SUNRISE, Fla. — Matthew Knies used a critical word.
The most feared word in hockey: soft.
This is hardly the adjective you want associated with your team just before the playoffs, especially after a significant loss to a key rival on a night where securing home-ice advantage in the first round was possible.
“We tried to respond, but I don`t think we did enough. I think our physicality… we were a bit soft in some areas and didn’t maintain intensity for the entire game. We’ll need to learn to do that by playoff time,” Knies commented Tuesday night after a 3-1 loss to the Florida Panthers.
The final score was actually flattering for Toronto.
Among the four Maple Leafs players who spoke after the game, it was the youngest who provided the most insightful and honest evaluation of their lackluster performance.
“We just need better communication, more energy,” continued Knies, 22. “We were slow to the pucks. Our lack of offensive creation definitely affected us. We need to remember that simple, fundamental hockey is what generates offense and energy for us.”
Tristan Blackwood