Series Talk: [A1] Toronto Maple Leafs vs [WC1] Ottawa Senators (TOR Leads 1-0)

[MCR74]

Simple scheduling decision already getting into the Leafs head. I like it.

Keep grasping at straws.

 

[FerrisRox]

I'm curious to hear the excuses if TO does make it out of the first round.

Why would there be excuses if the Leafs won the first round.

Excuses for what?

 

[Divine]

Some people acting like the leafs aren’t the softest team in the playoffs who have a history of folding under pressure faster than origami. Can’t wait to hear how this series loss was the refs fault.

And Ottawa has a history of missing the playoffs and losing to the Leafs when they make it

 

[rojac]

I think if it wasn't a long weekend they probably would have put it Saturday, but there's no real difference because Monday is a holiday. This also sets them up nicely for a Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday schedule for games 2-4.

I think it's solely the two-day rest thing.

And while Good Friday is a holiday most places, I don't think many people get Easter Monday off.

The Leafs started on Saturday last year because the Eastern Conference finished its games on Wednesday and the Western Conference finished their games on Thursday. This year, they reversed that with the West finishing on Wednesday and the East on Thursday. The L.A,-Calgary game tonight is the wildfire-postponed game which served to complicate things a bit.

 

[MCR74]

Why would there be excuses if the Leafs won the first round.

Excuses for what?

Don't give me that.

 

[FerrisRox]

Not once in all the series that this Leafs group choked away did fans collectively/even sporadically blame the refs for it.

Are you kidding?

The refs were blamed over and over again. What are you talking about? There was a full on temper tantrum when the Leafs got called for an obvious pick. The fanbase melted down and part of the lunatic fringe claimed it was a conspiracy that Gary Bettman was behind to keep the Leafs in check.

 

[FerrisRox]

Don't give me that.

Don't give you what? Who is making an "excuse" if the Leafs win? An excuse for what, why the Leafs won? Why would the favourites needs to have an excuse for their victory?

 

[All Mod Cons]

I think the biggest advantage the Sens have in the series is the amount of PPs they get. I think I heard they got the most amount of in the NHL each of the last 3 seasons.

 

[Donnie740]

I'm curious to hear the excuses if TO does make it out of the first round.

There’s the first excuse - - the Leafs got an extra day of rest because the series started on Sunday instead of Saturday.

 

[Divine]

I think the biggest advantage the Sens have in the series is the amount of PPs they get. I think I heard they got the most amount of in the NHL each of the last 3 seasons.

Yeah the Sens lead the league by a fair margin because Stutzle gives the team offseason diving lessons

 

[Peasy]

I think the biggest advantage the Sens have in the series is the amount of PPs they get. I think I heard they got the most amount of in the NHL each of the last 3 seasons.

Funny you dont expect the number of penalties to just be even throughout the series.

 

[umma gumma]

I think the biggest advantage the Sens have in the series is the amount of PPs they get. I think I heard they got the most amount of in the NHL each of the last 3 seasons.

The Sens biggest advantage is that there is no pressure on them.

 

[BradyTkachucky]

And Ottawa has a history of missing the playoffs and losing to the Leafs when they make it

except for when they made the cup finals and conference finals in my lifetime.

 

[le_sean]

I think Ottawa has a good shot at an upset. They have the better goalie, they have the best defenceman (arguably the two best defencemen), and they are quite physical.

 

[MCR74]

There’s the first excuse - - the Leafs got an extra day of rest because the series started on Sunday instead of Saturday.

Not to mention the refs. Don't forget that.

 

[MiscBrah]

Sens are a fast team, and fast teams draw a lot of penalties. We also always have players trying to take advantage of our team, and the NHL doesn't allow that stuff anymore (e.g. Reilly cross-checking Greig in the head last February). IDK what the stats are on embellishment penalties, but the refs generally don't favour teams that actually do that, so I doubt that's the reason the Sens have consistently drawn the most penalties over three seasons.

 

[BoardsofCanada]

I think Ottawa's forward group will give Toronto all they can handle. It's the blueline that's a bit of a question for me. If the Sens get pinned in their end and can't get the puck out, Matthews and Nylander will eventually make them pay. Chabot, Sanderson and Jensen are like racehorses and McCabe, OEL, Carlo and Tanev are like bulls. It'll be an interesting matchup.

 

[SlapJack]

Woll is the best playoff goalie based on playoff experience.

Ottawa is going with the goaltender who has a sub .900 over 10 games?

Seems weird to badmouth the guy with 30 minutes of playoff experience over the guy who has much more and has been terrible in it.

Not bad mouthing, just pointing out how there are people who think goaltending is not a question mark when it is. There's not one goalie in this series that can be declared a safe bet to perform in the playoffs. That position is 90% mental so even if you have a guy like Dustin Wolf it's still a concern.

 

[SlapJack]

Ullmark's playoff appearance for Boston last time around was nothing to write home about either.

Never said it was, it's a big concern for sure

 

[HockeyVirus]

Big Bad Brady returns tonight

Seems kind of dumb? Miss all this time and put him in for a meaningless game? Why not just let him be healthy for playoffs 100%? What if he gets re-injured or some scrub injures him a different way?

Antony Stolarz is going to be the X-Factor of the series in my opinion. People have been doubting our goaltending all season, for absolutely no reason to be honest. But as we approach game 82, Stolarz is

#1 in the league in save percentage at .926
#3 in the league in goals against average at 2.14
#7 in the league in shutouts with 4

We have some playoff experience, home ice advantage, great goaltending and a strong 2-way system.

Don't forget a coach who can make adjustments in a playoff series. Keefe was outcoached in every series including the Tampa series we won. Keefe also had that nervous energy to him as the series would go on which the players felt. Berube is just calm and cool. He doesn't have round 1 demons.

 

[Divine]

except for when they made the cup finals and conference finals in my lifetime.

Did they beat the Leafs then?

 

[Donnie740]

Not to mention the refs. Don't forget that.

And poor Florida with all their injuries otherwise the Leafs would have never won the division.

 

[1specter]

Pausing the pissing contest to share that it looks like game 2 may be on Wednesday?

This was posted on Reddit:

Kind of annoying tbh.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Not to mention the refs. Don't forget that.

Which is a bullshit excuse because neither of these teams are the NHL's darlings by a long shot.

 

[MiscBrah]

Pausing the pissing contest to share that it looks like game 2 may be on Wednesday?

This was posted on Reddit:

Kind of annoying tbh.

Who is running this raffle?