Craig Berube addressed the media after his team’s 4-3 shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils, which dropped the Maple Leafs’ record to 27-24-11.
On the team’s performance:
I thought the first period was fine — a pretty even period. The second period was all penalties. They had the better third period than us. Our goalie kept us in there and got us the point.
On roster-management scratches of Scott Laughton, OEL, and Bobby McMann, after he indicated earlier that there would be none in the game:
Things changed as the day went along. We held those guys out.
On whether the roster-management scratches affect the room:
It does. It’s tough. We want to win games. When you come to the rink and three important players aren’t in the lineup, it is going to impact the guys. But I thought the guys came out and were ready to play, which is important.
I thought our captain led the way in that department. He worked and competed. But it is tough, for sure.
On how the conversation went with OEL about the scratch:
It is really not a conversation I have too much with him. I let him know he wasn’t going to play. There is not a lot to say. He knows what is going on. It was more of a conversation that Brad (Treliving) would have with him about that.
On Auston Matthews going nine games without a goal, and if he is forcing it right now:
I don’t see him forcing it. He is getting opportunities. It is tough. It is tough on him and tough on the team. We need him to produce. It is not like he isn’t getting his looks. They just aren’t going in right now.
He just has to stick with it. He does a lot of other good things in the game. It is not just about scoring. But he’ll come out of it. I have confidence in him. Sometimes, you just have to get a greasy goal around the net.
On whether the goal drought is weighing on Matthews at all:
I don’t sense it. I don’t see it or hear it from him. But anytime those scorers go a bit of time without scoring, it definitely weighs on him. That is human nature.
On Matthews’ contributions on the leadership side during this tumultuous stretch:
After my conversation with him and the leaders, he went out in the first period and showed we were here to play. I know we are missing guys, and it is not easy to deal with that. But, in my opinion, from a work and compete standpoint, he went out and dictated how we were going to play the game.
On Easton Cowan’s performance on the top line (17:03 TOI, one assist):
He did a lot of good things. There are things he is still learning, but he did a good job on Willy’s goal. Willy did a good job of getting to the net.
He made some plays. I wasn’t disappointed with his performance.
On the areas of focus for Cowan down the stretch:
For me, it is about being a little stickier and heavier in the battles and just understanding he doesn’t always have to make a play. He has to manage the game, which I thought he did a pretty good job of tonight.
There were times when he tried to force things, or he sees something and wants to make the play, but for me, it is all about him doing things harder and getting firmer. He has to grow still and get stronger, for sure, but hound, forecheck, and be responsible defensively.
He did some good things tonight. There are always things he can do better.
