WordsOfWisdom Posted January 6, 2019 Author Share Posted January 6, 2019 Great effort by the Leafs tonight. They needed this one (based on some pretty lame Saturday performances recently). The Canucks looked out of gas and the Leafs just kept taking it to them. Enjoyable game to watch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted January 13, 2019 Author Share Posted January 13, 2019 Frustrating end to tonight's game. Leafs had this one and let it slip away. They didn't look sharp in the third period and a couple of defensive gaffs hurt big time. The Bruins just seem to dominate the Leafs. Amazing how a ~40 year old Chara is still a more effective shutdown defenceman than anyone the Leafs have. He was still knocking Toronto players around like they were bowling pins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobie Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 I thought TO was dominating till about 2 minutes before Boston's 2nd goal, TO's intensity waned, TO slowed down and I was thinking now TO is vulnerable. TO never seemed to regain the intensity, for the 1st and half the second periods TO's speed dictated the play, any physical advantage Boston has was trumped by TO's speed and skill. Should the Leafs face Boston in the playoffs, I think TO will win except in 2 scenarios 1) the rules are not enforced and 2) Rask. TO has played Nashville and TB lately, lost both games but both games came down to goaltending, TO easily hung with the big boys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 5 hours ago, hobie said: Should the Leafs face Boston in the playoffs, I think TO will win except in 2 scenarios 1) the rules are not enforced and 2) Rask. TO has played Nashville and TB lately, lost both games but both games came down to goaltending, TO easily hung with the big boys. There's a pretty good chance the rules won't be enforced. Things always slip in the playoffs. Also, the later it goes in the playoffs, the less likely the refs are to call penalties. It usually starts out okay, but by the time you get to the final it becomes a sludge-fest of clutching, grabbing, and interference. Toronto does need to add some size and toughness just in case it goes that way again. As for Rask, Toronto better have more than just Andersen going into a series with the Bruins. By that I mean, they better be able to out-defend the Bruins and not expect Andersen to out-play Rask and bail them out. It's not going to happen. Andersen can keep it even, but the Leafs "D" are going to have to do the heavy lifting and shut down the Bruins. Toronto can't beat them with goaltending or scoring alone.... it's going to take all 20 guys or it's not going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted February 10, 2019 Author Share Posted February 10, 2019 Nice finish to the game against the Habs. Beautiful pass by Marner, great finish by Tavares. These teams were skating so fast even the cameraman had trouble keeping up with the play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted February 17, 2019 Author Share Posted February 17, 2019 Disappointing game last night against the Coyotes. Leafs were completely snuffed out. Looked like they fell asleep in the second period. Once the Nylander tip-in goal was disallowed for being a high stick, I knew that was it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobie Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 Arizona played a really good game, they were on TO every second, great for their fans not so much for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted February 23, 2019 Author Share Posted February 23, 2019 On 2/17/2019 at 12:33 PM, hobie said: Arizona played a really good game, they were on TO every second, great for their fans not so much for us. It most certainly was not great for the Leafs fans in attendance..... in Arizona. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted February 24, 2019 Author Share Posted February 24, 2019 Great comeback win for the Leafs tonight!!! Sending a clear message to opposition teams that the Leafs play a full 60 minutes and don't give up. The Habs have been a dull team to watch for a long time, but this was actually an entertaining game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 MOD EDIT: Changed to a link. Viewer discretion advised! "Leafs cat poo comeback" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlkOQb5nARU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted March 10, 2019 Author Share Posted March 10, 2019 Leafs hang on for a close victory against the Oilers! Nice. I guess the lesson here is: Never sit on a lead. Never stop adding goals. It looked like the Leafs were home free at 3-0 but things change quickly in today's NHL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobie Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 On 3/1/2019 at 4:09 PM, WordsOfWisdom said: That was a curious move by Babs putting the Matthews line on late in the game, Matthews tries to stick handle out of TO's end, loses the puck and then it's in the Leaf's net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted March 11, 2019 Author Share Posted March 11, 2019 8 hours ago, hobie said: That was a curious move by Babs putting the Matthews line on late in the game, Matthews tries to stick handle out of TO's end, loses the puck and then it's in the Leaf's net. I think he's testing Matthews to see if he can play in those critical late game situations as a tune up for the Bruins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobie Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 3 hours ago, WordsOfWisdom said: I think he's testing Matthews to see if he can play in those critical late game situations as a tune up