Ahead of Tuesday’s game against Ottawa, head coach Craig Berube discussed Auston Matthews staying off the ice for the time being, Nick Robertson’s scoring slump, Connor Dewar’s return to the lineup, and the challenge against the Senators.
Has there been a setback with Auston Matthews not skating for the past couple of days?
Berube: Not really. It is just not getting to where it needs to get to. We are trying to manage it and make sure that when he comes back, he is good and 100%.
With Connor Dewar returning after a long stretch out of the lineup, what are you looking for from him tonight?
Berube: Simplify, right? He went down and played, but it has been a while. He has been practicing with us, so he is familiar with everything. But there is timing and NHL speed in a game.
Just simplify and play your game. He is an energy guy who is physical grinding it out and checking. It is the first game back, and it has been a long time for him, so it’s about getting up to speed. It is a fast game out there. He has to make sure he is simplifying and playing smart.
How do you feel Nick Robertson is handling the puck not going in the net for him?
Berube: He doesn’t seem too frustrated. He just keeps working, which is good. He is an engine, right? He has a good motor, and he has to keep working and grinding. Once maybe one or two go in, it’ll happen more often.
He needs a little bit more puck luck and maybe to get to the inside more around the net for some rebound chances. He has done that to a certain extent — I have seen some of the chances around the net, and they are just not going in — but he just has to keep working. He can’t take his foot off the gas. He has to keep pushing.
How has Anthony Stolarz’s play impacted the confidence of the team?
Berube: Both goalies… Last game, Woll played well, especially in the third period when he had some action early on. He kept it to 4-1. Our goalies have been playing really well. That helps your team, and your team feeds off of it for sure.
What did getting to 1,000 games as a player mean to you?
Berube: Yeah, I got scratched.
It is a great accomplishment. Anyone who can play 1,000 games in the league is doing a lot of things right. You are a good pro.
There are a lot of things that can go wrong in your career, including injuries and so on, but guys who get to 1,000 games are doing a lot of things right. They are grinding. They are doing what they need to do in the offseason to stay fit and keep going.
It is a great accomplishment. It really is.
What stands out to you about the Battle of Ontario rivalry?
Berube: It is always a battle with Ottawa. I am not that familiar with it, but I think, more than anything, it is going to be a hard game at both nets tonight. They go to the net really well. They have some physical players up front who are good-sized guys.
We have to be strong at our net front tonight. At the other end of things, we have to do a good job of getting to the net and looking for some rebound goals around the net. It is going to be a tough blue paint tonight at both ends.
The last game between the two teams ended emotionally, with Morgan Rielly going after Ridley Greig after the slapshot into the empty net. In your experience, what does a moment like that do for a rivalry?
Berube: At the time, your emotions play into the game with that sort of thing happening. That stuff has been around forever. It is part of the game. You act out, and it gets heated.
That is in the past. We have to focus on the game, be hard between the whistles tonight, and be really disciplined. Their power play is very good right now. We don’t want to take unnecessary retaliatory penalties and go to the penalty box tonight.
It is important that we play hard between the whistles and are disciplined.
What gives you cause for concern with this Ottawa offense?
Berube: They have a lot of firepower. They have a lot of good players. They are maturing as it goes along and are getting better and better. You have Sanderson and Chabot on the backend, who are highly skilled defensemen who can really skate and get up the ice. Up front, we know the guys they have.
We can’t give them freebies tonight. We have to make them work for everything. We have to make them earn everything they get. We can’t be giving up odd-man rushes against these guys.
We have to check extremely well tonight against this team. That is what it boils down to for me.
You said, “Go Argos,” the other day. Are you an Argos guy?
Berube: I am now!
I have followed the CFL since I was growing up. I watched the CFL as a young kid. I would go out and screw around outside with a football. As you grow older, you start watching the NFL, but I still have some good interest in it.
I wish them all the best.
