Stanley Cup Playoffs: Maple Leafs HC Craig Berube makes major admission after win vs Senators

The Toronto Maple Leafs opened their Stanley Cup Playoffs campaign in dominant fashion, cruising past the Ottawa Senators with a commanding 6-2 victory. Under head coach Craig Berube, the Leafs left no room for doubt, delivering a powerful statement in Game 1.

Anchored by a strong defensive showing—highlighted by an outstanding performance from goaltender Anthony Stolarz—and fueled by the offensive brilliance of Mitch Marner, Toronto showcased the kind of firepower and balance that could make them a serious contender as the postseason unfolds.

Craig Berube, the man leading this team from behind the bench, spoke to the media following the game and expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance from start to finish.

“The power play has been rolling for a while,” Maple Leafs coach said via NHL.com. “They’re doing a good job. For me, it’s about getting pucks to the net with numbers at the net. I can’t say enough about Tavares and Matthew Knies in those areas, they’ve done an extremely good job at all their work in the interior of the ice.”

Mitch Marner knows this is just the beginning

Toronto may be considered one of the most talented teams with a loaded roster in the NHL. Mitch Marner is one of the key players on Berube’s squad, and he left no doubt about his impact in the team’s debut during this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.

While the final result of 6-2 against the Senators clearly showcases the offensive power of the Maple Leafs, Marner knows that this is just the beginning, and they can’t afford to relax with what lies ahead.

“Just to start off with a win is great, but we have to look forward to the next one. It’s going to be even harder to win the next one and we are going to look to figure out how we can even be a little better Tuesday,” the talented player said via NHL.com. “It does help chipping in, it feels good, but the win is the most important thing and that’s what you aim for.”

Senators HC Travis Green’s self-criticism

Starting with a tough loss in the playoffs is not what any coach expects, and that’s something Travis Green made clear. Once the game was over, the Ottawa Senators‘ head coach revealed, from his perspective, where the key factors lay that prevented his team from staying competitive in the game.

“I thought maybe the first five, 10 minutes we were a little nervous, which is probably to be expected,” he said. “We have a lot of guys who haven’t played in the playoffs, but 5-on-5 I liked our game. We definitely have to stay out of the box, I’ll say that. I thought there were a couple calls they did a good job selling, but it’s tough on the refs. We can’t take that many penalties, for sure.”