Series Talk: [A1] Toronto Maple Leafs vs [WC1] Ottawa Senators | Part II (TOR lead 3-1)

[thusk]

Toronto would likely be Florida's easiest opponent.

Because they beat them in regular season ( except in the most important game)... like Ottawa actually did?

Don't think it would be easy, it would be harder than you think

 

[TheImpatientBoomer]

Absolutely / Easily? You may absolutely be proven correct. I made my prediction after TB's beat down last night. I have watched Tampa closely enough to know that absolutely and easily should not be words used to describe Florida's dominance over them. Their series is far from over as long as Vasi doesn't turn into UIlmark. We will see.

Vasi sporting a .872 sv% and nearly a 4 GAA vs Panthers in the last 6 playoff games.

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

I find it funny how many posters are already projecting Fla in the 2nd round. TB is the better team. I hope they beat TB, but mark my words, TB is winning that series. There is no part of me that misses facing Kucherov in the first round.

The Leafs do feel different this year and it begins and ends with Stolarz.

Tampa is getting rinsed out there.
I`m sure they`ll make it a series but Cooper, Vasi and Secondary Assist guy won`t take much heat if they lose to Florida. That team is lean, mean and hungry as heck.

As for our series, obviously we can`t take this in 5 anymore.
Leafs had best bring their preparation game tomorrow though, the attack will be fierce and I`m expecting Stolars to surrender early.
We shall see how the Leafs do when down a goal or two...vibe`s gonna shift in a hurry.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Tampa is getting rinsed out there.
I`m sure they`ll make it a series but Cooper, Vasi and Secondary Assist guy won`t take much heat if they lose to Florida. That team is lean, mean and hungry as heck.

As for our series, obviously we can`t take this in 5 anymore.
Leafs had best bring their preparation game tomorrow though, the attack will be fierce and I`m expecting Stolars to surrender early.
We shall see how the Leafs do when down a goal or two...vibe`s gonna shift in a hurry.

Lol do Sens fans think the Leafs are going to be terrified playing an away game in Ottawa or something? Wild.

 

[I Hate Philadelphia]

Lol do Sens fans think the Leafs are going to be terrified playing an away game in Ottawa or something? Wild.

An away game where the stadium will be 80% Leaf fans, no less.

 

[JoeyBeans]

Why is there so much Lightning/Panthers talk on this thread? we are only 2 games in.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

An away game where the stadium will be 80% Leaf fans, no less.

A game 7 in Boston or anywhere in the state of Florida is terrifying....Ottawa? Naah not even close.

 

[JoeyBeans]

An away game where the stadium will be 80% Leaf fans, no less.

think it will be that high?

 

[kevsh]

Ottawa has had the puck more, but haven't done much with it. Even if they're in the offensive zone, they don't create much offense. Most shots are non-dangerous.

That's exactly the system the Leafs play.

One way to think of it is to take every shot on net during a game and divide them into categories based on the estimated scoring chance, for example, ranging from "5*" (like Marner all alone in the slot early in the 1st hitting the post) all the way down to "Very Low" (point shots typically).

If it works they effectively eliminate the 5* chances entirely at the expense of allowing more medium to low chance shots. So it's a trade-off. And as such, through much of the game it may appear (and the stats will support) that the opponent is controlling the play more, getting more shots, etc. but for the Leafs all that is okay as long as they don't allow the very high % shots.

For it to work, a team needs a very good & reliable goalie and enough offense to offset the likelihood that the opponent will score a goal or two with all those chances. So in practice you're trying to win 3-1, 3-2 type games.

The issue potentially for this system is when teams either break through and/or have enough skill to convert lower-percentage shots. At the other end if they can shut down the Leafs scoring that works as well obviously.

Short version: That's the system. Not pretty, but so far effective.

 

[Aashir]

Why is there so much Lightning/Panthers talk on this thread? we are only 2 games in.

Sens fans don’t believe their team can comeback so their comeback to how this series has played out is bringing florida up as a potential second round matchup

 

[kevsh]

Why is there so much Lightning/Panthers talk on this thread? we are only 2 games in.

The Panthers are very deep in many Toronto fans' heads. Buried deep.
I can attest to that.

It would likely be far less so if the Leafs looked better in their last 2 meetings with Florida. But the last one in particular - with no Tkachuk, Ekblad or Bennet - was just a total smothering by the Panthers that somewhat justifiably makes us even more nervous.

And that's all I'll say about that team in this thread, just wanted to address the question.

 

[atlanticobserver]

Vasi sporting a .872 sv% and nearly a 4 GAA vs Panthers in the last 6 playoff games.

