LAS VEGAS — Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner played a lot of minutes in the Toronto Maple Leafs' 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks. Matthews logged a season-high 25:55 and Marner a season-high 27:29.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube spoke on trying to dial those players down while also confirming that Steve Lorentz will return after missing two games with a head/neck injury. Defenseman Chris Tanev will miss Wednesday's game but a return on Saturday against Colorado is a possibility. 

On overplaying Matthews and Marner

I talked the other day about it, overused them in that game. You know, circumstances, you know, with power plays and everything that went on over time. But, no, it's obviously, it's a concern for sure. But, you know, they're used to playing lots of minutes. They got good motors, so, you know, they had good energy today.

How close is Chris Tanev?

He's close, yeah. He's not going to play tonight. But he's getting better and he's getting closer.

Possibly in Colorado, though?

Possibly.

Steven Lorentz told us he's ready to go. What, I guess, intrigues you about the potential that he can have there now with (Calle) Jarnkrok and (David) Kampf and how those guys can work together?

Yeah, no, for sure. You know, I think that's a good line that, you know, you can trust and put out in all situations. You know, starting them in their own zone. And that's a good line to forecheck and hunt and just make it difficult for the other team. But I think with Jarny there, there's more opportunity to score.

The consistency of your team is, you know, top of the division. How much have your guys earned a boost at the trade deadline, do you think?

Earned a boost? *Smiles*

Yeah.

We're all looking to better our team if we can. That's the best way I put it.

How does Pontus Holmberg manage to draw some penalties?

I think because he's so strong on the puck. And, you know, he really does a good job of holding people off. And, you know, eventually, like, it gets difficult for the defenders. And he ends up drawing penalties off that. But he does a great job of hanging on the pucks and holding people off in the offensive zone. Even in a neutral zone. You know, wherever he is, he does a real good job of that. And I truly believe that's a reason he draws any penalties. He doesn't give the puck up easily.

How impressed are you with the way the team is playing, despite how difficult the schedule is right now?

We've been happy. There's always things that we want to work on and get better. Like the other night in the third period at home against San Jose, we've got to do a better job of shutting that game down. We didn't do a good enough job. And they tied it up. We got a point, which is a big point. But I think the team has battled extremely hard through injuries, schedule, all that stuff. And we've got to keep going.

What's the biggest challenge the Golden Knights pose tonight?

Very good team, like, offensively. Off the rush, they're strong. They hang on to pucks. They defend well. They've got big D. It's a big team. So, I mean, you're not going to get a lot of room out there. So, you know, you've got to get your opportunities. You've got to capitalize on them. But at the same time, you know, our biggest job, in my opinion, tonight is defending the Golden Knights. Like I said, they're a dynamic team off the rush. They've got a lot of guys that make plays. So, we've got to do a good job off the rush here tonight. We've got to do a real good job in our zone of being hard around our net. You know, winger's doing a good job in their D. Their D shoot a lot of pucks. They're good at getting them through. So, those are the biggest challenges tonight.

What was your sense of Woll? Joseph Woll in his last start, did you sense there was any kind of carryover from the illness or the afternoon start? He didn't quite look like himself.

It's a good question. He didn't look like himself. And he knew that. And I think there's just times you have those games throughout the season. And I think it was just one of those games, to be honest with you.

What have you learned about his ability to kind of bounce back?

He's done a great job of bouncing back for us this year. Both co-leys, you know, in my opinion. And our team. Kind of all works together, in my opinion.