The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered their first loss on Saturday night in unpleasant fashion, dropping an early 2-0 lead to fall 6-3 to the Detroit Red Wings.
Toronto took the two-goal margin into the first intermission, but allowed three unanswered in the middle frame, which proved costly. Speaking to media after the game, Leafs head coach Craig Berube discussed that momentum shift that hurt them in the second.
“We beat ourselves in my opinion,” Berube said. “Not that Detroit didn’t, they played well. But, you know, we were right there with them, got the lead, and we came out in the second and didn’t play the way we should have played.”
After the Leafs came out firing to start the match, they started to overcomplicate things in the second. Berube said those mistakes ended up exhausting his team’s ability to play their system.
“I thought we started off fine in the second, but then we just didn’t close anything off in our zone,” Berube said. “Spent too much time in our zone, they eventually capitalized. We tired ourselves out and that cost the hockey game.”
Despite finishing the night with four goals against, the loss can hardly be pinned on Anthony Stolarz, who still came up with some big saves to try and keep the Leafs in it. After the game, Toronto’s coach praised Stolarz’s efforts as he was shelled through the middle frame.
“He was good, very good,” Berube said. “Until we want to value the importance of second periods and how you need to play them, that’s what can happen.”
In his postgame presser, Berube was also asked about Steven Lorentz, who exited the game Saturday and did not return. Toronto’s coach said that he was still pending evaluation and an update would come later.
The Maple Leafs now head back home with a chance at revenge, set to suit up against the Red Wings once again on Monday for a matinee affair. Toronto will look to simplify their game and learn from their mistakes as they hit the ice for their first back-to-back of the season. Puck drops from Scotiabank Arena at 2 pm.
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