Craig Berube, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube addressed the media after his team’s 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers, which improved the Maple Leafs’ record to 27-21-9.
On the keys to success in the game:
Highly competitive tonight. Right from the get-go, we were highly competitive, our goalie was good, and our special teams were really good.
On Jake McCabe’s performance inside the tough matchups:
He has been excellent all year. He’s had different partners throughout the season, with Tanev being out. It doesn’t change his game. He just does all of the dirty work for us every night and goes up against the top lines. He has been excellent for us.
On what three wins in a row does for the team entering the break:
It’s a lot of confidence. Coming out of the break, we have to be prepared and ready to go. We have some catching up to do here.
Three wins going into a break are a good boost for our team. I’m proud of our team and the way they competed on the road trip.
On whether the break might trip up some of the teams ahead of the Leafs in the standings:
I don’t know.
Listen, the Olympics will have a lot to say about that, in my opinion. Coming out of the Olympics, you never know what happens with injuries and all of those sorts of things.
We can’t worry about that. We have to make sure we are prepared and get the work in when we get back to work and get ready to go again.
Right out of the break, we have two tough opponents in Florida.
On the team finally getting a couple of power plays, and scoring twice:
It was big. Capitalizing on them was important, for sure, at that time in the game.
Great job by our power play.
On how he can help his team navigate the noise of the trade deadline:
That is part of the game, right? Even more so in Toronto. They understand that, I think.
You can’t read all of it. You have to avoid it as best as you can. It is hard, I know. I know it is out there, and you’re going to see and hear it, but that is part of being a good pro. Those are things you have to put behind you and focus on what you need to do for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
On what Bobby McMann has meant to the team this season:
I’ve coached him last year and this year, and he has been a very good player for us in a lot of different ways: Scoring, for one, and his speed. He was physical tonight. He does a lot of good things for us.
He’s a valuable player for this team.
On the opportunity for banged-up players, such as Matthew Knies, to rest and heal up during the break:
We need to rest up here a bit, but then we have to start preparing and getting back to doing some things.
The break will heal up some things. There have been a lot of banged-up guys, like there are on all of the teams.
It will be good for Knies and Morgan, among others.
Game Highlights w/ Joe Bowen: Maple Leafs 5 vs. Oilers 2