Craig Berube, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube addressed the media after his team’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres, which dropped the Maple Leafs’ record to 28-27-12.
On the team’s performance:
I thought the team competed hard. Buffalo is playing extremely well. They’re good at home. But I thought we hung in there and got a point.
Yeah, there are things we can do better. I thought our first period was our best period, but we found a way to get a point.
On Joseph Woll’s 31-save performance:
He was very good tonight. He made a lot of saves and gave us a chance out there. He was really good.
On the amount of pre-scouting that is done by the goalies on shootout takers:
They’re looking at video of the shooters on the other team. They look at them the same way our shooters are looking at their goalies. It’s just the way it goes sometimes. I don’t know.
It’s tough. Some of these guys are skilled in the shootout. I thought [Woll] did a good job on Tuch, but Tuch had quick hands and made a nice play. It’s a hell of a goal by him.
On the team’s physicality in the game, and if the coach instills it or if the players must take initiative themselves in the physical department:
We always try to instill it. We talk about it a lot. I thought we were physical tonight, which was good. We have to be physical.
I’ve been preaching it all year, to be honest with you. I want our team to be physical. I know there are different guys who play differently, but it doesn’t mean every player can’t get on the body and take the body. It slows the other team down and creates turnovers. It does a lot of good.
As I said, our team competed tonight. That was one area where we competed pretty hard.
On William Nylander wearing a letter and how his leadership has grown:
We are going to lean on him, among other guys (with Auston Matthews out). I put the A on Willy quite a few times over the past two years when one of our captains is out. He has been a good player for us, and he leads with his play.
On Max Domi scoring in his 800th career game:
Max has been great. He has played for a long time in this league. Max is a great teammate and very well-liked. It is nice to see him get a goal in his 800th game.
Game Highlights: Sabres 3 vs. Maple Leafs 2 (SO)