TORONTO \u2014 The Maple Leafs limped out of the Bell Centre last month.<\/p>\n
Toronto had just fallen 5-2 to the Montreal Canadiens<\/a>, owned the NHL\u2019s worst goals-against average, and were a complete mess defensively.<\/p>\n Despite falling 3-2 in overtime to the San Jose Sharks<\/a> on Thursday night, the club has made inroads cleaning up its own end thanks to systematic tweaks and a renewed commitment to play harder without the puck \u2014 especially in the middle of the ice.<\/p>\n Head coach Craig Berube<\/a>, however, still sees plenty of room for improvement.<\/p>\n \u201cThird period \u2026 we didn\u2019t come out and dictate how to play the game,\u201d he said after watching the club blow a 2-0 lead and having to settle for a single point. \u201cTurned pucks over, passive, we didn\u2019t finish them off.\u201d <\/p>\n The Maple Leafs had allowed an average of 3.73 goals per game following that Nov. 22 setback in Montreal that dropped their record to 9-10-3 on the season.<\/p>\n Since that disappointing performance \u2014 and an ugly start to the schedule \u2014 Toronto had gone from 32nd in overall GAA to 19th entering Thursday at 3.17.<\/p>\n The Maple Leafs remain below the playoff cut line in the jam-packed Eastern Conference standings, but are 5-1-2 over their last eight games, giving up just 13 goals in the process to sit 14-11-5 through 30 contests.<\/p>\n \u201cGetting some great goaltending, but I think as well as on the defensive side of it,\u201d Toronto captain Auston Matthews<\/a> said. \u201cWe\u2019re playing in pretty low-scoring games as of late. That\u2019s a good sign for our group. You don\u2019t want to give up much. It was obviously a bit of a struggle early on in the season. <\/p>\n \u201cThe fact that we\u2019ve made progress in that department, and it\u2019s showed true for the last week, 10 days, two weeks, whatever you want to call it, it\u2019s been good for our group. Definitely got to stay on top of that.\u201d <\/p>\n Third-string netminder Dennis Hildeby<\/a>, who blanked the Tampa Bay Lightning<\/a> 2-0 on Monday and finished with 29 saves against San Jose, said his teammates have put in a string of solid defensive performances in front of him with both Anthony Stolarz<\/a> (upper body) and Joseph Woll<\/a> (lower body) out injured.<\/p>\n \u201cIt helps me a lot,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s fun playing right now in front of these guys.\u201d<\/p>\n But the job, as far as Berube is concerned, is far from complete. The final 20 minutes against San Jose is a prime example after the visitors tilted the ice and tied the game late in regulation.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not where we need to be,\u201d he said. \u201cWe could be better. And third period, for me, shows that. Goalie out, we have an opportunity to get the puck out a couple times, we don\u2019t do it. It\u2019s things like that cost us.\u201d <\/p>\n BLACK AND BLUE LINE<\/p>\n Maple Leafs defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson<\/a> left the game in the third period when Sharks winger Adam Gaudette<\/a> landed on his left ankle.<\/p>\n Toronto is already down fellow top blueliners Chris Tanev<\/a> (upper-body injury) and Brandon Carlo<\/a> (lower-body injury). Berube said Thursday night the latter had surgery recently, but it wasn\u2019t announced by the club at the time.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been great,\u201d Berube said of Ekman-Larsson, who he said will be evaluated further. \u201cHe\u2019ll be missed. Hopefully it\u2019s not too bad, but he\u2019s played great hockey for us.\u201d <\/p>\n Matthews, meanwhile, is hoping for good news with the club already incredibly thin on the back end.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a big part of our team,\u201d said the star centre. \u201cA guy that brings a lot of experience.\u201d <\/p>\n HITTING STRIDE<\/p>\n Maple Leafs winger William Nylander<\/a> was moved to the third line alongside Dakota Joshua<\/a> and Nicolas Roy<\/a> with Bobby McMann<\/a> serving a one-game suspension.<\/p>\n Berube was happy with his play \u2014 including two assists \u2014 against San Jose after going four straight contests without a point.<\/p>\n \u201cThe best game I\u2019ve seen him play in a while,\u201d said the coach. \u201cHe was engaged. When I see him skating and handling the puck and keeping the puck and doing things he did (Thursday) with the puck, I know he was ready to go.\u201d <\/p>\n POWERING UP<\/p>\n Toronto connected on the man advantage when Matthews took a pass from Nylander in the second period to snap a 2-for-28 run.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were due for one,\u201d Nylander said. \u201cWe should be able to score way more on the power play. But it was a confidence builder, and I thought we moved the puck pretty well.\u201d <\/p>\n This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2025.<\/p>\n Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"TORONTO \u2014 The Maple Leafs limped out of the Bell Centre last month. 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