Subscribe
Follow Us
The pressure is mounting in Toronto, but head coach Craig Berube is keeping the message simple. After the Maple Leafs dropped Game 5 in a 4–0 shutout loss to the Ottawa Senators, Berube stood at the podium and delivered a clear message to his players and the fanbase: “Stick with it.”
What was once a commanding 3–0 series lead has now narrowed to 3–2. The Senators have found life and momentum, and the Maple Leafs are suddenly feeling the weight of playoff expectations. Still, Berube is urging calm.
“We are up 3–2 in the series. It is playoff hockey. There are a lot of ups and downs. We need composure,” Berube said in a postgame interview.
Game 5 was a frustrating night for Toronto. Despite outshooting Ottawa 29–20, they could not solve Linus Ullmark, who turned in a brilliant performance with his first career playoff shutout. The Leafs were also undone by costly turnovers and an ineffective power play.
“We made a bad play on the power play. We had an opportunity there to get it back,” Berube noted. “We have to be more direct with our power play. I did not think we had enough shot volume or net presence.”
The Senators capitalized on Toronto’s miscues, with Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stützle each recording a goal and two assists. Thomas Chabot and Dylan Cozens also scored as Ottawa took over the game and never looked back.
Berube, hired by the Leafs to instill accountability and structure, dismissed any notion that Toronto’s past playoff failures are creeping back in. The Leafs have lost 13 of their last 14 chances to eliminate opponents in the playoffs, but Berube insisted his group remains focused.
“I am not feeling anything like that. Our group was focused and ready to go,” he said. “I liked our start to the game. I do not sense any panic. We are still in control of the series.”
Game 6 will be played in Ottawa, where the Senators will look to ride their momentum and force a Game 7. For the Leafs, it is another test of composure and character. Berube’s message is one of steadiness, not fear.
The Maple Leafs have one more chance to prove they can finish what they started. Their coach believes they can. Now it is up to the players to respond.
