Below is Mike Babcock’s media address following the Maple Leafs’ 3-2 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.
A bit frustrating for your team not to come away with two points here tonight?
Mike Babcock: Yeah, for sure. I thought we did lots of really good things. Obviously, we took too many penalties…. Whatever. Took too many penalties, and unfortunately we lost that faceoff. Rielly and Thornton got tied up and he won that battle, so that’s unfortunate. But I thought we did a lot of good things and had a lot of opportunity. We played a pretty solid game.
Did you think you were in a good position before they got that first one?
Babcock: I thought we were in a good position after they got the first one.
What did you see on that goalie interference call?
Babcock: I wouldn’t have challenged it if I thought it was right, right? No sense in me getting into more than that. To me, come on – their guy bumped our guy. Our guy bumped into their goalie. Whatever. I don’t know.
Are there common elements that you’ve seen in games that have gotten away in the third period?
Babcock: We have left points out there. I think part of it is just not continuing to play with your foot on the gas as much. I didn’t think they took it to us big time or anything like that. Tonight, obviously, taking the penalty there hurt us. There was a sort out coming back into our zone – one of their D beat one of our forwards up the ice. I was pleased with our effort tonight. I thought we did lots of good things. I thought we were set up good. I just think the biggest thing with our group – we talked about it before and we have in every other game – is that the best way to play when you have the lead is like the scored is tied and you’re going to get to next one. You’re on your toes and you continue to get after the other team, and you don’t just try to defend and back in and play careful. But I thought we were in a good situation. I thought we had a good game until [the second goal].
What did you think of Hyman’s performance, taking two or three hard blocked shots and coming back to score the goal?
Babcock: He’s a competitive guy. I thought their line was our best line. That line and Naz’s line. The competitive people – they come to the front in the end. We spend a lot of time talking about skill, but one of the most important skills in hockey is competiveness. Those guys come to the forefront.
You gave up 15 or 16 shots on the powerplay tonight. How good was Frederik Andersen on the penalty kill and in general?
Babcock: I thought he was good. Obviously, they’ve got a good powerplay. When you think of it – I don’t know if it’s all powerplays, but there are seven here. You’re supposed to get a couple shots on a powerplay, you know what I mean? But we took too many penalties. That’s the bottom line.
