Nation Sites
The Nation Network
The LeafsNation has no direct affiliation to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, NHL, or NHLPA
Craig Berube unfazed by Maple Leafs getting booed for 2nd consecutive home game

Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Jan 15, 2025, 06:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 14, 2025, 23:00 EST
Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube isn’t particularly concerned about his team getting booed off the ice for the second consecutive home game, amid a three-game losing streak.
Toronto lost 4-1 to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday evening at Scotiabank Arena and fans raced to the exit with five minutes to go. Berube was unfazed, and addressed the fan reaction post-game.
“It’s everywhere. They do it in every rink, don’t they? It’s a part of the game. They pay good money and they come to see hockey and they want to see us win. That’s the way it goes,” Berube said.
Berube wasn’t overly critical of the Maple Leafs, and thought the Stars’ two power play goals were the vital difference, while offering praise to Toronto’s penalty kill efforts overall.
“I think tonight, the game was very fair. I thought we started off well, real good power play right away. Hit a few posts on it, it would’ve been nice if one of them went in. Right now, for me, it was a special teams battle tonight. I thought 5-on-5, it was a pretty tight game, not much going on either way. We’ve got to win that battle. We’re not getting the bounces, I don’t think. We’re not executing good enough with the puck. I think we can execute better. We seemed a little bit off on the execution part of things.”
Toronto is mired in a three-game losing streak for the first time this season, but Berube was satisfied with his team’s effort level, while making a number of in-game adjustments — the Steven Lorentz experiment on Toronto’s first line lasted parts of two periods, and the 28-year-old was eventually demoted to the fourth line.
Berube took issue with Tavares’ second minor penalty of the game, which led directly to Mavrik Bourque’s game-winning goal in the second period.
“They want to call that on John Tavares, that second penalty, but they’re going to let everything else go in the game? I’m not going to get into the referees, but we’re working.”
It’s a long season and it’s worth having some perspective, as the Maple Leafs still lead the Atlantic Division by a point over the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. It doesn’t mean the fans have to enjoy every aspect of the year on a game-by-game basis, and it will be a renewed effort Thursday against the New Jersey Devils in Sheldon Keefe’s homecoming.
Sponsored by bet365
Recent articles from Arun Srinivasan
- Leafs director of amateur scouting Mark Leach previews Gavin McKenna, 2026 class, draft tendencies
- Marlies score 5 unanswered goals to defeat Penguins, take 3-2 lead in AHL’s Eastern Conference Finals
- Gavin McKenna reflects on potentially going 1st overall to Leafs: ‘I’d be pretty fortunate to go there’
Breaking News
- Shopping Knies, coach search strategy, and a depth target in free agency: Leaflets
- Leafs director of amateur scouting Mark Leach previews Gavin McKenna, 2026 class, draft tendencies
- Marlies score 5 unanswered goals to defeat Penguins, take 3-2 lead in AHL’s Eastern Conference Finals
- Gavin McKenna reflects on potentially going 1st overall to Leafs: ‘I’d be pretty fortunate to go there’
- Hockey Hall of Famer, former Maple Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher dies at 90
