Maple Leafs HC Craig Berube pinpoints key factors in disappointing Battle of Ontario defeat

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube pinpointed key factors in the team's disappointing 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday in the latest Battle of Ontario matchup.

The defeat drops Toronto's record to 39-24-3 on the season and marks their fifth loss in their last six games.

Speaking after the game, Berube said:

"I didn’t find that we wanted to play our game early enough in this game. We wanted to bring pucks back, play slow, and try to go through them. We had some chances off the rush — I get all that — but you don’t build your game that way," (per NHL.com)

Berube felt the team committed to their fast-paced, north-south style in the third period, winning more battles and playing with more urgency.

"It is about us getting together and putting 60 minutes together of that," he said.

Auston Matthews and William Nylander scored for Toronto. Anthony Stolarz made 21 saves in the loss. For Ottawa, goals came from Michael Amadio, Claude Giroux, David Perron and Jake Sanderson with Linus Ullmark stopping 21 shots.

Berube said the onus falls on him as coach and the players themselves.

"It is hockey, right? There are certain stretches you go through where it is not there. You just keep battling as a coach. You have to hold your players accountable to it, and they have to hold themselves accountable to it,"he emphasized.

With the loss, the Maple Leafs now sit third in the Atlantic division with 81 points, trailing the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Game recap: Maple Leafs 4-2 loss to Senators

Toronto Maple Leafs struck first at 6:49 of the second period when Nylander cut across the crease and slipped a backhand shot between Ullmark’s pads.

Ottawa responded by tying the game 1-1 at 7:57. Sanderson capitalized on a cross-slot pass from Tim Stutzle, firing a shot over Stolarz’s blocker from the left circle.

"These guys want to win. Trust me on that. They want to win, and there is a sense of frustration for sure." Berube said.

Matthews put the Maple Leafs back in front at 8:55 after Ullmark mishandled the puck. Matthews gained control near the left hashmarks and took advantage of the empty net with Ullmark out of position.

Perron brought the Senators level again at 12:16, finishing a feed from Drake Batherson with a sharp shot over Stolarz’s glove from the left face-off dot. Ottawa took a 3-2 lead with Giroux’s shot from the right boards was unintentionally deflected by Toronto’s Chris Tanev on a power play.

Michael Amadio sealed the win for Ottawa with an empty-net goal at 19:53, securing a 4-2 victory.