Mike Babcock on the Leafs blue line: “Our defense is just fine, but if you don’t play in the offensive zone or put pressure on the other team’s defense, your defense never looks very good”

As the process continues, how valuable was the challenge that your club saw Wednesday night moving forward?

Babcock: I think every night in the league you’re going to get a challenge. The teams aren’t coming in here to lose. They’re coming in here to win. Everybody at this time of year is real confident in their team and feeling good about themselves. We’ve got to get confidence by being better through the neutral zone with the puck, by being harder on the other team in the offensive zone, and spending more time there so that it is easier for our D to execute.