Craig Berube addressed the media after his team’s 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, which improved the Maple Leafs’ record to 15-12-5.
On the team’s start to the game:
Actually, the first part of the first period wasn’t a terrible start. It was actually a good start to the game. We gave up a shorthanded goal, and that is a tough one.
The second was a little better, and our third was our best period, which is great to see the battle back. I thought our top line was really good tonight.
On what set him off on the bench during Chicago’s 2-0 goal review:
Well, giving up a shorthanded goal, and giving up a faceoff goal… They shouldn’t happen. They shouldn’t happen.
We got outmuscled around our net. It is just simple things. That is why I was pissed off.
On why a 60-minute effort continues to elude the team:
If you watch games and teams, there are momentum shifts in a game, right? But you don’t need to break. You can bend, but the mistakes — the two or three mistakes we made early on in the game — are what upset you. There is no need for it.
On Auston Matthews scoring a big power-play goal to tie it after assisting on the 2-1 goal in the third period:
It was great. It is great to see. Great for him and great for our team.
As I said, I thought that line drove play tonight, which is what I wanted to see. Whether they scored or not, just control the game more than you have and drive play. They did. I thought all three of them were pretty good tonight.
On Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s play and contributions this season:
His game has been very consistent from the get-go. There haven’t been a lot of dips in his game. He has been very consistent in defending, producing, and all of the things we ask of him.
On Joseph Woll’s performance in his return to the crease:
Great to see him back in there. He had a good game. He got better as the game went along — a little more comfortable in there. It was good to see that he held us in there, and we got a win. A big part of it was him.
