{"id":261372,"date":"2025-11-04T06:17:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T06:17:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/261372\/"},"modified":"2025-11-04T06:17:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T06:17:11","slug":"craig-berube-critical-of-toronto-maple-leafs-60-minute-effort-in-win-over-penguins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/261372\/","title":{"rendered":"Craig Berube critical of Toronto Maple Leafs\u2019 60-minute effort in win over Penguins"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a> earned a 4-3 comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> Monday night, scoring all four of their goals in the final period to erase a three-goal deficit for the first time this season.<\/p>\n

But despite the result, it wasn\u2019t all smooth sailing according to head coach Craig Berube<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Leafs\u2019 bench boss was critical of his team\u2019s 60-minute effort Monday night. <\/p>\n

\u201cI have no clue. I don\u2019t have an answer for that right now. The second period (Pittsburgh) got the puck and did whatever they wanted with it… I mean, it\u2019s not good enough,\u201d Berube told reporters. <\/p>\n

Craig Berube on lack of 60-minute effort by Leafs tonight:<\/p>\n

“I have no clue. I don’t have an answer for that right now. The second period they got the puck & did whatever they wanted with it … I mean, it’s not good enough”@TSN_Sports<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Mark Masters (@markhmasters) November 4, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all mental for me. It\u2019s all mental for me,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s gotta be better. That\u2019s the bottom line.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Leafs had a total of eight shots on goal through two periods and trailed 3-0 heading into the third. Captain Auston Matthews<\/a> got Toronto on the board early in the frame and a pair of William Nylander<\/a> goals pulled the Leafs even. With just under 6:20 to go, Bobby McMann<\/a> jumped on a rebound and put it past Penguins netminder Tristan Jarry<\/a> for the eventual winner. <\/p>\n

The Penguins out-shot the Leafs 37-20 on the evening. <\/p>\n

Berube wasn\u2019t the only one not satisfied with the Leafs\u2019 overall level of play. Nylander agreed with his head coach on what he saw missing in the second period.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s unacceptable. Yeah, there\u2019s nothing more to say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust our compete level was not there, losing every battle, losing every puck, so that\u2019s what it comes down to,\u201d Nylander said when asked what was missing.<\/p>\n

Goaltender Anthony Stolarz<\/a> said Berube sent the team a strong message in the second intermission.<\/p>\n

\u201cSaid a few things. You guys can use your imagination for that. And everyone else kind of echoed [it]. We\u2019re big boys. We\u2019ve been around long enough & we knew that that\u2019s not our game,\u201d Stolarz said.<\/p>\n

Matthews praised the group for finding a way to get the win, but also said things have to get better in the bigger picture.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was great to come back and get the two points and have a great third period. I think the focus should be more on the first two periods and why we lacked all those different things that got us down in the game in the first place. It\u2019s something we\u2019ll figure out.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Leafs now sit 7-5-1 with 15 points through the first 13 games this season, good for third in the Atlantic Division. They will be back in action on Wednesday at home against the Utah Mammoth<\/a>.<\/p>\n