As a new year begins, the Maple Leafs, buoyed by a four-game winning streak, are being quietly and unexpectedly mentioned in playoff conversation.
“We’re right there,” Toronto defenseman Morgan Rielly said after a 3-2 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. “We believe in this group, we have a lot of confidence, so we want to keep this rolling. Each game we play now is a big one.”
The Red Wings, meanwhile, are facing the prospect of having their run of reaching the playoffs end at 25 seasons.
Despite a 3-2 overtime win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, the Red Wings have slipped to 24th overall and seventh in the Atlantic Division, three points behind the rebuilding Maple Leafs, who are fifth in the Atlantic and seventh overall.
“We’ve got to deal with it; just got to keep on playing,” Red Wings left winger and captain Henrik Zetterberg said. “Most teams when they rebuild, they tank for a few years. We try to do it a little differently, mix in younger players.
“It’s not going to be easy for us and we all know that. It’s not like we have the team we had in the mid-2000s. But you won’t have those teams forever, either.”
As the expectations begin to mount for the Maple Leafs, they enter a difficult part of their schedule. Over the last two seasons, they have a total of four wins in January.
Following Sunday’s game against the Red Wings, seven of the Maple Leafs’ next 12 games are away. After not traveling well earlier in the season, they have won their last five games on the road.
“There are nights when you might not play your best and you struggle at times, but you walk out of here with two points and we’ll take that,” Rielly said.
“The big picture is that we’re getting better and we’re moving forward. We’re getting some luck, we’re getting tougher around the net, both offensively and defensively, and that’s making a big difference.”
There are only five Maple Leafs left from the team that defeated the Red Wings, 3-2, in a shootout Jan. 1, 2014, in an outdoor game played before a crowd of 105,491 at Michigan Stadium.
Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock was behind the Red Wings’ bench then.
“They’ve definitely changed a lot,” Red Wings left winger Drew Miller said. “They’ve got some big talent there and obviously that’s bright for their future.
“When you have players like that that you can count on to put up points and be that young, it’s got to be exciting for them.”
Said Babcock: “This is a special one, our 100th-year anniversary in the NHL and our team getting better.”
After Antoine Bibeau got his first NHL the win Thursday in the second of back-to-back games in Florida, No 1 goaltender Frederik Andersen is expected to be in Toronto’s goal on Sunday.
“We had got one point out of a backup until (Thursday) so, you know, if you look at it there’s 20 games he’s got to play and you’ve got to get some points,” Babcock said.
“That being said, good job. He’s a kid, he was a bit deep at times and things like that, but he did a good job.”
With Jimmy Howard out because of a sprained knee, Jared Coreau probably will start for the Red Wings on Sunday. Detroit has won two of his three starts and he has been better than Petr Mrazek.
“I thought (Thursday in Ottawa) was his best game of the three,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “Not to say the first two weren’t good. I see his confidence growing.
“Like any player, and it is just magnified at the goaltending position, the more comfortable you get, the greater chance to have confidence.”
Red Wings center Riley Sheahan, who missed the game Thursday because of an upper-body injury, skated Friday and is considered a game-time decision on Sunday.
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