Babcock: I can't stop looking at standings

It's safe to say Mike Babcock has been doing his fair share of scoreboard watching these days.

Who could blame him? The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing some inspired hockey down the stretch, and, with Thursday's win over the New Jersey Devils, now have a five-point cushion on a playoff spot.

It's certainly a far cry from last season.

"Last year I didn't look at the standings one time and now I look at it every single day," Babcock said postgame. "Obviously, there must be a reason to look at them. We have an opportunity and we just want to keep playing."

Related: Maple Leafs' Komarov: This time last year we were packing our bags

With two straight wins and a fortunate four-game losing streak by the Boston Bruins, the Maple Leafs have now created a three-point gap on their Atlantic rivals and now sit third in the division.

It's an exciting time in Leaf Land.