On an off-day on Sunday, head coach Craig Berube discussed the areas for improvement ahead of Game 5, William Nylander’s impressive Game 4 performance, Matthew Knies’ highlight-reel goal, and the wasted four-minute power play in overtime of Game 4.
You were pretty vocal about wanting to stay out of the penalty box ahead of Game 4. What was your message to Max Domi after his penalty?
Berube: It is not a good penalty. He knows that. His emotions got a little too high there and too involved. It is one of the penalties that he knew he couldn’t take, and our team doesn’t want to take.
What are the areas you are looking to tighten up from Game 4, looking ahead to Game 5?
Berube: There was a lot of good in that game. I thought it was a really good hockey game, to be honest with you, and I thought we played extremely well. But there are always things to improve on.
There were some opportunities where we could’ve finished on the power play. We had a couple of good opportunities. On the four-minute power play, we could’ve generated more off of it and been a little more direct on our PP in that situation.
Overall, it was a good hockey game. I thought we played well. We didn’t come out on top, but we will move on from that, get ready for practice tomorrow, and get ready for Game 5.
What are you seeing from your penalty kill after a couple of Senators’ power play goals in the last two games?
Berube: There are things that we can tighten up a little bit on our PK. We have to get some more pressure on them. They are moving the puck around too easily. There are certain situations where I think we can pressure more and get clears. Our forecheck up ice could be a little tighter, too.
What do you see as the potential advantage or disadvantage of two days off?
Berube: I don’t mind the two days’ rest for our guys. It is good for some of our players. Some of the guys logged quite a few minutes last night. The minutes have been good in most games, but with the overtime and the special teams, some guys logged quite heavy minutes. The rest will be good for them.
You must’ve known about William Nylander before you arrived in Toronto, but you learn about him in a lot of different ways when coaching him. He was the second-leading NHL goal scorer this season. What have you learned about him from watching him up close, and what type of relationship do you have?
Berube: Willy and I have a great relationship. It is very open. He comes to me when he is concerned about things or something is bothering him, which is great. We’re open to conversations. That is really healthy. It’s good for me, and it is good for him.
Willy is a competitor. He loves to score goals — we know that — but when you look at the game last night, as the game ramped up, he ramped up. He was highly competitive in the game and did a lot of great things. I know he made a couple of great plays on the goals, but the puck battles and second and third efforts he showed were exceptional.
Throughout the regular season and playoffs, the team has shown an ability to bounce back during games and from game to game. What have you learned about your team’s ability to bounce back, and what do you hope to see in Game 5?
Berube: They have done a great job of that throughout the season, for sure. There are ups and downs throughout the season, but our guys have responded well. The leadership has really grown here. That’s the key: our leaders leading the way.
I expect the same in Game 5. We played a really good hockey game and didn’t come out on top, but I think our guys will be ready to go and will be highly competitive for Game 5. The leadership has been very good, and that is the key. I don’t expect anything different.
What was your perspective on Matthew Knies’ breakaway goal? Did you think he had that left in him at the end of a shift?
Berube: That is a lot of effort. He pulled away. He is a powerful guy. What really impressed me: It looked like he got in real tight on the goalie, but just pulling that puck back and getting it upstairs was a high-end goal by him.
He keeps impressing me, along with everyone else in the organization. He is a very competitive player with a ton of talent, but it is his effort that drives him, in my opinion. That is an effort play all day long — not quitting, beating his D up the ice, outskating him, outmuscling him, and the skill to do what he did to score the goal.
In the four-minute power play for the Leafs in OT of Game 4, you didn’t have John Tavares, so you went with Morgan Rielly. Was it a decision in the moment, given what you had available? At times, you have turned to Bobby McMann there.
Berube: Well, we put Matthews in that area where JT would’ve been, and we put Nylander and Marner on the flanks. In my opinion, Mo has had a great series and has done some really good things offensively. It is an easy decision for me. Matthews had two good looks in the slot, which is what we were looking for. It didn’t work out.
We could’ve been a little more direct on that power play. I thought we could’ve shot a few more pucks and put shots into the net area more to create some chaos there. We’ll be better.
The Toronto Marlies‘ season is now over. Will the Leafs bring a few of their players up to skate with the team?
Berube: Brad and I will discuss that. We will get together, go over that, and figure out what we will do there.
