“I’m not making any excuses. We get one power play per game, maybe two. I mean, that’s definitely a little problem,” Berube told reporters during practice on Friday. “When we say that, we have to do a better job of executing our power plays with the opportunities we have.”
The eye test matches Berube’s stance on the team at this point. The Leafs are past the point where they struggle to set up and create chances, now it’s about finishing the chances they generate. This is the conclusion that Berube put forward after the practice.
“For me, we didn’t execute well enough. And that’s really what it comes down to. There have been plays that we’ve had in tight or good opportunities. We’re missing a net. We haven’t executed well enough.”
Berube expanded on this point, pointing out the team’s shot volume on the power play before returning to the point about having trouble finishing plays.
“If you look at the stats, we’re one of the top teams that have shot the puck on the power play. That’s not a problem. I think we have to keep shooting it, you have to keep attacking, but I think we just have to do better on our A opportunities.”
When asked what his team needs to do to earn more power plays, Berube joked that it wasn’t his question to answer.
“I don’t know, you would have to ask the association.” he said to a room of laughter.
The Leafs’ slow starts in October have been an ongoing problem for decades, but each time they have been saved by a great November. Last season, they went 6-4-1 in October before posting eight wins and an 8-3-1 record in November. With three wins in a row to start in November of this year, things are trending as they always do around this time of year.
Of course, Berube was only here last season, so he can’t speak to previous years, but he remembers the team discovering their identity toward the end of the month and sees a similar trend this season.
“I can only go by the last year and I’ve been here a little bit,” Berube said. “But I think what I’m seeing now, going back a little bit, even at the end of October, is just playing into our identity and understanding that this is how we’re going to be successful. And when we do it, we’re pretty good, we’re giving ourselves a chance to win.”
The Maple Leafs will play the third and fourth games of a four-game home stretch this weekend, starting the weekend with a win against the Boston Bruins on Saturday before hosting the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.
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