Craig Berube addressed the media after the Maple Leafs’ 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators, which dropped the team’s record to 39-24-3.
On the team’s performance and where it fell short:
I would use the word urgency. There was some detail stuff. Their three goals were all about losing battles inside the blue line. We didn’t win enough battles there in that area of the game. It is urgency, for me, and details that weren’t there in the first two periods.
When we decided to have urgency and do things the right way, we were a way better team in the third, but you are behind. Sometimes, you don’t come back. We had chances, but that is what happens.
On the concern level about the lack of urgency earlier in the game:
I am concerned, for sure. It is an attitude that we have to have from the start of the game.
It is hockey, right? There are certain stretches you go through where it is not there. You just keep battling as a coach. You have to hold your players accountable to it, and they have to hold themselves accountable to it. They need to make their mind up in the room as to the importance of the start of the game and 60 minutes of urgency, details, doing things right, and playing our game.
I didn’t find that we wanted to play our game early enough in this game. We wanted to bring pucks back, play slow, and try to go through them. We had some chances off the rush — I get all that — but you don’t build your game.
In the third period, we played more north, won more battles, showed more urgency, and it was a different period. It is about us getting together and putting 60 minutes together of that.
On his belief in the leadership group to get the team back on track:
I 100% believe that. These guys want to win. Trust me on that. They want to win, and there is a sense of frustration for sure.
We have to look past that. We can’t complain about or get undisciplined because teams are checking us hard. That is what you have to get through: they checked hard tonight. Florida checked hard. Teams are going to check hard. Every game we play, they are going to check hard. You have to fight through the check.
We checked well tonight, too, and didn’t give up a ton — 24 shots. There are always things you can clean up, but we can do a lot more with the puck. We can make it a lot harder on other teams with the puck, and we are not right now. We didn’t shoot in the first two periods. It is all of those little things.
On Scott Laughton’s status after leaving the game:
He got a stick in the eye. He is fine, though. He had to get some stitches.
On Auston Matthews’ comments that everyone is battling through something at this time of the year:
This time of year, there are always guys playing hurt or banged up. He is no different. He will fight through it. He doesn’t want any sympathy. He will fight through it.
