The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered their worst defeat in the Mike Babcock era Saturday night, being embarrassed 7-0 by the San Jose Sharks in the final stop of their California road trip.
Though the state typically takes its casualties, the loss did present a rare opportunity (at least of late) for Babcock to tear into his team.
But he refrained, even being complimentary.
"I actually thought we started great. I thought we were doing lots of good things. When we gave up the shorthanded goal, we stayed on the ice too long, we had a bad change. Everyone thought to that point we had played good," the typically prickly Babcock said, according to James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail.
"We hung (Jonathan Bernier) out to dry tonight," he added. " He's been playing really good and we hung him out to dry. They had quality chances. So we've got to get home, get freshened up, and get back at 'er because that's not good enough."
The Maple Leafs will return home with a sour taste in their mouths, but they did play very well on the first two stops. Bernier shut out the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday before a late rally behind a strong effort from James Reimer came up narrowly short versus the Los Angeles Kings.
