Maple Leafs HC Craig Berube pins 1-0 loss on failed powerplay, penalties & opponent goalie

The Toronto Maple Leafs kicked off their 2024-25 NHL season with a frustrating 1-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

Head coach Craig Berube pointed to a combination of factors that led to the defeat, including a misfiring power play, unnecessary penalties and an exceptional performance by the opposing goaltender.

Perhaps most concerning for Toronto was its power play's inability to convert, going 0-for-4 on the night. Berube didn't mince words when addressing the special teams' struggles, saying:

"Not direct enough. A little outside for me, you know? We didn't look to attack right away, get shots, and get pucks to the net to look for some rebounds. We were just moving it around on the outside too much."

The Leafs' discipline was also an issue, as they found themselves shorthanded five times throughout the contest. Berube expressed his disappointment, saying:

"They were unnecessary penalties, some of them. We talked before the game and in between periods about it. We have to be better."

Despite the loss, Berube found some positives in his team's performance:

"A lot of good things. A lot of shots. I thought the execution was off, whether it was the shot or the passing. It just wasn't clean enough at times, the power play included. But there was a lot of good stuff."

The Canadiens' lone goal was scored by Cole Caufield, while Montreal goalie Sam Montembeault stood tall making 48 saves. Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz stopped 26 shots in a losing effort.

Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews on 1-0 loss against Canadiens

Auston Matthews lamented the missed opportunities on offense after the loss.

"Obviously, definitely did enough to score and put ourselves in better position but, you know, puck didn't go in," Matthews said.

The Maple Leafs outshot the Canadiens 48-27 but could not capitalize on their chances. Montreal's lone goal came on the powerplay in the first period.

"I think special teams was obviously the difference tonight," Matthews acknowledged. "I think there's a lot of good things that we can take away from the game, it's Game 1 obviously. ...But I think there's lots that we can build on here as a team."

Despite the loss, Matthews remained upbeat about the team's performance. With a long season ahead, he emphasized focusing on the positives and building momentum.

Toronto will look to rebound on Saturday night against the Ottawa Senators.