67 as of Thursday, had one against the Knights.

NURSE NO REAVES FAN

In his first comments since Ryan Reaves caught him on the head with a heavy hit that landed the Leaf a five-game suspension, Darnell Nurse of the Oilers didn’t mince words.

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While acknowledging to the media in Edmonton he was looking down and there was an onus on him to know where a check might come from, Nurse noted “there is lots of body on a 6-foot-4 hockey player to hit and not one piece was touched (by Reaves) other than my head.”

The shoulder check left Nurse dazed and bleeding. Reaves did try to apologize personally, but Nurse was still bitter.
“You can argue about the intent, but there are certain guys in the league that every shift they go out there and they go out and try to inflict pain,” said Nurse, sporting a swollen eye. “I think it’s pretty obvious what’s going on there.”

Reaves’ attempt to explain himself to the Toronto media was shut down by the Leafs until after his suspension ends in early December.

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KEEPING THE KIDS OCCUPIED

Of the seven Leafs forwards missing at this stage, Matthew Knies (upper body) and Max Domi (lower body) are the only two with a chance to come back by Sunday’s game against Utah.

Max Pacioretty, Calle Jarnkrok and David Kampf are all on LTIR, while Auston Matthews hasn’t skated in days and Reaves is sidelined. Domi will be eligible to come off a week of IR, but Berube could keep all three Marlies callups in the lineup, Nikita Grebenkin, Fraser Minten and Alex Steeves.

Fans wouldn’t mind seeing more of Grebenkin, who played 11 frenetic minutes on Wednesday with four hits and a couple of shot attempts. He came into his first post-game scrum picking up on the crowd’s “go Leafs go” chant and recited a line mischievous players taught him, “forecheck, backcheck, paycheque”.

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“They don’t have the experience, but they have the energy for sure,” Berube conceded. “Minten (who scored his first NHL goal) and Grebenkin are big guys, strong on pucks and they bring excitement.”

Defenceman Jani Hakanpaa was at Thursday’s practice after being scratched for Simon Benoit, who distinguished himself. Berube said he could consider a 7-11 defence/forward split to get Hakanpaa in, but that seven blueliners can disrupt a team’s rhythm.

LOOSE LEAFS

Berube says William Nylander and Mitch Marner will still take draws now and then, but he’s no longer keen on one or both setting up at centre because of the injuries. He feels it’s too much work that could affect their strengths at right wing … Berube is the first new Leafs coach since Roger Neilson to start the season winning 12 of his first 20 games, though Neilson didn’t have overtime in 1977-78 … Yes, some Marlies are still left on the farm. Nick Abruzzese had the 4-3 overtime winner Wednesday at home versus Hershey, after the Bears led 3-0 in the first period. Alex Nylander had two goals in the comeback and assisted on the winner. Dennis Hildeby got the ‘W’ in net, which improved Toronto’s record to 9-1-4 … Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy, a big Blue Rodeo fan, got to meet singer Jim Cuddy before Wednesday’s game.

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