Matthews, Maple Leafs back Andersen speaking out

OTTAWA -- Frederik Andersen challenged his Toronto Maple Leafs teammates to play better heading into their game against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday, and they are backing his words.
After the Maple Leafs blew a two-goal lead in the third period and
lost 3-2 in overtime at the Philadelphia Flyers
on Thursday, the goaltender expressed his displeasure with how Toronto played.

"He doesn't say much, but when he says something, people listen up," center Auston Matthews said Friday after practice. "He's absolutely within his right to be upset because we've left him out to dry too many times over this course of games. He's absolutely right. We have his back. We need to be better for one another, and we need to be better for him."
Andersen has faced 30 or more shots on goal in 11 straight games and 14 of the past 15.
"He's a great leader," forward Tyler Bozak said. "He doesn't talk too much, but when he does, his point means a lot. He's a guy who sees things that are going on really well. He's been playing unbelievable for us, so it's probably a little frustrating when we're not playing our best in front of him and we do have those leads. Yeah, we've got to be better."

The Maple Leafs have lost four straight games and seven of their past nine (2-3-4).
"We're sitting pretty good. We got it pretty comfortable," Andersen said after the game Thursday. "But there can't be any reason for not playing the right way, because we have to be ready for when it comes to past the All-Star break here, because it's going to be tougher for everyone. Teams are going to catch us and we can't slide like this.
"We've got to regroup, we've got to figure out who wants to commit to playing as a team. I think we have a few days now until our next game -- one day between -- but we've got to look at the attitude. We played well enough for two periods, but we've got to find a way to keep the foot on the gas the whole game. We can't be satisfied with two periods."
Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds tied the game 3-3 at 3:25 of the third period Thursday with a shorthanded goal off a 2-on-1.
"I think a lot of guys on the bench, too, pretty frustrated with not being on the power play and seeing that kind of effort," Andersen said. "I think we've got to look each other in the eyes here and determine where we want to go from here. ... We got to figure this out if we want to play any meaningful hockey later."
Andersen is 22-13-4 with a 2.68 goals-against average, .922 save percentage with three shutouts in an NHL-high 39 starts this season.
"It's one thing when I say it. It's a whole other thing when a good player on your team says it," coach Mike Babcock said. "Now, this is just me. [The media likes] the way he did it. I would just as soon you walk in, grab the coaches, grab the staff, grab everybody, shut the door and do it in house. We had some of that going on during the game too. I thought it was a real positive thing for our team yesterday.
"I think it's important in taking a step. I think adversity is an unbelievable thing in life for springboards for opportunity. It's just depends how you embrace it."

The Maple Leafs (25-17-5, 55 points) are in third place in the Atlantic Division, 10 points behind the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning having played two more games, and 12 points ahead of the fourth-place Detroit Red Wings, who have three games in hand.
"You can't have any complacency," Matthews said. "A lot can change. So you can go on a tough stretch, you can go on a hot stretch. Next thing you know, you're in another battle. We just want to stay focused, stay focused the whole season, doesn't matter what position we're in, we want to win every night."
Toronto defenseman Morgan Rielly sustained an upper-body injury in the second period against the Flyers and Babcock said he didn't know if he would play against the Senators on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, CITY, TVA Sports 2, NHL.TV).
"We gave him the day off here today and we'll see how he feels tomorrow," Babcock said.
Rielly, 23, leads Toronto defensemen with 31 points (five goals and 26 assists) in 47 games.