Craig Berube, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach
Craig Berube, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach

Ahead of Game 2, head coach Craig Berube discussed Anthony Stolarz’s status, Matt Murray stepping into the backup role, and the areas for improvement on the power play.

Morning Skate Lines – May 7

How is Anthony Stolarz doing? Is there a timeline?

Berube: He is recovering, so he is doing well. Matt Murray is the backup. I don’t have a (timeline). He is doing okay.

Is it possible Stolarz could return to this series?

Berube: Anything is possible. I don’t have an answer for that right now.

Why did you go with Matt Murray as the backup over Dennis Hildeby?

Berube: Experience, more than anything. He has been there and done it. In the room and being around, he has been through it, he’s done it, and he has won.

What sort of adjustment are the defensemen facing tonight with the switch in goaltenders?

Berube: It is different, obviously, with each goalie, but I don’t think there are a lot of adjustments that need to be made. With a goalie playing the puck, there are certain things we will do a little differently with Woll in there instead of Stolarz.

When William Nylander is at the top of his game, as he was in Game 1, what do you notice about his game?

Berube: He is attacking and shooting the puck. That is his game. In the last couple of games, when I see him with the speed and attacking with speed, he is dangerous. The shot is dangerous. We all know that. It is the speed and the pace he is attacking with, for me.

Do you notice anything similar between Matthew Knies and Nylander in how they approach big games?

Berube: They are different players. They do it differently. They both have good hands in tight; even on Willy’s second goal, he got the rebound, but it was bobbling a little bit. He can settle it down and elevate the puck, just like Knies elevated his goal. The similarities would be the hands in tight and being able to elevate the puck in tight.

What do you take from giving up a couple of goals in the third period the other night? There were strange circumstances with the Stolarz injury and Florida making the push at the same time.

Berube: We have to do a better job up ice. We let them come up the ice too easily. With our adjustments, we have to be more aggressive, get up there, and close gaps off.

Listen, that is their game. We are going to face it again tonight. We have to be ready for it.

What adjustments can the power play make to be a little more effective in Game 2 against a tough penalty kill?

Berube: With how aggressive their PK is, they do a really good job of it, but there were a lot of areas where we had opportunities off of quick strikes. We just didn’t execute them. We have to execute better on those plays, in my opinion, whether we didn’t get the shot off quick enough, just missed the play a little bit, or it just got tipped.

When you have an aggressive PK like that, quick puck movement and shots to the net — getting them through — are important. For me, it is off the broken plays. When they are pressing with three, we have to make those quick-strike plays. We had opportunities, and we didn’t execute on them.

What did you see from Scott Laughton’s line in Game 1? What are you looking for from them in Game 2?

Berube: More of a grind game from them. I didn’t see enough of that in Game 1. It was one-and-done in the offensive zone. When they are an effective line, for me, they are a hounding line. They are on teams. They don’t let them exit the zone easily. They grind them down, wear them down a little bit, and get line changes. They get fresh people out there. I need to see more of that out of them tonight.

How does Aaron Ekblad’s return change the matchup?

Berube: He is are really good player, obviously. He sees all areas of the game for them. It is a big get for them, getting him back in the lineup.

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