Craig Berube, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube addressed the media after his team’s 2-1 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers, which improved the Maple Leafs’ record to 21-15-7.
On the team gutting out a tight, low-scoring game:
Yeah, it was a tight game at five-on-five. There was not a lot going on, to be honest with you, either way. I thought our five-on-five was pretty solid. Our PK was excellent again and had to be in the third period. Our goalie was really good, and we capitalized on a couple of plays to get the win.
On Scott Laughton’s big game, including scoring the tying goal shorthanded and going 19-for-20 in the faceoff circle, in his return to Philly:
Scotty was really good again. He did a great job on the 5-on-3, as everybody did, and when penalty killing. He had a solid game. It was great to see him get that shorty against his old team.
“WELCOME HOME, SCOTTY!”
Laughton 5th of the Season vs Flyers
🔊 @Bonsie1951 @Jim_Ralph pic.twitter.com/de27ESN4Tp
— Maple Leafs Hotstove (@LeafsNews) January 9, 2026
On what the overtime winner could do for Easton Cowan’s confidence:
It helps, for sure. I thought he was having a really good game, so I wanted to use him in OT. I thought he was on top of things all night — making plays, making strong plays, and skating well. He was going to be in the picture at three-on-three, and he ended up getting it done.
On the continued strong performances from the Cowan-Roy-Robertson line:
They have been really good for us for a while — solid defensively, and creating offense. They’re doing a good job in the offensive zone, with possession time, holding on to pucks, and making plays into the interior of the ice. They’re getting opportunities.
On Dennis Hildeby’s 22-save performance (.957 SV%)
He was locked in from the get-go, in my opinion. I thought he looked really good right away. In the first period, probably around the 10-minute mark on, they carried a little bit of the play, but he was really solid in there. He kept it at 0-0 for us. He was good tonight. He was locked in.
On the concern level when Auston Matthews was in pain after a shot block in the first period:
I guess there is always a concern, right? He blocks a lot of shots. You don’t like seeing it; you don’t like seeing him hobble around like that. But he is fine.
Game Highlights w/Joe Bowen: Maple Leafs 2 vs. Flyers 1 (OT)