“Craig Berube didn’t hold back after the Maple Leafs’ defensive collapse, calling out his team’s lack of urgency and mindset following back-to-back turnover-filled losses.”
The Toronto Maple Leafs squandered a two-goal lead and fell to the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 at Scotiabank Arena on Sunday. Toronto’s defensive play came into serious question as the Leafs gave up 21 scoring chances off the rush compared to just four from the Hurricanes.
The Leafs seem to have figured out their power play, going 1-for-3, but the defensive lapses were egregious with Toronto allowing 46 shots on net. Despite many turnovers given up in the middle frame, Toronto was outshot 21-2 in the final 20 minutes. After Logan Stankoven scored the winning goal, the Leafs failed to generate pressure and were late to get to a 6-on-5 situation in a bit of a disjointed mess.
Following the game, Craig Berube was asked about John Tavares’ comments if he felt the team’s play looked a bit immature among other aspects.
"Could be immaturity, not a willingness to make the easy play, turnover after turnover costs us the game tonight. You know, we didn't check anybody tonight. We didn't win any battles tonight. It's two games in a row."
This was a good defensive team last year. How do you break that cycle of mistakes and turnovers? These guys do have good stretches, and then it just rolls over again?
"Well, for me, it's just a mindset. If you want to be a good defensive team, you've got to check, you've got to have good sticks, you've got to be hard, you've got to win battles, and you've got to have good structure. And right now, you know, there's not – it's a mindset for me. We're not – we don't have any of that right now."
How do you change that?
"Well, like I said, I just keep working at it. Like, you know, I mean, I, you know, my job as a coach is to get them back on track. And that's what I'm going to try to do. That's what I've done. And I'm going to keep banging away at it.It's what we can do. You look at video, you talk, you know, we've got to have discussions with players, with the team. And, you know, get back. We're scoring enough goals every game to win games. we're letting in too many goals. So pretty much the season is we don't value the defensive side of the puck enough. And there's a number of things that go into that, but I'm not going to get into all that. Right now, we don't value that."
Dennis Hildeby was busy tonight what did you make of his night?
"He made a lot of saves. I mean, we gave him, what, three breakaways in the second period? Maybe four, I don't know. I lost count. You know, it has nothing to do with a goalie."
Mike Kelly (@MikeKellyNHL) on X
Talked about it on @FanDuelSN pre-game, puck management would be a story. Both teams great at capitalizing on turnovers but difference is what Maple Leafs give up compared to Canes. That was both Carolina goals in the 3rd. Scoring chances off turnovers, 21-4 Carolina in 5-4 win.
On the offensive side, Nylander basically has two games in a row on his stick. On the power play. Do you say anything to – how does he get over just the streak of bad luck like this?
"Well, I don't know. I don't think he has bad luck. I mean, he got two goals tonight. He's been scoring pretty much regularly this year. Those things, they happen. That's just bad breaks at times and things like that.But that doesn't necessarily cost hockey games. Yes, I mean, he could have tied the game up the other night and, you know, he missed this one tonight. But it's all the other stuff that happens before that. That's why we're losing."
What's the disappointment of this happening at home?
"Well, yeah, it's disappointing. I'd say the last five games going into Boston game, we were really trending in the right direction without the puck, doing a good job. You know, now our power play starts to click and we're scoring. Like, we are scoring. We're scoring goals. But now we just went right off the rails the last two games defensively. And it's caused by, you know, puck play for sure. caustic turnovers and just the urgency that's needed to defend."
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