for the Bruins. Maybe, but normally Babs will only use players he trusts in those types of situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted March 13, 2019 Author Share Posted March 13, 2019 On 3/11/2019 at 2:10 AM, hobie said: Maybe, but normally Babs will only use players he trusts in those types of situations. But how do you earn that trust? He puts them in those situations sooner or later and sees how they handle it. So far, Matthews hasn't shown enough defensive ability in those situations to be trusted come playoff time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobie Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 9 hours ago, WordsOfWisdom said: But how do you earn that trust? He puts them in those situations sooner or later and sees how they handle it. So far, Matthews hasn't shown enough defensive ability in those situations to be trusted come playoff time. I understand what you're thinking but totally out of the blue expecting Matthews to be a good option in a role that is never expected from him isn't the best idea in my mind. I don't know if you've noticed that Babs rarely puts the AM line on when the faceoff is in the d zone. I do think Auston needs to learn to defend but it should be a gradual process. I'd love to see AM and Willie PK occasionally, in time I expect they'd be awesome at it like Marner is. Love to see AM used in defensive situations just not in the situation where TO could lose because of his lack of exposure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobie Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 I'm liking TO's chances tonite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted March 17, 2019 Author Share Posted March 17, 2019 6 hours ago, hobie said: I'm liking TO's chances tonite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobie Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 After the last game of the playoffs last year Gardiner said he sucked, he was talking about the 7th game where he was -5. I didn't like that he was -5 or that he sucked but I did like that he took responsibility for his game. Matthews this week acknowledged that TO wasn't playing well, he said basically we have to play better. Now it's true the Leafs need to play better but I always think that players who say we rather than me or I are really thinking everyone except themselves. We saw Matthews take 9 Kadri like shots tonite but we never saw him in front of Ottawa's net and he was pretty well a no show in TO's end all night. What's next, player's meeting I'll bet. Are we getting a preview of life without Gardiner for next year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted March 17, 2019 Author Share Posted March 17, 2019 15 hours ago, hobie said: After the last game of the playoffs last year Gardiner said he sucked, he was talking about the 7th game where he was -5. I didn't like that he was -5 or that he sucked but I did like that he took responsibility for his game. Matthews this week acknowledged that TO wasn't playing well, he said basically we have to play better. Now it's true the Leafs need to play better but I always think that players who say we rather than me or I are really thinking everyone except themselves. We saw Matthews take 9 Kadri like shots tonite but we never saw him in front of Ottawa's net and he was pretty well a no show in TO's end all night. What's next, player's meeting I'll bet. Are we getting a preview of life without Gardiner for next year? I'm not hitting the panic button yet. These last 10 games mean nothing for the Leafs. Tampa is #1, and it's Bruins vs Leafs first round no matter what. Who really cares which team has home ice "advantage"? It means nothing in hockey. The Leafs should focus on getting/staying healthy, rest up, and begin to run hot just as they enter the playoffs. I would rather see them play well in the last 3-4 games going into the playoffs then to play well now and cool off just as round one begins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 Unfortunate ending to tonight's game. I thought the Leafs clearly outplayed the Rangers. Bounces just didn't go their way. But it's another point and another game closer to the playoffs and the inevitable match up with the Bruins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted April 2, 2019 Author Share Posted April 2, 2019 A couple of lame duck performances against the Ottawa Senators is not where this team should be right now. The Leafs are still having problems in their own zone and I'm not sure whether it can fixed at this point or not. We're still winding down the last of the schedule, and these games mean nothing for both teams involved, but the Leafs need to pick their game up before facing the Bruins or it's going to be a short series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted April 2, 2019 Author Share Posted April 2, 2019 With three games to go and the Leafs at 99 points, Toronto plays: Hurricanes Lightning Canadiens Both the Hurricanes and the Canadiens have something to play for at the moment. The Lightning are a 60+ win team, making them one of the greatest regular season teams in NHL history. There is a legit possibility that the Leafs finish their schedule 0-3 here (unless they sharpen their game and stop making stupid defensive zone mistakes). The Leafs aren't catching Boston (103), so motivation may be an issue here as well. If the Leafs lose their final Saturday game against Montreal, they will fall to a 12-12 record on Saturdays -- hardly impressive considering the aspirations this team has to be more than just a first round playoff exit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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