""We want to win," defenceman Simon Benoit told reporters at Tuesday morning's optional skate ahead of their game against the Sabres. "That's it, there's no other, we just want to win. We have to win.""
""I've been here for three years now, at this point we're already in the playoff spot with a couple of points ahead." Benoit said. "Obviously, this year it's not the same scenario, we're a couple of points behind. So, it's a must-win, every night is a must-win if you want to make the playoffs.""
""It's definitely a big one, we know the magnitude of it," forward Bobby McMann added. "It's something that we don't really want to focus on, we just want to focus on playing our game more than anything, and coming out with a good start, I think, is the biggest thing.""
An up-and-down Toronto Maple Leafs season has fallen into a slump with four consecutive losses while Atlantic Division rivals keep winning, leaving the team six points out of a wildcard spot with five games remaining before the Olympic break. Early January momentum stalled over the past week as losses returned and rivals like the Buffalo Sabres surged, intensifying the standings impact of dropped points. Players acknowledge urgency and a changed team mood after three seasons of usually secure playoff positions. Simon Benoit emphasized a must-win mentality every night; Bobby McMann stressed focusing on playing the team's game and starting strong.
Read at TheLeafsNation
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]