Brophy on Leafs: Dynamic duo

The Toronto Maple Leafs are still trying to battle through injuries as they continue to establish themselves as a bona fide playoff threat.

In the meantime, Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul remain the NHL’s highest scoring duo. In a league that features numerous high-scoring pairs, Kessel and Lupul have been the best pretty much all year.

Kessel ranks second in league scoring with 36 points while Lupul is tied for third with 34. That’s a combined 70 points through 30 games. Their closest competition – to the surprise of nobody – is the Sedin twins, Daniel and Henrik – who have a combined 67 points as of Thursday afternoon. They are followed by Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp of the Chicago Blackhawks with 66; Kris Versteeg and Stephen Weiss of the Florida Panthers with 64 and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle of the Edmonton Oilers with 63.

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Interestingly, some duos we have grown accustomed to being at or near the top of the scoring race are not doing as well. Alexander Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom of the Washington Capitals, for instance, have combined for just 52 points. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg of the Detroit Red Wings have produced just 50 points. In fact, Detroit’s current top duo is Datsyuk and Johan Franzen who have 59 points. And what about last year’s top scorer and Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry and his pal Ryan Getzlaf? They have combined for 49 points.

The most obvious absence is Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, for obvious reasons. They don’t necessarily always play on the same line, but they have been lethal when working together on the power play.

The rise of Kessel and Lupul has caught many by surprise, but not their coach, Ron Wilson. He likes their chemistry.

“I thought it was almost instantaneous last year; when Lupes came in it made a difference on the line because he’s developing into more of a power forward,” Wilson said. “He protects the puck really well; takes the puck to the net well. When you have a guy who can control the puck well and get it close to the front of the net Phil can jump on some of the stuff that lies around. It’s also important to have a guy – and it’s been Tyler Bozak or Tim Connolly – who dishes them the puck and gets it to them in the neutral zone when their in top speed. The big difference for Lupes is this year he can skate and pretty much keep up to Phil, which is a tough task because Phil might be one of the fastest skaters in the league.”

That has to do with the fact Lupul is 100 per cent healthy, which he wasn’t for much of the past few seasons.

Both Kessel and Lupul have made advancements in their game this season. Kessel, 24, has found a consistency that has enabled him to produce points in all but seven games this season. Lupul, 29, has only been held off the score sheet six times. Kessel is the gunner on the line — one of the best in the league — and while the temptation is to suggest Lupul is the grinder, that would not be acknowledging his exceptional skill. Lupul has been particularly hot recently with 15 points in Toronto’s last 12 games. Kessel has 11 points in that span.

Lupul said playing with a triggerman like Kessel makes life easy; especially once you get to know each other.

“The more you play with someone, you pick up a little more of their tendencies,” Lupul said. “I think there are some guys that have a different level of that; obviously the Sedins know where each other is going to be all the time whereas a guy like Phil tends to adlib a little more. One play he might be here and the next play he might be somewhere else. My thought process hasn’t changed really. When I get the puck in my own end or in the neutral zone I’ll try to get him the puck when he’s in full flight because that’s when he’s dangerous. He’s probably the most dangerous guy in the league when he gets it at full speed.”

The way they play together you’d think Kessel and Lupul are in constant conversation — on and off that ice. That is the furthest thing from the truth.

“We might talk before we take a faceoff when we’re on the power play or sometimes I’ll say, ‘Phil, if the puck comes to my side, go here and I’ll try to hit you with a long pass.’ ” Lupul said. “An ideal play for us is to hit that long bomb pass to Phil and when it works it makes the game a lot easier. Teams key in on that, though. That’s pretty much the extent of it for set plays. Phil really likes to adlib.”

The fact they have been so hot since the start of the year has not escaped the attention of the opposition. Lupul said it is getting increasingly tougher to dangle with the puck, but that is to be expected.

“Yeah, we’re getting more attention,” Lupul said, “especially when we’re on the road because we see the other team’s checking line and top two defencemen usually. You have to look at that as a challenge. It just makes it that much more fun to get you up for the game and compete against the other team’s best guys every night.”

Wilson said Kessel and Lupul must press through the tight checking, but they can never put points ahead of playing a total game at both ends of the rink.

“You can’t change how you are playing or start cheating, because that hurts you offensively as well as defensively,” Wilson said. “The defence part is obvious, but when you are cheating your team spends too much time in your own end and it actually cuts down on your offence. There will be times where the game will open up and they’ll take advantage of those openings, but every team knows how well they have played and are prepared for them.”

When it was pointed out to the ever-talkative Kessel that two of the players that are challenging him for the goal lead, Milan Michalek of the Ottawa Senators and Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers, are both injured, and that it could help him in the race for the Rocket Richard Trophy, he shrugged and said, “You know what, I don’t even think about that to tell you the truth. It’s too bad that guys like that are out; you never want to see anyone injured. Hopefully those guys will get back soon.”

Asked about the success he has enjoyed with Lupul, Kessel took the opportunity to give centre Tyler Bozak some props.

“To tell you the truth we think of ourselves as three guys,” Kessel said. “Bozie had been great for us. He’s playing great hockey and without the three of us our line would not be successful.”