The Toronto Maple Leafs are in their toughest stretches of the season, facing off against some of the NHL’s best, and once again, the team laid a complete egg on home ice.

The Colorado Avalanche came to town for a rare Sunday afternoon affair and the Avs’ speed and resilience were too much to handle for the Maple Leafs, who lost 4-1. Head coach Craig Berube spoke after the game about what he saw from his team Sunday, and it’s become quite obvious, the losses piling up on home ice is starting to take a toll on this hockey club.

“I thought we came out and were fine, we made two puck-play mistakes and it’s in our net,” stated Berube postgame. “Execution, was obviously, the cause of a couple of goals. Give their guys two on ones, or odd-man rushes and you’re in trouble. We get down 2-0 and it kind of deflated our team. Tried to fight back in the third, but overall, we have to fix the execution part for me.”

“The battle level, when we get down in a game, have to come together as a team, and fight through that, because it’s going to happen, we all know that, but losing at home here, it’s worn on our team a little bit. But, that’s pro sports, we got to all pull together here and get ready for Tuesday. We need a win, that’s the bottom line”

Toronto was outshot 37-33, including 17-6 in the opening frame as the Avalanche showed off their blazing speed, which seemed to overwhelm the Leafs, especially the likes of Morgan Rielly and Simon Benoit on defence, who both had tough games. The Leafs haven’t won on home ice in regulation in over two weeks, and now move to 0-3-1 on their current 5-game homestand. Berube knows something has to change here, and in a hurry.

“I think we’ve come home here after a pretty good road trip, and a lot of mistakes in my opinion, a lot of execution mistakes with the puck, and some other things that have caused us to be where we’re at here at home.”

The Maple Leafs will stick around the snowy conditions in Toronto to host the red-hot Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night. A game that’s quickly become the team’s most important game of the season and an absolute must win to get this team back on track. One things for sure, currently, with the Olympic break looming, these struggling Maple Leafs have zero confidence.

“Well, that’s a choice, like come on, these are NHL players. I mean, you’re paid to play in the NHL, you gotta go out and play…I know the feeling. Confidence comes from hard work.”

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