Can Maple Leafs defense handle Bolts and Panthers in playoffs?

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TAMPA, Fla. — You can’t swing a calculator in the Maple Leafs’ room and not hit a 50-point producer.

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There are six already, from Auston Matthews’ 88 to Michael Bunting’s 53, with Alex Kerfoot four from joining them. The club is on a run of five-plus goals per game not seen in years and have a current goal differential of plus-51, presently the highest in 61 years.

But there are two sides of a rink and Toronto teams in the past have been done in by leaks on defense that dampen scoring success.

“At times we’ve shown we do it very well and, at others, we get away from it,” said Marner. “When we’re locked in, ready to go, we play that 200-foot game and do it very well.”

Given the next two road games are top-drawer Atlantic teams, starting Monday with the two-time Stanley Cup champion Lightning, then division-leading Florida, it had better be the stingy version of the Leafs that shows up.

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This is exam time and Sheldon Keefe believes his team has absorbed some hard lessons. The coach’s measuring stick is the Feb. 21 loss in Montreal, when the overconfident Leafs broke down everywhere on their side of center against the hungry Habs, haunting echoes of last spring’s playoff upset.

“We’re coming up on 20 games since then,” Keefe noted after Sunday practice at Amalie Arena. “I feel in that time we’ve played pretty good defensive hockey.”

Their goals-against average is still rather high since then, at 3.68, but goaltending itself improved. Unheralded Erik Kallgren won a few, Petr Mrazek a couple before he was hurt again and Jack Campbell returned with a big role in beating the Flyers 6-3 on Saturday.

Out front of them, the Leafs have closed gaps better, hit more, killed penalties, excelled at takeaways and continue to lead the NHL in faceoffs, leading to more chances for their gifted scorers. Fifty-one goal scorer Matthews and assist machine Marner are among the forwards generating those chances with their play away from the puck.

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Newcomers Ilya Lyubushkin and Mark Giordano have helped stabilize the blueline, too.

“Where we needed to get to as a team, I think we’re in a good spot over those 20 games,” Keefe said. “As good as any team in the league defensively, in terms of rushes against, odd-man rushes and chances. We feel that you have served us well in some of the (recent) tough games we played, (beating) Florida, Boston and Carolina. The bigger sample from that is guys are really committed. It won’t always be perfect, but as we continue to monitor it, seeing where we’re at in the league, there have been a lot of good things happening. That’s the model going forward.”

The Lightning just had their own letdown against the Canadiens at home and, after taking Sunday off, should be as aggressive as always against Toronto.

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“They’re a team that comes at you with a lot of offense, a lot of force, forwards with their defense,” Marner said. “You have to make sure you’re tracking back, being above people, not giving them the center of the ice. That’s where they thrive.”

There are obvious playoff implications with the Tampa game Monday, though the Leafs make another swing through the Sunshine state in two weeks.

“We know there’s a good possibility for (a series),” said captain Tavares. “But I wouldn’t say I’ve over-an analyzed that. You just know it would be a tremendous challenge playing a team as accomplished as they are. But it would be fun.”