The Toronto Maple Leafs core players may be feeling a bit of pressure after the Ottawa Senators kept the entire club off the scoresheet in a 4-0 win in Game 5 of their best-of-seven series. 

Up 3-0 in the series, the Sens have all the momentum after winning two straight games and forced a Game 6 at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday. And while Maple Leafs stars Auston Matthews, John Tavares, William Nylander and Mitch Marner collectively fell to 1-13 in series close-out games, head coach Craig Berube was having none of that during his media availability with reporters on Wednesday.

"I get it. It's all I hear around here is core, core, core. The core four. But it's on everybody on the team," Berube said. "We're a team and you it's on the whole team not just four guys."

‘We’ve Got To Be More Direct’: Maple Leafs’ Power Play Stalls, Surrender Another Short-Handed Goal As Special Teams Struggle In Game 5 Loss The Toronto Maple Leafs’ special teams were a struggle in their Game 5 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night. 

The Maple Leafs did not skate on Wednesday before heading off to Ottawa and Berube did not reveal any changes the club would make or what adjustments his club will make.

The Leafs have given up a shorthanded goal in two consecutive games, but Berube seemed to pour cold water on having a defenseman replace one of the forwards on the five-forward power play by focusing on just the mistakes that were made.

'I Don't Think There's Any Panic': "Maple Leafs Miss Another Series-Closing Opportunity in Frightening Déjà Vu' It was that familiar feeling of tension that Toronto Maple Leafs fans at Scotiabank Arena have felt before. The crowd went silent when Dylan Cozens finished off a 2-on-1 opportunity to give the Ottawa Senators a 2-0 lead midway through the third period in Game 5. Reality set in, when Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk scored empty-net goals to defeat Toronto 4-0 and force a Game 6 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Thursday.

"I think we just got to do a better job in those situations," Berube said.  "Now, it'll be discussed and we'll look at things and see what we want to do."

Although Berube focused on the collective effort of the team, he did have a message for star players like Matthews and Marner, who he'd like to see contribute on the scoresheet.

'It's Hard For Him': Why David Kampf Hasn't Been Able To Get Into Any Maple Leafs Playoff Games Against Senators Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube was so impressed with the way his team finished the regular season that he kept his lineup mostly intact. Unfortunately, for David Kampf, it's kept the defensive forward on the sidelines and he will miss his fifth consecutive playoff game as a healthy scratch.

"Stay with it. There's things that we can do better offensively that we need to look at and go and do them. I think they defended well and we did a lot of good things in the game, but there's more there. That's my job to try to get them out of it and their job. We'll discuss it as a team and go over things, and we'll be hopefully better."

Marner leads the Leafs in postseason points with seven (one goal and six assists). Matthews and Nylander each have six points. Berube said he's aware of the team's past but doesn't use it in his coaching methods.

Why The Maple Leafs' Confidence In Anthony Stolarz Hasn't Faltered After Back-To-Back Losses To Senators As Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot fired <a href="https://x.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1917372803541786996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1917372803541786996%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&amp;ref_url=">a shot from the point</a> in the second period of Game 5, Anthony Stolarz did his best to track the puck. But he couldn't see anything until it was too late.

"My job is to try to get the best out of every player and the team the best of my ability," Berube said.  "Yhat's what I try to do daily, whether it's now, game 30, game 10. We're up 3-2 still in the series. And we went in there and won a game already. So we're capable of doing it. And I have a lot of belief in this team.

Game 6 is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET from Canadian Tire Centre.

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