KOSHAN: Brooks continues to give Keefe another solid option among Maple Leafs’ bottom six

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Adam Brooks didn’t have a good idea that this was coming.

The 24-year-old not only has worked his way into the Maple Leafs’ supporting cast, he continues to provide coach Sheldon Keefe with a solid option.

“There was a huge stretch of the season where I didn’t really see myself even coming back to this position,” Brooks said on Saturday before the Leafs played host to the Vancouver Canucks.

“To be able to get in the lineup with some of the injuries, I’m just trying to make the most of my opportunity and trying to show that I can contribute when I get in there and I can help out, whatever that situation might be.”

In the Leafs’ 5-1 win against the Canucks at Scotiabank Arena, Brooks scored his fourth goal in eight games this season, deflecting a Justin Holl shot past Vancouver goalie Braden Holtby in the third period.

Brooks played in his sixth consecutive game. Not coincidentally, Zach Hyman missed his sixth game in a row after he suffered a sprained knee against Vancouver on April 18.

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Hyman is skating, and so is centre Riley Nash, who continues to recover from a sprained knee, an injury that occurred with Columbus before he was acquired by the Leafs on April 9.

Hyman will get his lineup spot back when he is ready. While we might have assumed a couple of weeks ago that Nash would be an automatic addition for the Stanley Cup playoffs considering the Leafs wanted him for his experience, with the way Brooks has been playing on a line with Joe Thornton and Jason Spezza, it shouldn’t be considered a rubber stamp that Brooks goes to the sideline.

“(Brooks) does what you want young players to do, which is don’t give the coaches a reason to take you out, and control what you can control,” Keefe said.

“No matter how much you play, go out and be effective and show that you bring value to the team. He has done that every game and the coaches are recognizing it. Perhaps, especially at this time of year, even more importantly, his teammates are recognizing it.

“In terms of how the lineup looks when the playoffs come around, a lot of things can change. What you’re looking to do is continue to build people up when they’re rolling, and then all of a sudden, you’ve got another option, and that’s a great thing.”

GAME ONKeefe on the Brooks goal, which gave Toronto a 3-1 lead: “(The line) did it through a really good, smart shift, taking care of the puck and doing what you hope to get from the fourth line. The combination of the experience and skill set of Jumbo and Spezz, and Brooksy’s energy and his intelligence, has really helped that line. That was a big moment in the game.” … The Leafs were fortunate to get out of the first period tied 1-1, as Vancouver outshot them 11-6 and had a 24-11 advantage in attempts. After Tanner Pearson opened the scoring from a tough angle, Auston Matthews scored less than two minutes later on a pass from Mitch Marner. The goal came after Marner’s forecheck on Canucks defenceman Alexander Edler caused a turnover … Jack Campbell made a fine glove save in the second after some defensive-zone miscues by the Matthews line, and not long after, Matthews again beat Holtby to put Toronto up 2-1. That goal was a result of hustle on the part of Nick Foligno, who was first to the puck deep in the offensive zone before passing to Marner, who then fed Matthews … Of Matthews’ 38 goals, Marner has the primary assist on 18 … Matthews is skating away in the race for the Rocket Richard Trophy, as he opened a 10-goal lead on Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers before McDavid played on Saturday. Marner, meanwhile, is up to 46 assists. Only McDavid, with 56, had more … Alex Galchenyuk scored his first goal in seven games off a William Nylander rebound in the third … Thornton scored into an empty net with two minutes remaining. Thornton and Spezza each are on five-game point streaks … Since being pulled against Winnipeg on April 15, Campbell is 4-0-1 with a .939 save percentage. “The team is playing really well in front of me and I’m just trying to do my thing,” Campbell said.

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LOOSE LEAFSThe Toronto Marlies rallied in the third period in their first game since returning from COVID protocols but lost 5-3 to Belleville at the Coca-Cola Coliseum on Saturday afternoon. The Marlies tied the game 2-2 in the third before Belleville pulled away. Kenny Agostino, Joe Duszak and Nic Petan scored for Toronto, which had not played since April 10. Joseph Woll made 28 saves … What has been the biggest challenge in this pandemic-controlled season from a coach’s perspective? “Lack of practice time has probably been a big one,” Keefe said of the condensed schedule. “You’re trying to build your team up structurally, trying to add different things, trying to keep the team feeling good and confident offensively. The lack of practice time really hurts that. Yet, the rhythm of the games has been a positive and it’s a good thing that you keep going and you fall into that routine.”