Mike Babcock addressed the media after his team’s 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 4 of the best-of-seven quarterfinal series.
On the disappointing result:
I didn’t think we had everyone going. They scored the first shift. I thought we took over and had the game well in control. Even when we were down 2-1, I thought we were in a great spot because we had the puck a lot and were playing good. In the end, though, we made the two [costly] plays. We had a breakaway and the 2-on-1. We got nothing out of it. Both of their 2-on-1s — one on a pinch and one when we hit the guy in the kneepad — they buried and we didn’t make good plays on them to help our goalie out. In the end, that’s the game.
When Bergeron didn’t play tonight, you’re set up pretty good. You’ve got to find a way to win. You’re in our building. You’ve got to win.
On Auston Matthews being a bit of a non-factor in three of four games:
I think the great thing about playoff time and being a young guy is that you get lots of lessons. No one is more aware of this than he is, I can tell you that right now. I’m assuming he thought he was going to come tonight and dominate the game. That’s what I thought. Same with Willy. That didn’t happen. But the other people you are playing against are pros and they’re trying, too. And they’re competitive.
There is regular-season competitiveness, and then there’s round-one competitiveness, and it keeps ramping up the whole way through. In order to find that one, we’ve got to play that better than we are right now, if we’re ever going to find that out. But, in reality, when you leave here tonight as an individual, as a coach, as a player, you’ve got time to evaluate yourself. Most guys are pretty honest.
On whether Marner is the only one going of the Leafs‘ “big time” forwards:
I don’t know who you call big-time forwards, but Patty Marleau is playing. Plek played tonight. I thought our fourth line dominated the game. They had the most chances. I thought they were really good. Yet down the stretch, you go away from it a little bit because you’ve had your other guys all year. Those were our two best lines tonight.
On William Nylander’s game:
Not enough happened. I’ll look at the tape and go through it all, and then I’ll discuss with our guys. We’re in a simple situation. If you win, you get to play again. If you don’t win, you don’t get to play again. To me, that’s worth digging in for. I think we can go into Boston and win a game. I really believe that. We’re going to need a game out of our goaltender and we’re going to need all hands on deck to have success.
On how the team adjusted before the game after finding out that Patrice Bergeron was out:
It was perfect. We just put the lineup up. We looked at the power play and penalty kills because Nash had been out already. We knew and put them up, gave the matchups. We’re set up pretty good, for us. We didn’t take advantage of it. That’s on us.
