Maple Leafs' Matthews & Marner Open Up on Losing Yet Another Series-Clinching Game Against the Senators
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Leaders of the Toronto Maple Leafs opened up on losing yet another series-clinching game against the Ottawa Senators last night.
Yesterday, the Toronto Maple Leafs had an opportunity to become the first team in the NHL to confirm its ticket to the second round of the playoffs, but fell short on the ice, losing 4-0 against the Ottawa Senators.
This was the Leafs' second opportunity of the series to eliminate their opponents, but the Senators won the last two games, and the series is now going back to Ottawa for a sixth game.
After the game, in press conferences, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Craig Berube shared their thoughts on the Leafs' situation.
Matthews revealed that if the Leafs want to succeed, players must keep things simple, execution must be better, and the focus must be on the next game:
"We're kind of forcing some stuff. I just think we've just got to get back to simplicity and outnumbering guys to the net, getting some pucks through and going from there."
"I thought we started well, good chances. I thought, just, the execution at times wasn't there. Obviously, they get the first goal and we're just kind of chasing the game from there, but I thought we did good things. But in the end, there's little plays, execution -- it's the small details. They made good on their chances and here we are."
"We're not looking in the rearview mirror. It's about the next day, the next game. Like I said, we've been a good road team all season long. We're a confident group in here.
We've got to put this one behind us, learn from it. We're in a good spot here and we just want to go in there and be a focused group. We're going to be ready to go and we'll go from there."
"I thought we started well, good chances. I thought, just, the execution at times wasn't there. Obviously, they get the first goal and we're just kind of chasing the game from there, but I thought we did good things. But in the end, there's little plays, execution -- it's the small details. They made good on their chances and here we are."
"We're not looking in the rearview mirror. It's about the next day, the next game. Like I said, we've been a good road team all season long. We're a confident group in here.
We've got to put this one behind us, learn from it. We're in a good spot here and we just want to go in there and be a focused group. We're going to be ready to go and we'll go from there."
Later, Marner stated that the team simply must play their best game of the season:
"[We're] fine. It's not supposed to be easy. This is never supposed to be easy. We knew it was going to be a challenge, we knew it wasn't going to be easy.
They pushed back the last two games. We've got to go into a building and play our best game. We've been a good road team all year. So, we have confidence in this group."
They pushed back the last two games. We've got to go into a building and play our best game. We've been a good road team all year. So, we have confidence in this group."
As for Berube, he was asked to talk about how the Leafs' recent playoff history could weigh on the players:
"I'm not feeling anything. I think our group tonight was focused and ready to go. I liked our start of the game. I thought our first period was good. So, I don't sense that at all. We're up 3-2 in the series.
Stick with it. It's playoff hockey; there's a lot of ups and downs. We need composure, I talked about it. We've got to stay composed and stay poised. And like I said, we'll figure out some things and be better next game. That's what it's about. We're up 3-2 in the series. So, we're confident."
Stick with it. It's playoff hockey; there's a lot of ups and downs. We need composure, I talked about it. We've got to stay composed and stay poised. And like I said, we'll figure out some things and be better next game. That's what it's about. We're up 3-2 in the series. So, we're confident."
The Leafs will get another opportunity to close the series tomorrow, as both teams return to Ottawa for a sixth game. The Sens will do all they can to force the team to return to Toronto for a seventh game, where anything can happen.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 30 | 258 ANSWERS Maple Leafs' Matthews & Marner Open Up on Losing Yet Another Series-Clinching Game Against the Senators Do you think the Ottawa Senators will eliminate the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games? | ||
| Yes | 134 | 51.9 % |
| No | 124 | 48.1 % |
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