TORONTO - As dilemmas go, this was both unusual and enviable for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Most of the players spent the maximum amount of time possible on the ice for their outdoor practice at Exhibition Stadium on Saturday ahead of the 2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic against the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday (3 p.m. ET; NBC, TVAS, SN).
Waiting for them in their stadium dressing room was a room full of Maple Leafs alumni, who are using the same space for the 2017 Rogers NHL Centennial Classic Alumni Game on Saturday.
Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Reilly said there was nothing else to do but to take it all in. All of it.
"Absolutely, no question about it," Reilly said. "I was on the ice until they kicked us off.
"I think when you get opportunities like this, you make the most of everything, whether it's being on the ice as long as you can or whether it's talking to the veterans, the guys that were here before you."
In addition to the special atmosphere of the Centennial Classic, the Maple Leafs are on their best run of the season, having won four games in a row.
"I like that we're winning," coach Mike Babcock said. "Winning's a fine line and I'm not sure there's that much difference between what we were going through just before we started winning here and what we've done (before)."
Toronto has improved to 16-12-7 and with 39 points is three behind the third-place Boston Bruins in the Atlantic Division entering Saturday.
"Our team's playing better without the puck and we still manage to do some silly things with it," Babcock said. "And we've taken way too many penalties in our last five games and we have to clean that up.
"We had a real good day yesterday, a special day here today and now it's time to get ready to play."
Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen said his team has been getting timely goals and better defense during its streak.
"Everyone's been willing to pay the price to be in shooting lanes and clear the front of our net," Andersen, 15-8-6, said. "And we've trusted each other and that plays a big role and you feel more comfortable with each other, to rely on the other guy to do the job and you can just focus on doing your job. Everything else will be taken care of."
Andersen said that Saturday - practicing outdoors for more than an hour and then mingling with alumni -- was a day like few others.
"You enjoy it, especially like this," he said. "I don't remember the last time I sat in my gear this long, just chatting and enjoying the people having fun. Everyone's seems to be in a good mood, all the guys, current and former players. Everyone's having a great time.
"It's one of those special things. When I was in Anaheim and we had the outdoor game, you had the feeling, wondering, 'Would it be overkill if we do it this many times?' But once you've tried it, it's like, wow, it's such a good experience that you wish every player in the League could have this multiple times. It's definitely special when we do this."
Babcock said the entire experience was important for the Maple Leafs.
"It's an unbelievable opportunity for our franchise," he said. "We have a lot of great players that have gone before these guys and we're hoping to restore our franchise to its rightful place and we're working on that and you get to rub elbows with these guys, and you see the pride they have in the uniform and being a Leaf and how important it was to them, I think it's a great message."
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