Babcock doesn't buy back-to-back fatigue: 'Play the game'

This just in: Mike Babcock doesn't like to lose.

Unfortunately for him and his Toronto Maple Leafs, they experienced just that Thursday night in Philadelphia, dropping a 2-1 decision on a late goal from the Flyers.

The Leafs were in the second game of a back-to-back, and while they certainly played like they were out of gas in the third period - where they were out-attempted 32-11 at even strength - Babcock isn't buying into his team being fatigued, citing the glory days of minor hockey as a reference point.

"When you were young, you played three minor hockey games in one day and no one knows (they're tired)," Babcock said, according to The Athletic's James Mirtle. "You eat a burger and then you have some fries and then you put a little ketchup on the side and then you keep playing. You don't know. No one told you you were tired so you're not tired.

"So this is just because now we have all these (sports science) people working for us saying you've got to eat this and do this - forget that. Play the game."

To Babcock's point, the Flyers were also in the second portion of a back-to-back, and heavily carried play as the game wore on.

The compact schedule doesn't stop any time soon for the Leafs, either, as Toronto faces seven more back-to-back situations in the remaining 35 games of its season.