Jones’ puck toss has Leafs boiling

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This article was published 06/01/2012 (5016 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO — For a game that wasn’t nearly as hotly contested as last Saturday night’s in Winnipeg, there were a few snarls at the end of Thursday’s contest between the Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.

At the end of the one-sided 4-0 Toronto victory, Jets defenceman Mark Stuart simply rimmed the puck around his own zone at the final horn. Defence partner Randy Jones stopped it, picked it up and tossed it into the crowd.

The Leafs had some words for Stuart about the matter, apparently wanting the rubber for goalie Jonas Gustavsson. It was his second career shutout.

“As long as I got my first one, that’s the big one for me,” Gustavsson told reporters after the game. “So it doesn’t bother me.”

Jones admitted to tossing the puck after the game, but pleaded ignorance later.

“I don’t know. No particular reason. I didn’t want the thing so I threw it,” Jones said.

Told the Leafs didn’t like that, he said: “What? Because of the shutout? First one? Second one? I don’t follow them. I had no idea.”

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Centre Bryan Little missed his eighth game Thursday night, still not good to go after taking a puck on the skate Dec. 17. Little did take the morning skate and remains possible for Saturday’s contest in Buffalo.

Jets coach Claude Noel also said Thursday defenceman Dustin Byfuglien, out now five games with a lower-body injury, could still be a player next week.

In the interim, the Jets recalled forward Patrice Cormier for the second straight Thursday in order to give them 13 healthy forwards, but Cormier was a scratch.

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After spending all of the season’s days to Dec. 31 in a playoff spot, the Leafs were suddenly on the outside looking in after their loss to the Jets in Winnipeg on New Year’s Eve.

Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf said Thursday he’s trying to help gird his team for the mental challenges of the second-half chase for spots.

“We’ve got to win games, especially in conference and in division,” Phaneuf said. “They’re all four-point games and down the stretch, it’s going to be one day you’re in and one day you’re out. The main thing our team wants to concentrate on is staying even-keeled and playing our game.

“Whether you’re in or you’re out, you’ve got to keep winning hockey games to either keep pace or move up.”

Phaneuf was selected Thursday to start at the NHL all-star game later this month.

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Toronto rookie Matt Frattin has acquitted himself well making the jump straight to the NHL from NCAA hockey at the University of North Dakota.

Frattin, a fourth-round 2007 draft pick, has five goals so far this season and has had just a short stint with the AHL’s Marlies.

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Last season at UND, Frattin filled nets at every stage of the season, scoring 36 goals in 44 games.

“On ice, it’s such a quicker, smarter game,” Frattin said. “Everybody’s smarter. College is such a run-and-gun game. Everybody’s running around. This is a lot more structured.

“Off ice, you’re not going to school so you’ve got a lot more free time on your hands. You try to find stuff to do, extra hobbies. Me, I get into a couple of TV series, some movies.”

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca