Four Leafs-Devils takeaways: Jack Hughes dominates, rush defense collapses, Berube is tired of experimenting

Jack Hughes scored a hat trick for the Devils and was the best player on the ice, perhaps the best individual opponent the Maple Leafs faced this year. Cody Glass and Brenden Dillon also scored for New Jersey, while Jake Allen made 23 saves in a game where he was rarely tested in any meaningful way.

Here are four lessons from the Maple Leafs’ 5-2 loss to the Devils:

Jack Hughes produces a dominant effort with a hat-trick

Jack Hughes is one of the most dynamic players in the NHL and he delivered a dominant effort, capping his hat trick with an empty-net goal with 30 seconds left on the clock. Hughes used his tremendous speed to great effect and he crushed the Maple Leafs with all his skills.

Toronto made it easy at times: Hughes came in without much resistance for his first goal of the match and neatly fired past Anthony Stolarz. Max Domi couldn’t shut down Hughes, and it was light work for the Devils’ superstar.

Hughes scored a beautiful goal in the second frame, flying off the striker as Domi, Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies were caught way too far up the ice. Stolarz had no chance as Hughes ripped a slap shot off the rush for his second goal of the period. He would end his excellent match with an empty-netter in the final minute, and it was a trademark performance from the 24-year-old, who is firmly in his prime.

“Yeah, he was really dangerous tonight. His ability to play in the open ice, the speed and anticipating plays, he obviously had a great night tonight,” Matthews said of Hughes after the game.

Craig Berube is tired of experimenting with the first line, Max Domi is not the answer

“I think early in the season I thought they had their chances and looked pretty good,” Berube said after the game. “Now it’s clearly not good enough. I don’t feel like they’re putting any sustained pressure in the offensive zone at all. It’s one and done or out. It’s making me tired, to be honest.”

Would a Cowan-Matthews-Nylander combination work? Berube is getting tired of experimenting and after a lackluster performance against the Devils, we’re curious to see what combinations he puts together ahead of this weekend’s home-and-home matchup with the Buffalo Sabres.

The Maple Leafs rush defense completely collapses

New Jersey is one of the fastest teams in the NHL, but that doesn’t excuse Toronto’s inability to close gaps and bounce back in rush scenarios. Toronto seemed to be one step behind throughout the game and Berube was unhappy after the game.

“Our D just stand there, jump in and don’t read what’s coming at them. We’re late on our reloads sometimes and one of the biggest things is turnovers,” Berube said. “We have to be smarter. We have to be smarter.”

Hughes exploited the Leafs all night, finding easy holes to exploit, especially when the Leafs were caught way too far up the ice. It wasn’t just Hughes cutting through the defense, however, and the Maple Leafs seemed stuck in quicksand at times against a Devils team that relies on its superior pace to generate consistent offense. Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon, who is not known for his offense, beat Stolarz cleanly off the rush in a 3-on-1 scenario.

“We just have to be smarter with the puck and the way we manage the game,” Maple Leafs forward John Tavares said after the game. “A team like this, with the way they can skate and how quick they are in transition, obviously really hurt us, and from then on we went after it.”

Berube dismissed the idea that the Maple Leafs lack speed against opponents, noting that they are a fast team when they make crisp passes and execute their game plan. Rush defense was a major focus for Berube last year, and it could become much more apparent if Tanev misses significant time due to an upper-body injury.

Jays mania continues to be in full effect

It was a grim loss for the Maple Leafs, but the city of Toronto officially belongs to the Blue Jays. Myles Straw, Tyler Heineman and hitting coach David Popkins got the loudest cheers of the night as the Leafs gave the Jays a brief tribute during a stoppage in play. While the Leafs are battling through a 3-3-1 start, the Blue Jays are a real bright spot in the city’s sporting ecosystem.

Berube said emphatically, “How about those jays, boys!” to begin his media availability Tuesday morning, with Max Domi and Chris Tanev confidently saying the Jays were winning the World Series. As the Maple Leafs travel to take on the Buffalo Sabres, the city is in the spotlight for Game 1 of the World Series at the Rogers Center.

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