True but he was a 0.900 goalie last year after surgery and last night the first two goals were quite literally shots that nobody is stopping (tip in 3 feet off the ice against the grain and a 45 degree top shelf redirect) and half of the other 4 were scored from about 1 inch out thanks to poor defense. There are probably 10 guys on TB last night you could blame over Vasi

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Why did Matthews think he was a bad ass breaking Greig's stick?

I don't know the context or why he did it but it seemed silly. I actually wondered if there's some sort of criminal charge that could come from that like mischief or vandalism. Dunno, no a lawyer. It was a dumb thing to do either way unless Greig swung it at him or something. I'm guessing Matthews isn't too worried about the $400 he owes Greig for that.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

IF Florida and Toronto meet again, Florida will beat them.

I think you're right. I was really hoping that Tampa could handle Florida so the Leafs wouldn't have to face them but it doesn't look good after game 1.

 

[Summer Rose]

I don't know the context or why he did it but it seemed silly. I actually wondered if there's some sort of criminal charge that could come from that like mischief or vandalism. Dunno, no a lawyer. It was a dumb thing to do either way unless Greig swung it at him or something. I'm guessing Matthews isn't too worried about the $400 he owes Greig for that.

By the letter of the law there might be. It's probably just not worth the time, effort, and money to go after someone in what would probably be a small claims court over someone intentionally breaking your stick, especially not for, say, a beer league player who spent $200 or whatever even of his own money on the stick. The cost in lawyer fees alone would probably be more than the cost of just replacing the stick.

For NHL players who get their teams to pay for their sticks for them, like you said, they undoubtedly just don't care at all.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Imagine your team gets burned on a 2 on 4 rush from Max Domi and Simon Benoit and the next day you are complaining about it being to many men missed lmao can't make it up. Wild move by Green.

 

[TheImpatientBoomer]

True but he was a 0.900 goalie last year after surgery and last night the first two goals were quite literally shots that nobody is stopping (tip in 3 feet off the ice against the grain and a 45 degree top shelf redirect) and half of the other 4 were scored from about 1 inch out thanks to poor defense. There are probably 10 guys on TB last night you could blame over Vasi

That explains last night, Florida beat him as well last year. They've made him look average for a few years now.

 

[ToDavid]

We shall see how the Leafs do when down a goal or two...vibe`s gonna shift in a hurry.

Well we won't necessarily see that.

 

[I Hate Philadelphia]

Imagine your team gets burned on a 2 on 4 rush from Max Domi and Simon Benoit and the next day you are complaining about it being to many men missed lmao can't make it up. Wild move by Green.

Unreal thing to say when Batherson's sub-ECHL quality play was 100% responsible for that goal happening.

 

[MCR74]

Lol do Sens fans think the Leafs are going to be terrified playing an away game in Ottawa or something? Wild.

Exactly. Scotiabank East is usually very accommodating.

 

[MCR74]

Toronto would likely be Florida's easiest opponent.

You sound like a Sens fan. Might want to set the bar a little higher.

 

[thusk]

That explains last night, Florida beat him as well last year. They've made him look average for a few years now.

Vasilevskiy always had bad tendency to start the playoff slowly, it's nothing new...

It's only one game and you reacting like Florida was already in stanley cup final.

Yeah Florida had been impressive in game one but the harder still to come and they still need 3 win...

And Toronto still need to win 2, so when both serie will be over, no problem to talk about any matchup but rigjt now, we not there at all

 

[MCR74]

Vasilevskiy always had bad tendency to start the playoff slowly, it's nothing new...

It's only one game and you reacting like Florida was already in stanley cup final.

Yeah Florida had been impressive in game one but the harder still to come and they still need 3 win...

And Toronto still need to win 2, so when both serie will be over, no problem to talk about any matchup but rigjt now, we not there at all

Exactly. lt's not like FLA is playing a last place team. Tampa has more cups that they do. The series isn't over.

 

[TheImpatientBoomer]

Vasilevskiy always had bad tendency to start the playoff slowly, it's nothing new...

It's only one game and you reacting like Florida was already in stanley cup final.

Yeah Florida had been impressive in game one but the harder still to come and they still need 3 win...

And Toronto still need to win 2, so when both serie will be over, no problem to talk about any matchup but rigjt now, we not there at all

What?..

You said Florida is playing the best goalie and I showed you his last 6 playoff starts vs Florida...

They've shown they can beat the "best goalie".

 

[Hockey 4 Life]

Leafs still need to more wins to move on. The Sens are a young team and they are going to want to make a statement in game 3. The Leafs just need to match the tempo,play smart and wait for the Sens to make a mistake. The next two wins will be the toughest to get or should be.