Sheldon Keefe addressed the media after the Maple Leafs’ 5-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators which dropped the team’s record to 26-16-8.
On how he’ll react to the loss:
We’ll take a day off tomorrow and get ready for the next one.
On where the game got away from the team:
I thought we gave up too much in transition. That is what they do very well — probably better than anybody in the NHL. We fed into that.
We were two minutes away from a pretty clean first period on the road. There was just a completely egregious play at the end of the first period that led to their first goal. That was our best people.
In the last two minutes of the first period, I thought our best people let us down there. It changes the momentum of the game. Ultimately, it ends up being a one-goal difference.
I would like that moment back, but there were others inside of it. At the same time, we missed a ton of chances that we could’ve probably scored more than we did tonight. We didn’t. We lose the game.
On Morgan Rielly’s cross-check after Ridly Greig’s empty-net slapshot:
I thought it was appropriate.
RIELLY TAKES EXCEPTION AFTER EMPTY NET GOAL courtesy of Joe Bowen and Jim Ralph. #LeafsForever @Bonsie1951 @Jim_Ralph
2/10/2024 pic.twitter.com/jY6ZRr0ht7
— Maple Leafs Hotstove (@LeafsNews) February 11, 2024
On the level of concern about potential supplemental discipline for Rielly:
I am sure they will look at it, yeah.
On whether the play at the end of the first period led to frustrations boiling over for Rielly:
No, I think he was reacting to a play. Their player has the right to do what he wants at that moment. Our players have the right to react. It is the emotions of the game. That is the way it goes.
On why it was an appropriate reaction from Rielly:
It is pretty apparent.
On the hands-off officiating in the game:
I hate that we get a tripping penalty with six minutes left in a close game, and we don’t get any power plays. That is a tough one. I thought the refs let a lot go both ways.
