Craig Berube, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube addressed the media after his team’s 5-1 loss to the Dallas Stars, which dropped the Maple Leafs’ record to 15-15-5.
On the team’s performance:
We played well. Through two periods, I really liked our game. Lots of chances and opportunities. It is not going in right now. Eventually, it wears on you throughout the game, right?
In the third period, they got that third goal. It set us back pretty good.
On the positives from the last few games, despite the results:
I saw a lot of it in the last game: Our puck play is a lot better. There are opportunities from just making more plays. There is more confidence in our game.
Again, we need to finish, right? One goal is not going to cut it most nights. But I thought we defended extremely well tonight. That is a good team over there — we all know that — and we didn’t give up much.
On whether losses where the team plays well are easier or tougher to deal with during a tumultuous period like this one:
It is all frustrating. It is. The guys feel it. Everybody feels it.
We have to stick with it. If we get some bounces here, it can turn and go the other way.
On William Nylander’s 11-game goalless drought:
For a scorer, when it is not going in, and you are getting opportunities, sometimes, you have to get around the net more and score some greasy, dirty goals. That message has been said forever. That is one thing he can probably do.
He is getting his looks, and they are not going in, but sometimes you have to get around the net, get greasy, and score some dirty goals.
On the team’s power play (0 for 4):
The power play had opportunities. It is the same as our five-on-five game. It is not going in.
When it is not going in, you have to be careful. You can’t nitpick every little thing. This game is a fast game and a reaction game. We have to stick to what we are doing, be predictable — as we have been lately — and keep working.
We want bounces. We want luck. You have to earn them, and you have to keep earning them. It doesn’t just happen.
In the two games, we deserve more, but you have to get ready for Tuesday against Pittsburgh and come with the same attitude we’ve been playing with in the last two games.
On Dennis Hildeby’s performance in net (four goals on 21 shots):
Fine. The first goal I’d like to see stopped, but on the other ones, two were tipped. It is tough. They were tough.
Game Highlights w/Joe Bowen: Stars 5 vs. Maple Leafs 1