Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube addresses Game 7 loss against Panthers, comments on Core 4 'frustration'

By Ankit Kumar

Modified May 19, 2025 14:22 GMT

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Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube spoke to the media after a 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 on Sunday. The defeat ended the Leafs’ playoff run in the second round in their home arena, Scotiabank. Berube was asked if the team’s past playoff losses affected their performance.

Replying to the reporter, Berube said the moment wasn’t too big for the players. He pointed out that they won Game 6 in Ottawa and in Florida.

"I don’t think the moment is too big for them," Berube said. [17:04] "We went into Ottawa and won Game 6 to win a series. We went into Florida and won a Game 6 to force a Game 7. The moment is not too big."

According to Berube, the team didn’t execute well when it mattered most. He said it was a mindset issue, not a problem with skill or experience.

"For me, it is all between the ears," Berube said. "It is a mindset. These guys are capable of doing it. You just have to execute it, and we didn’t execute it. We didn’t execute it in Game 5. We didn’t execute it in Game 7. I don’t have an answer for why, but that is the bottom line."

Florida controlled much of the game, especially in the second period. They outshot Toronto 18-5 and scored three goals in that period alone. Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen each had a goal and two assists. Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 19 saves, including some key stops early on.

Additionally, Toronto had a really poor start, they didn’t get their first shot until nearly 12 minutes into the first period. Max Domi scored the only goal for the Leafs in the third, but Florida kept building their lead. It led to visible frustration on the Maple Leafs bench, and in one viral clip, forward Mitch Marner is seen yelling at his teammates.

Even Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube was frustrated, and when asked about it, Berube said frustration happens when not everyone is doing the "right things."

"Frustration sets in when you don’t get everybody on board doing the right things and playing together as a team," Berube said. "That is what happens.

"You can’t go into a game like tonight and have anybody not at their best. It doesn’t mean fancy plays or skilled plays. You are at your best when you are highly competitive, are winning your battles, and playing with desperation to win a hockey game. We didn’t do that tonight. That is why the result is the result."

Florida moves on to face Carolina in the conference final after their spectacular win to finish the series. They are the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Auston Matthews shared his disappointment after Maple Leafs' Game 7 loss

Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews also talked about poor effort from the team. He said the team was not on the same page and felt they started well but couldn’t keep it going.

“I think just not on the same page in different areas of the game," Matthews said, according to NHL.com. "I felt like we were ready to play, I felt like we were in a good mindset. ... I just thought we had too many passengers throughout the rest of the game.”

The loss continues a trend, as the Maple Leafs have now lost seven straight Game 7s. Last year, they lost to the Boston Bruins, and Brad Marchand was leading that team; this year, he ended the Leafs' playoff journey with the Panthers.