A David vs. Goliath match enlivened the last part of practice on Monday as 186-pound fourth-line winger Nikita Soshnikov was in a prolonged battle to get the puck off of behemoth bluelinerRoman Polak. The latter is at least an inch taller and about 40 pounds heavier. But Soshnikov was like a dog on a bone during the glass-rattling encounter, which the coaching staff and teammates all enjoyed.

“I just always try and compete like that, it’s part of the fun,” the Russian Soshnikov said. “I like to (be paired against) the more physical guys like Poly. You work hard against them in practice, it’s better for you in a game, right?



“That part of my game is coming along for sure. I try to play more behind the goal line, so it’s good for me.”



THANKS, BOSS



CentreAuston Matthews, looking for his first goal in 13 games on Tuesday, was glad to hear GMLou Lamoriello say he was very satisfied with his overall play.



“I feel the same way,” the No. 1 pick said Monday. “I think I’m getting better and better every day. That stuff (goals, points) will come. We just have to figure out some little kinks in our game. (But) you can’t really make excuses out there, you have to capitalize.”



He hopes an assist on William Nylander’s goal in Montreal on Saturday is a catalyst for a big week. He has never played against the Hurricanes, Devils or Capitals.



“It’s your rookie season, you face new players all the time, you get to go to different cities. It’s exciting.”



NEW YEAR, NEW SWEATER



If you’ve not kept up with the sweater design changes the past couple of seasons, the Leafs have one more tweak, this for a public sale for the Centennial Classic on Jan. 1 at BMO Field against the Detroit Red Wings.



Unveiled Monday, the sweater will have “a signature look for the occasion, combining important elements of our club’s past, but also our present and future,” club president Brendan Shanahan said in a release.



Retaining the ‘Honour, Pride and Courage’ motto stitched into the back of the neck for sweaters in the 2016-17 season, the franchise’s 100th, the special edition model is marked by a horizontal singular band of white across the body linking it to the Toronto St. Patricks’ jersey worn from 1922-1925. The pants will have a white Toronto Arenas ‘T’, for the city’s first NHL franchise.



HE’S A GAMER



Kanon Bozak, the year-old son of the Leafs alternate captain and partner Molly Robinson, has appeared at a couple of games this season.



“He usually comes for just warmups,” Tyler said. “He doesn’t make it much longer than the first period. He loves to get close to the glass and hear the sounds.”



INSIDE, OUTSIDE



The Leafs and Wings once more will be part of a joint effort between the league and U.S. network EPIX to document the coming Centennial game.



The new series debuts Dec. 16 with four weekly episodes on the contest as well as the Chicago-St. Louis outdoor match for the Bridgestone Winter Classic at Busch Stadium. Audiences will get a personal look at how the athletes and coaches prepare on and off the ice.