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Post-game reactions from the players after the Maple Leafs’ 4-2 win over the Devils on Wednesday night.


Curtis McElhinney

You haven’t played in a while. What was it like in terms of just getting into the flow of the game and getting into the first goal and getting back to where you knew you could be?

McElhinney: It was tough. I don’t think you ever want to give up the first shot. It was one of those unfortunate things. I think the biggest thing for me at this point is the team has been playing real well. I had confidence in them. They came out and put one in the back of the net on the power play. It is one of those things that always puts you at ease.

Are you seeing consistency in d-zone coverage, in puck support as a five-man group in front of you?

McElhinney: Yeah, it’s starting to get a little bit better. It’s one of those things, especially with the amount of games we have left, we have to pay extra attention to — our d-zone play and especially some neutral zone play and some play at the far blue line, too. They are just important areas of the ice and we’re doing a better job of taking care of them now.

Tough going into a game without Roman and his toughness, leadership and physicality that he brings to a game? How did you think the guys responded here tonight?

McElhinney: They were great. Obviously, there were a couple of changes to the lineup. Anytime you lose a guy like Polak on the backend, it’s tough. I thought Marchy stepped in and did a good job. Everybody else picked up the slack as well.

Exciting to be in a playoff hunt here at this stage of the season and be contributing?

McElhinney: Yeah, it’s amazing. It’s what it is all about. This is the most important hockey. It is a great thing for the organization right now to be in this situation. Every game is important for us.


Brian Boyle

Boyle: You have an opportunity to win when you play every single night. You also have an opportunity to make excuses if you want. At this point in the season, it doesn’t really matter one way or the other. The only thing that matters is getting points. We’ve put ourselves in a pretty good spot. We need to continue to understand that there is some hockey left. There is enough hockey left that we need to make sure we use this little run we are on, or whatever you want to call it, to our advantage and try to keep getting better.

Is there a common theme, in your experience, on successful teams in the playoffs and what you’re kind of seeing here in terms of resiliency?

Boyle: Yeah, defending. In baseball, it’s pitching and defence. Here it is goaltending, defence, defending. I think the compete in here and the skill level – there is plenty of that to go around. Everybody here works. The way we defend – we’re getting better and better.

After that Florida loss down south, you said, “we’ve got to understand that playoff berths are hard to come by.” Have you noticed something click in or change since then?

Boyle: I think we all understand that’s not us. That wasn’t us. We’ve beaten it up. We were embarrassed a little bit as to how we played. And now we have had opportunities to right the ship and we’ve done that. We don’t have a checkmark next to our name yet, though. We haven’t clinched anything. We’ve got a long way to go.


Connor Brown

What have you seen in the club’s consistency since the California trip, as you’ve been able to get this on a role, with balance all the way through?

Brown: Yeah, I think the balance has been a big part of it. Just staying patient, waiting for our chances, and not forcing things. Trying to control and give us the best opportunity to win. It’s been paying off.

A challenging game here tonight, when you consider the emotion that went into the game last night in Columbus. Were there any fears going into it that maybe there would be a let down given how hard the opposition was going to come at you?

Brown: We knew that was going to be a focus point to make sure we get up for this one, coming off a back-to-back with travel. We did a good job of coming out. They got the first one. We stuck with it, though. Playing at home helps.

You seeing signs of the club’s maturation – third period, holding onto leads, and expanding when needed?

Brown: I think we’re playing confident with the lead, which is huge. I think it’s something where we’ve grown from the beginning of the year. We’re making plays when we have it and spending the majority of the period in their end as much as possible.


 Auston Matthews

A couple of assist for you tonight. What has been working so well for you in your game lately?

Matthews: I think all three of us have been working hard. All of us are skating and checking the puck. We’re able to feed off of each other. Willy has obviously been playing lights out lately. Zach is just a day in, day out kind of guy. I think for all three of us our chemistry is starting to grow and we’re just trying to continue to move forward.

Where do you think Willy has elevated his game the most during this 10-game point streak he’s on?

Matthews: I think he’s shooting the puck more. Everyone knows he’s got unbelievable vision and skating, but he’s got a pretty unbelievable release. We saw that on his first goal today and his goal last night. He’s got a pretty quick release.

71 games into the season, a great night by the freshman all told here. I’m not sure if there was a wall hit at any point this season, but have you guys just energized each other this season as the season’s moved on?

Matthews: We’ve got so many of us. I think all of us can feed off each other going through similar things, especially at this part of the season where your body is wearing down and we’re fighting for a spot in the playoffs. I think everybody is in full force right now, making sure each game matters and making sure we’re playing a full 60 minutes.

A new rookie record tonight with Willy breaking one. How much do you appreciate being a part of this rookie class in this room?

Matthews: I think it goes beyond us three. We dress seven or eight, usually, a night. I think everybody contributes whether it’s offensively, defensively or in the faceoff circle. It doesn’t matter. It’s definitely pretty cool to have a group of guys going through the same thing.

Are you seeing a light at the end of the tunnel after a long regular season?

Matthews: I don’t know. I think you just kind of take it day by day and game by game. We’ve had a pretty busy schedule the last couple of months. It’s only going to get harder from here on out.


William Nylander

On his franchiserecordbreaking ten-game points streak:

Nylander: I don’t know what to say. So far it’s been some luck, with the empty netter and an apple in Carolina in OT where I gave it to Morgan and he skated around with it for about 30 seconds and scored himself. I guess you’ve got to have luck to get there, but with the players you play with too, it helps you get there for sure.

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