Sheldon Keefe addressed the media after the Maple Leafs’ 7-3 win over the New York Rangers which improved the team’s record to 15-6-4.
On the team’s performance and ability to overcome a tired situation:
For a lot of the game, I thought we looked like a tired team, quite honestly, but we did what we needed to do in terms of building the lead.
Often, when you play in these back-to-backs, it is tougher as the game goes on. I think there is somewhat of an advantage earlier in the game because you just played the night before. We had a hard-fought game last night, so you want to kind of ride that while the other team is sort of feeling their way through the game. That is what you hope happens.
We built a nice lead in the first period. Our guys did a good job of executing and taking advantage of their chances. Same thing in the third period, allowing us to pull away starting with a huge power-play goal.
On the message after the Rangers scored two quick goals in the second period:
First, acknowledge that you are still up a goal on the road against a good team. You have a really good chance to win the game. That is the first thing.
We just had some things to clean up that were working against us defensively, which we talked about. I thought we did a really good job of adjusting to that in the third.
Let’s dig in here. We have a great opportunity to leave with this as a great trip. We needed to dig in and get 20 good minutes. I thought we got saves when we needed to. We defended when we needed to in the third. When we had our chances, we made good on them, similar to the first period.
On the team’s big response to start the third period:
It felt like we were a tired team for a lot of the night. I didn’t think we had our legs, but we were just encouraging and pushing our guys to dig in, move their feet, close, and pressure the puck. I felt it could come back to us. If we weren’t going to get our chances from that, at the very least, we were going to pin them down and keep them far away from our end.
Through that, we drew some opportunities. We had some chances at the end. We drew a penalty, which really changed the game with our ability to score as quickly as we did on the power play.
Striking in transition or off of their mistakes was another really important piece for us coming into the game. When the opportunities were there, our guys pounced on them.
On Martin Jones’ first start in the NHL since April:
I thought he looked really solid. He looked like an experienced NHL goalie. That is why you go out and sign a guy like that, you know? He steps in here in a tough circumstance against a good team on the road in a back-to-back. It’s his first start with us.
Tough circumstances, but the guys gave him the run support. Even at 4-1, there is still a lot of game to play. You are playing against a team on the other side that averages over four goals per game. You have to expect they are going to have a really strong push. You have to stay with it.
On the importance of making the Rangers’ best players defend:
It is vital. They are a far different team when their top people aren’t on the ice. That is not uncommon for most teams, but there is a great discrepancy with this group.
We needed to manage that line. They had their looks. They had their time with the puck probably more than we would’ve liked. It certainly is a key.
We talked about that, and we talked about winning the special-teams battle or at least drawing even on that. They got their power-play goal, and we wiped that out with a huge power-play goal in the third. We scored a goal on a delayed penalty at 6-on-5 in the first period.
Taking care of that special teams part of it is another really important piece against this team.
On Jake McCabe’s game finding another level since his return from injury:
I think our team has played better since he has come back. That is part of it. Our game is less chaotic than it was when he was in previously. There was time for him to regroup and sort of restart his season.
He has been really good. Whether it is him or the guys we have on the backend who have come in with the injuries that we have, the guys have just stepped up at key times. It has allowed us to get points even when we are not at our best. The guys are finding ways and competing hard.
I thought Bobby McMann came in and gave us really important minutes tonight. We talked about Jones. Guys have been stepping up all the way through. It is not just the McCabes and the guys we rely on with Rielly, Brodie, and the key forwards. We have been getting really good performances throughout the lineup.
On Noah Gregor receiving an opportunity up the lineup in Matthew Knies’ absence (illness):
I just think Gregor has played really well for a long period of time now. You are looking for an opportunity for him. I think Knies has done a really good job in that spot as well. Robertson and Bertuzzi on the left side — these guys have all done a really good job, and we have been healthy. There hasn’t been a lot of opportunity to really elevate.
When we knew Knies was going to be unavailable today, it took me about three seconds to say this was going to be Gregor’s opportunity to play more and play with those guys. He has really earned it.
