Yahoo Sports ‘Doesn't Really Matter If They Boo’: Mitch Marner And William Nylander Respond To Boos Amid Maple Leafs’ Three-Game Losing Skid
The Toronto Maple Leafs hit the ice for practice on Wednesday at the Ford Performance Centre following their 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. The club looks to turn the page on Thursday when the New Jersey Devils roll into town to wrap up the team’s three-game homestand – and leave the previous three contests behind them.
For the second straight game, the Leafs skated off the ice to the sound of their home crowd expressing dissatisfaction with their play on Tuesday night, boos raining down after the club gave up a 1-0 lead and surrendered four unanswered goals to the Stars.
After practice on Wednesday, a pair of Maple Leafs addressed the criticism from their fanbase, with Mitch Marner acknowledging that he hears the noise but the team has work to do – especially after a series of sluggish performances.
“Just try to ignore it,” Marner said when asked about the boos. “We're just trying to do our job out there and go out and put together a full 60. And, you know, we got a good practice today, a good video session. We've got to get to work tomorrow.”
William Nylander, who has just one goal in his last 10 games with the Maple Leafs, dating back to December 21 against the New York Islanders, seems unfazed by the boos and the criticism.
“It doesn't really matter if they boo,” said Nylander. “I mean, we know we're a good team, so, yeah.”
When asked about the adversity the team has faced recently, Nylander was quick to emphasize that it's all part of the journey, noting that every successful team goes through tough stretches. Despite the team's three-game losing streak, during which they were outscored 13-4, Nylander doesn’t see any red flags.
“I think all good teams need to go through some stretch where everything's not clicking and everything like that,” said Nylander. “So, yeah, I mean, good teams find their way out of this. And, I mean, it's only been three games, so what's the big deal, really?”
The Leafs had opened the scoring on Tuesday night with a 1-0 lead, but it all unraveled after that. The Stars capitalized on two power-play opportunities, while the Leafs struggled to find any success on their own man advantage, going 0-for-2. The lack of execution has been a recurring issue, with Toronto failing to generate consistent offensive pressure and capitalizing on their opportunities.
Through two games of their three-game stay at Scotiabank Arena, the Leafs have been outscored 7-1 with the loss to Dallas following a disappointing 3-0 shutout loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.
“It's everywhere. They do it in every rink, don't they? I mean, it's part of the game,” said head coach Craig Berube post-game on Tuesday, referencing the boos. “They pay good money, and they come to see hockey, and they want to see us win. So, that's, you know, that's the way it goes.”
Despite the club’s recent challenges, it seems both Marner and Nylander are focused on moving forward and remain confident the team will find its way out of the slump.
And they have to.
Still sitting first in the Atlantic Division with 56 points, their lead has dwindled down to just a singular point in separation. With a handful of strong teams coming up on the schedule, the Leafs will have to get back on track and fast.
“I think I've said it many times. It's a rollercoaster every season,” Marner explained. “There's going to be stretches that are really good. There's going to be stretches that aren't great. You know, you've just got to try to find the medium through it all. And like I said, just make sure we're doing the right things out there. A good video session, good energy at practice, and got to take that going forward tomorrow.”
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