Nylander chalks up defensive errors on Kevin Fiala’s goal to long shift: ‘I was pretty tired’
“I thought they were just all over us, we didn’t really get any clean looks,” Nylander said. “They were just hammering us, keeping us in the D-zone. I felt like we were just kinda chasing it. But we battled, so a step in the right direction.”
Nylander in particular took some heat for his perceived lack of defensive effort on the Kings’ second goal, scored by Kevin Fiala in the second period. In case you missed it, here’s a look at that tying goal:
Fiala ties it
📽️: Sportsnet | NHL
Nylander chalked it up to getting caught on the ice too long.
“I was going and I was pretty tired, so that’s probably what happened,” Nylander said. “I just think that shift in particular ended up being a long one, second period and I couldn’t get a change.”
The Maple Leafs will now face off against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, where they’ll try to battle their way back into the win column. As a leader on this currently struggling team, Nylander spoke about his role in trying to help the team snap their skid.
“You just try to talk and be positive, I think that’s important,” Nylander said. “It’s just time, and we’ll turn it around. So just have each other’s backs.”
Despite the losses, he added that he feels no sense of panic within the locker room, with the team holding continued confidence in what they can accomplish.
“I think we’re still positive,” Nylander said. “We know that we’re able to play better, and that’s the thing that is important … like I’ve said before, it’s small adjustments that will make a big difference.”
