Craig Berube backs Joseph Woll and team effort for Game 7

The Toronto Maple Leafs are going into a massive Game 7 versus the Florida Panthers, and head coach Craig Berube has one clear message for his team: don't mess with success. Following up a strong 2-0 victory in Game 6 to extend their season, Craig Berube thinks the secret to winning Game 7 is keeping things the same, remaining calm, skating hard, and emphasizing team play over individual skill.Craig Berube knows the secret to winning a Game 7. He guided the St. Louis Blues to a Stanley Cup 2019 with a victory in a comparable do-or-die contest. Now with the Maple Leafs, he's introducing that same consistent approach.Following Friday night's victory, when goalie Joseph Woll closed the door with 37 saves, Berube did not lavish one player with praise. Rather, he cited the effort of the whole team. "I use that word 'determination,'" Berube said. "That's on them. They brought the emotion."Although Florida attempted more shots (37-23), Toronto's system stood firm. Players defended the puck, maintained their position, and didn't panic with the puck. That's precisely what Berube wants to happen again. He doesn't think the Leafs need to do much differently. It's about doing what they did successfully and having faith that their stars such as Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner will shine through when it matters.“We just got to work,” Berube said. “Got to kind of 'work' before 'skill,' and then the skill can take over at some point.”Perhaps the greatest story of Game 6 was goalie Joseph Woll, who shut out 37 shots faced. With Ilya Samsonov still away, Woll provided the Leafs with precisely what they were looking for: steady, assured goaltending.But Craig Berube would like the rest of the team to leave well enough alone. No need for radical changes, no need for crazy new plans. Just plain old smart hockey. “Relax. Get rested,” Berube instructed his players. “Focus on what we focused on in Game 6.”That involves better puck possession, skating hard, and playing tough without letting your guard down. Berube is aware that in Game 7, things are intense, but the best teams are the ones that remain even-keel and focused. The Leafs will play Game 7 in the franchise's 28th such contest. Berube would have his team replicate their Game 6 approach, but louder and tougher.Also Read: Maple Leafs One Loss Away From Elimination After Struggling In Game 5 Against Florida Panthers