Craig Berube addressed the media after the Maple Leafs’ 6-5 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks, which dropped the team’s record to 43-25-4.
On whether he’s encouraged by the late comeback or disappointed in the situation the team put itself in:
It is both. We did a great job at the end of the game to get a point. We had a lot of good looks that didn’t go in in OT.
We didn’t play well in the first period. They were all over us, I thought. They outskated us in the first. They looked quicker than us.
On why the team couldn’t match San Jose’s pace early:
They are a quick team, but maybe it was the travel yesterday… We just weren’t on our toes. We got better as the game went along.
We made some mistakes. We all have to be better, goalie included. It is just not good enough.
On the 6-on-5 and power-play goals:
[6-on-5] has been better and better as it has gone along. It just hasn’t gone in. Tonight, it did, which is encouraging.
The power play was good again. I didn’t like the shorthanded goal. We had guys back. That shouldn’t happen. It is another mistake that led to the loss of the hockey game.
On whether he will talk to Joseph Woll after the tough puckhandling mistake for a goal against, or leave it be:
We will talk to him. The goalie coach will talk to him. As I said, he is part of it all. We have to be better than that.
Auston Matthews: “I didn’t love our game tonight… We just seemed slow.”
Matthews: I didn’t love our game tonight. We just seemed slow. We didn’t seem to take care of the puck much. We were just kind of messing around with it too much. They are a young, skilled, hungry team despite where they are at in the standings. They are playing hard every night.
Also, the special teams penalty trouble we got into — especially in the middle of the game — is just stuff that is controllable by us. It needs to be better.
Scott Laughton on his first goal as a Leaf: “It would’ve been a lot nicer to get a win and not score.”
Laughton: It was nice for my own confidence. Nice to get one, for sure, but it would’ve been a lot nicer to get a win and not score.
I know my role on his team, and obviously, contributing is nice, but I know what to bring on a daily basis. I am starting to feel more comfortable. I am starting to play a little bit better. It is good for myself, but you want to get those two points.
LAUGHTON FIRST AS A LEAF vs Sharks courtesy of @Bonsie1951 and @Jim_Ralph pic.twitter.com/JOScd9vAIb
— Maple Leafs Hotstove (@LeafsNews) March 28, 2025
