After a couple of deflating losses to division rivals, the <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> are looking for a little more spark to get back into the race for first place in the Atlantic. The Maple Leafs begin the new week looking to end their <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-recent-stretch-play-meaningless-uninspiring">four-game homestand on a high note</a>, especially after falling to the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/florida-panthers/line-combinations">Florida Panthers</a> and <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/ottawa-senators/line-combinations">Ottawa Senators</a> in back-to-back affairs.
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When speaking to the media after morning skate on Monday, head coach Craig Berube acknowledged that the team knows it needs to be playing better hockey at this stage of the season.
&#8220;[We] talked about some urgency that we need a little bit, but we need more,&#8221; Berube explained. &#8220;Throughout the game, not when it&#8217;s desperate time. I think last game&#8230;Ottawa was a little more hungry than us earlier on in that game. You got to get that battle level and that urgency level up.&#8221;
This time of year, the intensity ramps up, and the <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/combinations">pressure on players in Toronto</a> rises to a fever pitch, which is something this core of Maple Leafs knows all too well. Berube stated that his players know the situation they&#8217;re in, and they don&#8217;t like how things have gone, losing five of their past six games.
&#8220;They&#8217;re upset about things, and they&#8217;re pissed off. So, that&#8217;s a good thing.&#8221;
The Maple Leafs are set to host the <a href="https://flamesnation.ca/">Calgary Flames</a> on Monday night. Unlike Toronto, the Flames are battling for their playoff lives, fighting with the rival <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/">Vancouver Canucks</a> and others for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Berube is hoping the <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/scenes-toronto-maple-leafs-morning-skate-matthews-marner-reunited-laughton-identity-line">Leafs come out with more jump</a> against a team with plenty to play for.
&#8220;I didn&#8217;t love the energy levels the last couple of games, to be honest with you, but&#8230; I felt today, in practice, they were better. It was quiet, but I think they&#8217;re not very happy right now.&#8221;
One of the areas Berube wants to see a little more focus on from his players is on the penalty kill. The Leafs have allowed six power-play goals over the past five games, including two to Panthers forward Sam Bennett. While Berube says the team isn&#8217;t changing how they operate while down a man, he would like to see some better execution.
&#8220;We&#8217;re not gonna go away from what we do as a penalty kill unit, but there&#8217;s always things that we try to clean up on it a little bit&#8230;On the penalty kill side of things &#8211; it&#8217;s gotta be a little bit more urgency in that department, too. Blocking some more shots, taking care of the front of the net. If you look at the goals that Florida scored on us, they&#8217;re right there in the crease&#8230;we got to do a better job of that.&#8221;
<a href="https://theleafsnation.com/schedule">With 16 games to go</a> and two games in hand on the Atlantic-leading Panthers, the Maple Leafs control their own destiny. In keeping the team focused on the task at hand, at least grabbing home-ice advantage for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Berube says that he and the rest of his coaching staff have a great influence on how the players prepare for the home stretch.
&#8220;We&#8216;re definitely part of it, myself included&#8230;we talk about it a lot. We talk about playing these teams that are fighting for playoffs and desperation they have. So, it&#8217;s not like it&#8217;s not talked about.&#8221;
The Leafs (39-24-3) sit third in the Atlantic, with both them and the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/tampa-bay-lightning/line-combinations">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> four games back of the Panthers. The Flames (30-24-11) are fifth in the Pacific Division, two points behind the Canucks for the last Wild Card spot in the West.
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After a couple of deflating losses to division rivals, the <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> are looking for a little more spark to get back into the race for first place in the Atlantic. The Maple Leafs begin the new week looking to end their <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-recent-stretch-play-meaningless-uninspiring">four-game homestand on a high note</a>, especially after falling to the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/florida-panthers/line-combinations">Florida Panthers</a> and <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/ottawa-senators/line-combinations">Ottawa Senators</a> in back-to-back affairs.
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When speaking to the media after morning skate on Monday, head coach Craig Berube acknowledged that the team knows it needs to be playing better hockey at this stage of the season.

"[We] talked about some urgency that we need a little bit, but we need more," Berube explained. "Throughout the game, not when it's desperate time. I think last game...Ottawa was a little more hungry than us earlier on in that game. You got to get that battle level and that urgency level up."

This time of year, the intensity ramps up, and the <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/combinations">pressure on players in Toronto</a> rises to a fever pitch, which is something this core of Maple Leafs knows all too well. Berube stated that his players know the situation they're in, and they don't like how things have gone, losing five of their past six games.

"They're upset about things, and they're pissed off. So, that's a good thing."

The Maple Leafs are set to host the <a href="https://flamesnation.ca/">Calgary Flames</a> on Monday night. Unlike Toronto, the Flames are battling for their playoff lives, fighting with the rival <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/">Vancouver Canucks</a> and others for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Berube is hoping the <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/scenes-toronto-maple-leafs-morning-skate-matthews-marner-reunited-laughton-identity-line">Leafs come out with more jump</a> against a team with plenty to play for.

"I didn't love the energy levels the last couple of games, to be honest with you, but... I felt today, in practice, they were better. It was quiet, but I think they're not very happy right now."

One of the areas Berube wants to see a little more focus on from his players is on the penalty kill. The Leafs have allowed six power-play goals over the past five games, including two to Panthers forward Sam Bennett. While Berube says the team isn't changing how they operate while down a man, he would like to see some better execution.

"We're not gonna go away from what we do as a penalty kill unit, but there's always things that we try to clean up on it a little bit...On the penalty kill side of things - it's gotta be a little bit more urgency in that department, too. Blocking some more shots, taking care of the front of the net. If you look at the goals that Florida scored on us, they're right there in the crease...we got to do a better job of that."

<a href="https://theleafsnation.com/schedule">With 16 games to go</a> and two games in hand on the Atlantic-leading Panthers, the Maple Leafs control their own destiny. In keeping the team focused on the task at hand, at least grabbing home-ice advantage for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Berube says that he and the rest of his coaching staff have a great influence on how the players prepare for the home stretch.

"We're definitely part of it, myself included...we talk about it a lot. We talk about playing these teams that are fighting for playoffs and desperation they have. So, it's not like it's not talked about."

The Leafs (39-24-3) sit third in the Atlantic, with both them and the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/tampa-bay-lightning/line-combinations">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> four games back of the Panthers. The Flames (30-24-11) are fifth in the Pacific Division, two points behind the Canucks for the last Wild Card spot in the West.

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Berube: Leafs are ‘pissed off,’ hoping for more urgency in the season’s final weeks

Mitch Marner skating in Toronto Maple Leafs St. Patrick's jersey Calgary Flames in background

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