Maple Leafs HC Craig Berube Makes feelings known about Nylander-Tavares-Marner line play in loss to Canucks

The Toronto Maple Leafs lost 2-1 to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, ending their road trip on a disappointing note. Before the 4 Nations Face-Off break, coach Craig Berube tried William Nylander, John Tavares and Mitch Marner together on the second line again, but the line failed to produce any goals.

Speaking to the media after the game, Berube talked about why the Nylander-Tavares-Marner line didn't work.

"I don’t know. It is two games or not even a full two games," Berube said. "For me, a lot of it is a guy getting in on the forecheck, getting to the net, and just being that kind of rock.

"They all want the puck a lot. It is a lot. Hey, it wasn’t a big sample size. I made the switch right at the end of the second period. I juggled the lines in the third a little bit."

The lack of offensive contributions from the Nylander-Tavares-Marner lineup is contradictory to their performances this season.

Nylander is leading the Leafs in goals with 33 and has 55 points, while Tavares has scored 21 goals and 45 points. Meanwhile, Marner is the leading playmaker for the Leafs, with 55 assists and 71 points.

When asked if he would try the Tavares-Marner line again, Berube said:

"Maybe. Who knows, right? We’ll see down the road what happens and where it goes. You re always kind of moving guys around and trying to find a little more offense. We couldn’t find the back of the net enough tonight."

Toronto had 28 shots on goal, while Vancouver had 25 as the Canucks won the season series 2-0. They had beaten Toronto with a 3-0 shutout in the second week of January. The Maple Leafs return to action on Feb. 22 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

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Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube says special team cost the game

The Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the Vancouver Canucks after scoring only once in the second period. Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said that special teams made the difference in the game.

“Special teams,” Berube said, via NHL.com. “I thought it was a competitive game, fast game, they got a power play goal, and we had a chance at the end, and we didn't get it.”

Filip Hronek scored first at 7:00 of the first period before Morgan Rielly tied it 1-1 with six seconds left in the second. Brock Boeser scored the game-winner on the power play at 8:56 of the third. Vancouver went 1-for-2 on the power play, while Toronto didn’t score on its two chances.