MONTREAL - Craig Berube was out of answers.

The Toronto Maple Leafs fell 5-2 to the rival Montreal Canadiens in a battle of two slumping teams Saturday night, losing for the seventh time in eight games amid a season that began with Stanley Cup aspirations.

Berube watched his group control play early, registering the game’s first six shots, only to fold once the Canadiens capitalized on two quick opportunities, and then come out flat in a dismal second period.

It’s a pattern the Leafs coach had seen before – and he still couldn’t grasp why.

"We're down 2-0, but I just don't understand why we can't go out in the second period to dictate how we're going to play the period,” he said. “That's the difference for me. They dictated the game in the second period. They put their foot on the gas,

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