Maple Leafs' Craig Berube and Auston Matthews Share Comments in Response to Concerns
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro - Imagn Images
Recent comments from Auston Matthews and Craig Berube delivered with intent, addressing a clear concern through the team's first two games.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have scored 9 goals in the first 2 games of their opening round series against the Ottawa Senators but surprisingly none of them have come off the stick of Auston Matthews.
The captain remains snakebitten through 2 games but despite not having beaten Linus Ullmark himself, he does have 3 assists, 2 of which have come on their vaunted power play.
In recent years, a goal-less drought to start the playoffs would have sounded every alarm bell in the vicinity, but the Maple Leafs hold a 2-0 series lead and the captain does not seem all too concerned about his slump at the moment, as reported by Nick Barden of The Hockey News.
"I think at this time of year, it takes the group, it takes everybody out there. No matter what your role is, you gotta sacrifice and do all the little things. Obviously, you want to produce, you want to do all of that stuff, but like I said, puck battles, faceoffs, blocking shots, making plays at the right time, taking care of pucks in the right areas, those are all the little things that accumulate over the time, over games, over series, and those are the details you need to win."
It's not from a lack of trying either as Matthews has 9 shots on goal, has had several ten-bell chances, and he's been all over the ice in the offensive zone.
So what could be the issue? Well, head coach Craig Berube believes to have zeroed in the problem at hand and it has nothing to do with Matthews personally.
"I mean, there's obviously things like everybody else that you're looking at that they can do better. They have tough matchups with the Stutzle line. It's a good line. I think they're doing a good job defensively and checking and doing a lot of good things. You just got to keep going."
He's creating the opportunities and it's only a matter of time before the former MVP and Rocket Richard winner finds the back of the net, which is something Berube reiterates.
"Goals will go in, but if you want to score goals in the playoffs, it's about getting to the net more than anything. You're going to get opportunities for sure at times on broken plays and things like that, but get to the net."
"That's where the goals go in most of the time in the playoffs, the greasy goals around the net. But overall, I'm pleased with that line, the job they're doing. I'm not too worried about Matthews."
"That's where the goals go in most of the time in the playoffs, the greasy goals around the net. But overall, I'm pleased with that line, the job they're doing. I'm not too worried about Matthews."
Look for Matthews to set the tone once again as the Maple Leafs look to take an all-commanding 3-0 series lead tonight when they visit the Senators.
For what it's worth, Matthews has 11 goals and 12 assists in 18 career games on the road against the Senators, so maybe a change of scenery will do him wonders.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 24 | 1587 ANSWERS Maple Leafs' Craig Berube and Auston Matthews Share Comments in Response to Concerns Will Auston Matthews get his first goal of the playoffs tonight? | ||
| Yes | 1449 | 91.3 % |
| No | 138 | 8.7 % |
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