CRAIG BERUBE, Maple Leafs Playoff Pregame: Toronto @ Florida Panthers, Game 3

Well, I mean, a lot of the same that we’ve seen already. I think, you know, we know how they play and the way they want to play. I don’t think they’re going to change a whole lot. I mean, it’s going to be at home. So, it’s a little different animal, but expect a lot of the same. Your team stayed away from stuff afterwards. How difficult is that in a moment to do that? And how much of that have you harped on? Well, we harp on a lot, but it is difficult. It can be difficult. Um, but it’s, you know, I think it’s fairly ingrained in their heads. Not that, you know, anything can happen, right? But we got to keep harping on it because, you know, I I really believe it’s highly important that it’s hard between the whistles and, you know, the stuff after the whistle really doesn’t accomplish a whole lot in my opinion. Greg, picking up on that, obviously Marian’s a guy who likes to talk on the ice a lot. Was just telling us he likes that, too. Do you do you mind that or would you prefer him to stay away from engaging with Marian like verbally? I don’t really care. Like it’s just talk. What do you like about how nice he’s handled in that front roll? Yeah, it’s going off the whole year with him, right? He’s made his living there this year and um he’s doing a great job of it still just on a game-winning goal. I mean, he’s right to the net front right away, taking the eyes away of the goalie and uh he’s done an excellent job of it and we got to continue to do that with Bob and Net. I mean, we got to get to the paint on this guy. Craig, the way you guys play obviously demands a lot of the players, the shot blocking, the physical play. What do you tell them to do between games? Like, how do you instruct them to to gear up so that they keep being able to do it? Yeah, I mean, rest is important. We know that. Um, I think, you know, the day in between games is time to get away from a little bit and rest. I don’t think you need to wrap your head around the game on the day off. I think it’s good to get away and get emotionally ready again physically, you know, on the mental side of it, too. So, you know, we we try to stress just good job tonight. It’s over with. Get away from it for a day and rest up because, you know, we’re back at it again. We need tonight. Craig, in terms of shot blocking, Tana in the postseason right now in that category. A player like him, what kind of impact does it have specifically in the postseason? Well, it’s huge. I think, you know, our team has really fed off that side of what he brings to the table night in and night out throughout the year with, you know, all our have done a really good job blocking shots and uh being strong to that front. So, and he’s definitely a guy we brought in here that uh has made a living out of that. and um it’s really rubbed off in our team in my opinion. Highly important. Thanks, coach. Good. Thanks.

Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube speaks to the media before his team plays the host Florida Panthers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale.

The Panthers lost Game 2 to the Maple Leafs 4-3 on Wednesday and trail 0-2 in the best-of-7 series.

Florida has never won a series down 0-2 and have not been in this position since the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.

Game 3 is in Sunrise on Friday at 7 p.m. (TNT)

How Brad Marchand Joined the Florida Panthers: https://floridahockeynow.com/brad-marchand-joins-florida-panthers-how-it-happened-nhl-trade-bruins/

2024 Stanley Cup Champions Honored at the White House: https://floridahockeynow.com/stanley-cup-champion-florida-panthers-honored-at-white-house/

Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning Bringing Hockey Outdoors – In Florida: https://floridahockeynow.com/nhl-outdoor-hockey-miami-tampa-florida-panthers-lightning/

The Florida Panthers Get Their Rings. They’re Spectacular: https://floridahockeynow.com/florida-panthers-get-stanley-cup-championship-rings-theyre-spectacular/

The Florida Panthers Are Stanley Cup Champions: https://floridahockeynow.com/can-you-believe-it-florida-panthers-are-stanley-cup-champs/

Wednesday, Sasha Barkov gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead midway through the first. Florida led 2-1 early in the second after Brad Marchand tied it.

Anton Lundell made it a 3-3 game in the third — only Mitch Marner scored 17 seconds later for the 4-3 lead and the final score. Sergei Bobrovsky made 16 saves in the loss.

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