Subscribe
Follow Us
Toronto Maple Leafs fans are sick of listening to the excuses in post-game press conferences during the playoffs. One of the reasons they fired Sheldon Keefe and hired Craig Berube was his more no-nonsense attitude. While some Maple Leafs players had the same old comments after their Game 5 loss to the Florida Panthers, Berube focused the blame squarely on himself and the players.
“There were mistakes. A lot of mistakes,” Berube said to the gathered reporters.
Toronto came out flat in Game 5, looking like a team down in the series instead of tied 2-2. Florida piled on the pressure, and if it wasn't for Joseph Woll, the score could've gotten out of hand much sooner. The Maple Leafs entered the second period in a 1-0 hole, but three goals in eight minutes for the Panthers ended Toronto's dream of a comeback. Berube had the same takeaway from the game.
“It's just disappointing for all of us here, the way we came out in the first period and the way we played,” Berube added. “That's the biggest thing I take out of that whole game.”
Things look bleak as the Maple Leafs must get on a plane and attempt to push the series to Game 7. However, as much as Toronto struggles in the playoffs, they've succeeded in this position before.
Maple Leafs save most heartbreak for Game 7s
The running joke of the Maple Leafs' playoff chokes is their inability to finish the job in Game 7. They've been down in a series going into Game 6 before, notably against the Boston Bruins on numerous occasions, and won that game to give their fans hope. It's usually Game 7 when their stars fail to show up and the noise builds around the “Core Four”.
Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner started their struggles earlier this year, as they've been invisible all series long. Matthews hasn't scored yet in five games, while Marner's lack of defensive intensity has cost Toronto some crucial goals. If they don't find a way to turn it around in Game 6, there might not be a Game 7, and Marner might've played his last game at Scotiabank Arena with his pending free agency.
It's difficult to predict what will happen in Game 6, but it'd be classic Maple Leafs to dominate and give their fans hope before suffering another heartbreaking loss in Game 7. Will Craig Berube discover how to change that narrative?
