The Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a 3–0 deficit through two periods to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4–3 on Monday, but postgame reactions were all but celebratory.
Star forwards and locker room leaders William Nylander and Auston Matthews both stressed that the comeback win did not excuse the team’s lack of effort through the first 40 minutes.
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Toronto registered just eight shots on goal to Pittsburgh’s 25 through two periods before rallying in the third by scoring four unanswered goals.
The Penguins dominated early, with goals from Erik Karlsson and rookie Ben Kindel giving Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead after the first period. Kindle added a second goal midway through the third frame, and by the second intermission, Toronto trailed by three and appeared done for the evening.
Nylander, who scored twice in his return from injury after missing three of the prior four games, didn’t mince words when assessing the Leafs’ win.
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“(We) played terrible for two periods, so, (we’re) just trying to do something, right?” Nylander said. “It’s unacceptable. There’s nothing more to say.”
Added Nylander: “Our compete level was not there. Losing every battle. Losing every puck. So, that’s what it comes down to.”
Head coach Craig Berube shared the same frustration, saying he was puzzled by the team’s poor start.
“What upsets me is — we come out in the second period down 2–0. You think we’re gonna make a push, and we didn’t,” Berube said. “They controlled the whole period. They got the puck and did whatever they wanted with it. It’s not good enough.”
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Added Berube about the Leafs’ lack of a full 6-minute effort: “I have no clue. I don’t have an answer for that right now.”
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (88) lies on the ice after a collision.John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Toronto was saved by its two superstars, with Nylander scoring back-to-back goals after Matthews opened the score for the Maple Leafs.
Those three goals tied the game in a span of 3:24 minutes in the third period, and Bobby McMann scored the game-winning goal less than seven minutes later.
Despite the strong comeback, Berube emphasized that the response should have come much earlier.
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“You have to understand that you’re going to get down in this league at times,” Berube said. “We got that response in the third. I don’t understand why we never got it right away in the second. That’s the frustrating part. It’s all mental for me. Just got to be better.”
The Leafs moved up to a 7-5-1 record on the season and will face the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday, with puck drop set for 7 p.m. ET.
Related: Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews Makes Harsh Admission After Win Over Penguins
Related: Craig Berube Questions Maple Leafs After Win Over Penguins
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Nov 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the NHL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.