The Toronto Maple Leafs lose another game. On Tuesday, October 21st, they lost 5-2 to the New Jersey Devils. After leading 1-0 after 20 minutes, they crumbled in the second period, coughing up four of the five Devils goals in the middle frame. Adding insult to literal injury, Chris Tanev left the game with an upper-body injury and did not return.
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube spoke with the media following the loss. He had some choice words for the entire team. Specifically, he was not pleased with the top line of Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, and Max Domi.
Craig Berube and Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, & Max Domi
Berube didn’t mince words in his post-game availability. While he liked the performance of a few players on his team, not enough players played well.
“There’s a lot of guys that played a good hockey game tonight, they did a lot of good things,” Berube said to the media after the October 21st loss. “But we don’t have enough of them. And if we don’t have everyone going and on the same page, and doing the right things, that’s when we’re going to look like tonight.”
The line of Matthews, Knies, and Domi drew the ire of Berube after their performance in the loss.
“Early on in the season, I thought they were getting their opportunities and looking pretty good,” Berube revealed. “Now…it’s obviously not good enough. I don’t feel like they have any sustained pressure in the offensive zone at all.”
“It’s one and done.”
Domi is the fourth winger to be featured on a line with Matthews and Knies. Matias Maccelli, Easton Cowan, and William Nylander have all appeared on the top line. The line juggling for their top combination is becoming tiresome for the coach.
“I’m getting tired of it, to be honest with you.”
Maple Leafs, Second Periods, & Turnovers
GettyCraig Berube shared his feelings on the Auston Matthews line following a brutal loss to the Devils.
The second period cost the team the game against the Devils.
“Second period, we put ourselves in a hole,” Berube lamented. “That’s been a concern this year. We don’t manage the game in the second period.”
The Maple Leafs have been scored on 25 times this season. Of those 25 goals, 12 have come in the second period, and nine have come in the third period.
Berube discussed what he thought had been a significant issue with the team,
“Are D are just standing there…not reading what’s coming at ’em,” Berube commented. “One of the biggest things is turnovers. We gotta be smarter, our D gotta be smarter. (They’ve) gotta read the play, they can’t be going all out.”
At the same time, Berube gave the Devils their flowers. He complimented them on their most significant asset, their speed.
“That’s a quick team, they’re a great transition team,” Berube said. “That’s a good team over there, with a lot of speed, and they’re dynamic in the offensive zone. They get moving around.”
“You gotta get in there and kill that play right away with numbers. We’re slow to do it.”
How the Maple Leafs Can Get Out of This Funk
GettyToronto Maple Leafs
For Berube, the recipe to get out of this funk is simple – play direct and straightforward.
“I don’t think speed is an issue on our team. When we play the right way and we play direct, we look fast,” Berube reasoned. “But, when we want to not play that way, we look slow. I think that’s really what it boils down to.”
“That’s why we talk about playing predictable and direct, so you can look fast. And right now we’re not consistently doing that enough.”
The Maple Leafs will look to rest and regroup to prepare for their Friday night away game against the Buffalo Sabres.
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