It has been a seesaw battle between the Maple Leafs and the Senators at the moment. While the former won the opening three games and looked set to wrap up the contest, the Senators made a thrilling comeback to make it 3-2 in the tie. With the momentum clearly on the Senators’ side, the Maple Leafs need to get their act right (we’re looking at you, Auston Matthews!) to progress through to the second round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Ahead of Game 6, which takes place later this week, their head coach, Craig Berube, had a stern warning for his team.
The Maple Leafs’ defense has been leaky in the past two games, giving away four goals apiece. To make matters worse, they failed to open their scoring in the last game, as their woes continued on the ice. At a time when the team was losing momentum, a pep talk from their coach, Berube, could prove to be crucial for them going forward.
During a pre-game interview ahead of Game 6, Berube emphasized that it would take a team effort if the Maple Leafs are to defeat the Senators. He revealed, “I get it, that’s all I hear around here is ‘core, core, core.’ The Core Four. But it’s on everybody in the team. We’re a team and it’s on the whole team, not just four guys.”
Craig Berube emphasized that it’s going to take a team effort for the #leafs to eliminate the #sens: “I get it, that’s all I hear around here is ‘core, core, core.’ The Core Four. But it’s on everybody in the team. We’re a team and it’s on the whole team, not just four guys.”
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) April 30, 2025
Additionally, the Maple Leafs’ coach was also disappointed with the team’s performance in the power play. Stressing the importance of improving that part of the game, he said, “We had an opportunity on the power play to get it back; it didn’t happen. We need to be more direct there, with our power play. I didn’t think our power play was direct enough, with shot volume and getting stuff to the net. And then the third period, obviously, that power play hurt us.”
Even as the tie is poised for a nervous finish, the Maple Leafs players are also battling nervousness on and off the ice. Ahead of the crucial Game 6, Auston Matthews caught a frustrated look.
Auston Matthews involved in an embarrassing situation
While Auston Matthews returned empty-handed from Game 5, he also caught himself in an unusual situation. Battling hard to break the opposition’s defense, Matthews broke his stick by himself in a clear show of frustration. Making two critical errors leading to the goals, Matthews took it upon himself and even said, “That’s on me; I have to make a better play.”
However, he played down the nervousness in the dressing room, saying, “Everybody’s fine in here. The playoffs, it’s a roller-coaster. It could be ups and downs. It’s about staying as even-keeled as you possibly can and making adjustments when you need to.”
Nonetheless, Auston Matthews was a widely talked-about subject on social media after breaking his stick. Some fans even called him a “Big Baby” for breaking his stick in a show of frustration. It all boils down to the team’s performances, and the Maple Leafs would look to seal the tie in Game Six by overcoming their two-game losing streak. Can the Maple Leafs progress through, or will the Senators score a comeback victory? Let us know your views in the comments below.
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