TORONTO - Stephane Robidas remembers what it was like to be a healthy scratch more than 20 times early in his NHL career.You cant take anything for granted, the veteran defenceman said. Theres always people that are coming in and they want to steal your job, they want your spot, they want to be in the lineup.Early in the season for Toronto Maple Leafs, Stuart Percy has been that job-stealer. The first defenceman in franchise history to put up a point in each of his first three games in the league, Percy has at least temporarily taken Jake Gardiners spot in the lineup.Its just how it goes, said Gardiner, who was a healthy scratch for a second straight game Tuesday night against the Colorado Avalanche. Its a business. If someones playing really well or youre not playing your game, youre not going to play.In the process, Percy has given the coaching staff a good problem to have with seven defencemen vying for six spots. In his fourth career game, the 21-year-old was second on the Leafs in ice time with a steady 23:34.Weve said right from the beginning that were going to create competition for positions, coach Randy Carlyle said. If they compete for the position and they earn it, its a novel concept.Percy was a first-round pick in 2011, so his growth into an NHL player shouldnt be a surprise. But he entered training camp staring at three veteran left-handed defencemen firmly ahead of him and Henrik Tallinder with the Leafs on a tryout as the favourite to make it as the No. 7.A shoulder injury to Tallinder and a knee injury to righty Cody Franson opened the gate for Percy to show what he could do. So far, so good.The poise that he has with the puck, the decision-making, he always seems to make that good decision, hold onto the puck when its time, move when its time, Robidas said. Hes very reliable defensively, very good stick, always in good position. Hes been very effective on the power play, as well, and played against some really good players.Carlyle praised Percy for reading where the forecheck is coming from, exiting the zone with one pass and making the right pass in all zones on a consistent basis.Percy, a native of nearby Oakville, Ont., said he takes pride in playing a 200-foot game. His offensive skills were never a question, according to Carlyle, just Percys ability to adapt to this level after one full season in the American Hockey League.Percy showed a flash of being ready in Torontos season opener, when he assisted on a Tyler Bozak power-play goal with a perfect setup from below the goal-line.Maybe I didnt expect (to adapt this quickly), but I definitely strived for it, Percy said. Im just playing my usual game. Its how Ive played most of my career. Just sticking to it, keep things simple, be assertive out there and always have your head moving.Carlyle, who enjoyed a 17-year career as a defenceman, knows that the position comes with a steep learning curve. Playing more games with less practice time and at a quicker pace can go against young players, he said.With that in mind, Percy is taking to heart some advice he got from another former NHL defenceman, Steve Staios, whos now in player development for the Leafs.For me just to keep my foot on the gas and dont let up, Percy said. Just to keep playing hard and practising hard every day and working as hard as I can to stay here every day.Percys ability to stick beyond a game or two came at the expense of Gardiner, who hasnt played since Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Well removed from his shuttling back and forth between the Leafs and AHLs Toronto Marlies, Gardiner signed a US$20.25-million, five-year contract in the off-season, but that didnt keep him from sitting in the press box two games in a row.This happens, Gardiner said Tuesday morning. Its happened to me a few times before and it happens to everybody. You cant play great all the time. Just rebound the next time I get an opportunity.Gardiner said he has watched a couple of video clips and believes he has to tighten some things up defensively.Carlyle said Gardiner simply needs to play better.We feel that we have a quality hockey player that can play to a higher level, and he agrees with that, Carlyle said.Meanwhile, Percy is playing at perhaps as high a level as can be expected for someone with three games of NHL experience. But with what Carlyle called a comfort zone as far as on-ice instincts, Percy has shown evidence he can stick around for some time.We understand theres going to be valleys and theres going to be hiccups along the way, Carlyle said. But I dont think thats any different than any of our other young defencemen.Percy has simply been better than the Leafs other young defencemen, Gardiner and second-year player Morgan Rielly. All three are lefties, and with captain Dion Phaneuf on that side now there isnt room for all of them at once.We have a healthy, I guess, competition to stay in the lineup and thats always good for the team knowing that the teams going to get everybodys best efforts, Percy said.___Follow @SWhyno on Twitter Whitey Herzog Jersey . Second-seeded Sloane Stephens of the United States made lighter work of her day as she beat 2009 champion and Swiss wild card Timea Bacsinszky 6-3, 6-3. 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No problem.Every night of the Stanley Cup playoffs, TSN hockey analyst and former NHL goaltender Jamie McLennan breaks down each goalies performance. Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins (4) – Hes deep and his stick is out of position on the first goal, but he makes up for it with big saves on Stepan and Zuccarello in the first. He had big right pad saves on Girardi and Stepan, Sharp on Hagelin down wall, certainly kept his team in it as they gave up some high quality chances. He gave them a chance to win, but was outduelled by Lundqvist, who was simply outstanding. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers (5) – He put on a show, was locked in the whole night. He made a great blocker save on Crosby, was good in tight on net plays as they crashed all night long. He had big saves on Kunitz and Neal in the second and huge saves on Martin, Neal and Malkin in-crease in the third. He simply stole the show. Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks (5) - Best I have seen him play, he outstanding early on, especially on Granlund and Fontaine.dddddddddddd He had a big save on Fontaine on a breakaway, and fought off the rebound as well and then robs him again in the last five minutes of the second. He really elevated his play, timely saves that gave Chicago a chance to get their skill rolling. Great post play on the Coyle in the third while shorthanded and robbed Neiderreiter with less than six minutes left in regulation. He was also outstanding in OT on Parise and Granlund. He stole the game for the Blackhawks. Ilya Bryzgalov, Minnesota Wild (5) – He had a very good start with big saves on Sharp and Toews early on, then no better save than the breakaway by Sharp, with Toews waiting for the rebound to keep it at 1-1. He had a great save on Kane with 3:20 left in third and a huge save on Hossa in OT; side to side play. He had no chance on the game-winner, it was a bad bounce off the glass. He gave them very good goaltending this series. ' ' '