- Auston Matthews says the Maple Leafs need urgency after a 4-1 loss to the Islanders
- The captain pointed at himself and the veterans first
- Read below for his full comments and video from the postgame media availability
Auston Matthews wants more from the Maple Leafs, and he started with himself.
The Leafs captain talked about the team’s slide after Saturday’s 4-1 home loss to the Islanders, Toronto’s third straight defeat. Matthews was asked about where the group goes from here.
“We need urgency,” Matthews said. “The games are just gonna keep coming. We’ve got to be better in all areas. Starting with myself, starting with the leaders and veterans, I think we’ve all got another level to show.”
Watch Matthews’ full postgame media availability from the Leafs:
Matthews and William Nylander each managed one shot on net. It was the second time this season the top-line duo combined for zero points, and the other one also came against the Islanders.
Matthews explained where he thought the offense went sideways. “I think we passed up on a lot of shots today, too, and just kind of made it a little bit easier on them,” he said. “They played really well. They played hard.”
Toronto sits at 3-4-2 and has allowed 32 goals in nine games. Sergei Bobrovsky has given up three or more in each of his first six starts as a Leaf, something no Toronto goalie had done since Vesa Toskala in 2009.
Matthews was asked about Bobrovsky and put the blame on the skaters. “We’ve really left him out to dry in these last couple of starts, and that’s on us,” he said.
Head coach Jim Hiller explained what he saw against Ilya Sorokin and the Islanders, who got two goals from Simon Holmstrom. “You are not going to score on the perimeter with this team,” Hiller said.
John Tavares is still out week-to-week with a lower-body injury, which leaves Toronto thin down the middle. The Sharks visit Monday in a game that features Gavin McKenna against Macklin Celebrini, and that kicks off a four-game week that ends with the Oilers in Edmonton.
