Frederik Andersen drew from the angst many weekend hackers experience on the first tee to explain the early-season struggles that now appear behind the Toronto Maple Leafs netminder.

"When you play golf and you want to hit a long bomb down the fairway, you grip and swing out of your shoes," Andersen said Friday, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

"Not all the time it goes down the middle."

Except instead of a retiree in a motorized golf cart critiquing a slice, it was the stresses of one of the densest hockey media markets, and the legion of long-suffering supporters with hardened skepticism.

"You want to prove yourself right away," Andersen explained. "Sometimes that's added pressure you don't want to put on yourself. It doesn’t help you out too much."

Since his woeful start, Andersen's provided indication he can fulfill the duties of the No. 1 starter - something he hasn't had a chance to prove in three previous seasons. Facing an average of 34 shots per game over the last month, Andersen's denied rubber at a .931 clip - and allowed two or fewer goals in two-thirds of his appearances.

"I feel pretty much at home now," he said. "I feel really good with the guys, I'm starting to have a little bit more fun, (and feeling) a little bit more loose. It's one of those things where you can't just jump right into it; you've got to just let it happen and build it up."

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