Craig Berube Sounds Off: Leafs' Costly Second Period Collapse Sparks Big Questions
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski Imagn Images
The Maple Leafs' second period struggles draw major criticism from head coach Craig Berube, who had a lot to say about his team's performance against the Red Wings.
Last night was a tough one, as Steven Lorentz left the game after playing just 1:17 in the first period with an upper-body injury after taking a heavy hit from Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot.
His loss forced the Leafs to play with just 11 forwards for the rest of the game and the lineup shuffling saw the club fall into a very passive structure in the second period, ultimately allowing the Red Wings to score three times and erase a two-goal deficit to take the lead.
Although the Leafs battled back in the third, their defensive structuring cost them again in the third, but according to head coach Craig Berube, it was the second period that cost the Buds the game.
Craig Berube Sounds Off on Disastrous Second Period For The Leafs
Following the 6-3 loss, the Leafs' bench boss sounded off on his team's awful second period.
"Spent too much time in our zone. They eventually capitalized. We tired ourselves out because we three-quarter-iced ourselves in the second period. That cost us the hockey game."
It wasn't just that the Leafs were playing with tired legs and a more passive structure that allowed the Wings to control that period according to Berube, who pointed to the missed assignments and poor defensive structure that gave the Wings free passing lanes for the final two periods.
"We've got to take care of those seams. We know that they like them, and we didn't do a good enough job there either. But, you know, for me, that's a difference in a hockey game right there."
Berube wasn't the only one to call out the passive structure in the second as goaltender Anthony Stolarz also called out his teammates for taking their foot off the gas and letting the Wings walk all over them.
The Leafs won't have long to clean up their act with only Sunday off before the Wings visit Scotiabank Arena on Monday afternoon for a rematch with what could be a very different Leafs lineup, including a possible NHL debut for Easton Cowan.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 12 | 550 ANSWERS Craig Berube Sounds Off: Leafs' Costly Second Period Collapse Sparks Big Questions Will Craig Berube make some significant line changes for Monday's game? | ||
| Yes, he'll shake things up | 436 | 79.3 % |
| No, only minor changes | 114 | 20.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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