Craig Berube addressed the media after the Maple Leafs’ 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators, which improved the team’s record to 16-7-2.
On the team’s performance:
That is a good team over there. I know the record doesn’t show it, but that is a good team. I knew it was going to be a tight game.
I thought our guys stuck with it, didn’t open it up, and played good defense. In the third period, we started to attack a little bit more. The power play got us a big goal.
On whether he takes any credit after re-uniting Matthews-Marner worked so well:
I don’t take credit. Late in the second period, there wasn’t much going on. I thought I would move a couple of guys around and see if I could get something going. I think it was five minutes to go in the second when I moved them, and then I just stuck with it in the third.
They got a couple of opportunities and capitalized on them.
On the chemistry between Matthews and Marner:
They have played together for a long time, right? If you play together that much over the years, you just know where each other is. It is important.
It is an important part of the game. Chemistry is big.
On the team’s ability to stay patient after a scoreless first 40 minutes:
It is a big part of it. I thought we defended well in the game. That is a very important part of our identity: playing good defense and defending. You have to be patient. You can’t force things. I thought we didn’t do that. We did a really good job of that.
In the third, we got a little bit more mojo going, attacked a little bit more, and created some more opportunities. It worked out.
On Auston Matthews’ two-goal performance:
I thought tonight was his best game (since returning from injury). I know he scored, but to me, he had his legs more tonight. He skated better and had his legs. He capitalized on his opportunities, which is important — it is what he does. Overall, it is coming. It’s coming.
On moving Fraser Minten onto John Tavares’ wing:
I thought he had some chances around the net and shot pucks. I liked his positioning. I put him on the wing when I switched those lines up. He was solid for me tonight all around. He finished with seven hits and five shots. He was poised out there. He doesn’t panic. He is always in the right spot.
On whether he ever thought the team would be second in the league in preventing goals against 25 games into the season:
It is a good question because you don’t know. We worked on it from camp. Our goaltending has been great, which is a big part of it. Our defense has been solid. Our defensemen have done a great job of defending, blocking shots, and being hard around our net.
Our guys are really buying into that system and protecting the middle of the ice. We give up shots and stuff like that, and our goalies have come up big when we need them to, but we protect the middle of the ice as best as we can, and we try not to give odd-man rushes up. I think we have done a great job of that. Odd-man rushes go in the net.
They have done a great job. That is everybody — goalies, D, forwards. At the end of the game, it is a great block by JT. It’s things like that. We all know what Tanev does, as well as all of our D, blocking shots and getting in the shooting lanes.
When you are committed to those things, your goals against will be down.
On Mitch Marner making the Team Canada 4 Nations roster:
I am happy for all of the guys who are getting the opportunity to play for their country. As I have talked about before, it is a great honor and a thrill for those guys. Very happy for all of our guys to get the opportunity.
