Babs Gives Leafs Stick
Mike Babcock is on a crusade to keep sticks down among his players, which he feels has contributed to a run of penalties. The Leafs were called for seven minors in Sunrise on Wednesday.
“The ones I don’t like are when you’re high-sticking guys in the face because you don’t look after your stick.” the coach preached before Thursday’s game in Tampa Bay. “The guys tonight (referees Ian Walsh and Dan O’Rourke) don’t call penalties, so that’s a bonus, but we have to take care of our sticks. It’s getting us in trouble. Against this (Lightning) team, you can’t take a lot of penalties.”
Centre Nazem Kadri added that penalties tax defensive players and disrupt line changes.“We have guys who don’t kill penalties who get out of the rhythm when they sit. We have to be disciplined, especially with offensive zone penalties.”
