Post-Game Talk: Birthday Boy Bertuzzi Bashes the Avalance!

[Al14]

I assume the puck will be suspended?

At least 2 games for that puck. It was HEAD hunting for sure. The guy who shot it should at least be fined for going high with it !!!

 

[diehardleafsfan9878]

Did none of you see the replay of the puck hopping on JT?

The puck hopped on stephan too, but nobody ever cut him any slack

 

[meefer]

If I'm the only one, well...but I'm growing tired of the bash on JT wagon. He signed for what he signed, and you're bitching...wtf...you claim to be pro player and diss the fella who came home at a discount. Come on. Yes, he is declining, no doubt, but we knew that would happen and I remember that as much of the folk here say, 'oh god, that was terrible', there were a whole lot more folk who were 'pro' the signing than 'con'.

The thing I don't understand, reading this shit, is how Leaf fans scream how much they appreciate 'honest', 'hard working' players. And outside of Riellly, I can't think of any player on our team who offers a more honest effort than John Tavares.

Yes, he has declined, he ain't what he was, he's slow. But, I've never seen him play a game where I think he didn't give, overall, an 85% effort, and usually more. FTR, I think Rielly should wear the C. That said, John Tavares represents the Toronto Maple Leafs, my team, in a 'PROFESSIONAL!' way. He deserves respect. I wish others on this team gave the same effort relative to their skills, as JT. We would have been, and would be, a better team.

 

[Jojalu]

Leafs now lead the league in goals per game.

Of coures having Matthews helps, but with the long stretch of getting next to no secondary scoring I am surprised

 

[baton elevated]

Big Win for the Boys. Maybe we didn't look optimal but the excuses are legitimate. 3in4, 4in6, long road trip and high altitude. These are all variables. If we played them with all parts being equal the results would be more tilted to the Leafs the way they are dialed in lately.
2nd point, some of us have been criticizing MM this year but he is playing some really strong hockey last few weeks. He looks like Patty Kane out their. Keep it rolling Boys

 

[authentic]

Excluding the 9 minutes played by Steeves one night, all 22 other players are above a 50% goal differential 5v5 during this winning streak and Kampf has now gone 7 games straight without being on the ice for a 5v5 goal against while having the lowest Ozone starts on the team (28%)

Games like this are usually a loss. End of a long road trip against the Avs and 3rd game in 4 nights?

The team is galvanized and ready since the Rielly incident and I love the fact the Avs gambling on Matthews left Bertuzzi all alone not once but twice. Cant miss those and I hope Bertuzzi has finally shaken off what seems like a couple months of blowing grade A chances. Well deserved hat trick after being snakebit forever. His underlying numbers have been good all season, and now comes the finish.

Yeah Kampf is a good player. I wouldn't want to trade him. Gets quite a bit of abuse, but I think management and staff appreciate him.

I haven’t liked Kampf and Bertuzzi all season but I think both may have turned a corner here and that is really giving me hope for this team in the playoffs now. With the re-emergence of Samsonov and Woll set to return I think this team will be an absolute menace to face in a 7 game series, I just wonder now if we are going to acquire Tanev or stay put with what we have because I feel we are still missing another decent defenseman if we truly want to win it all.

 

[stickty111]

Probably Lagesson

 

[MarMarSab3]

Probably Lagesson

No chance, they need the depth for the playoffs and he easily gets picked up

 

[Stephen]

The Avs were also the better team by a large margin last night. Switch Matthews and MacKinnon and I doubt much changes. It's hard to generate offense when your D is hemmed in for most of the game. This game is also a reminder that the Leafs need to get bigger and faster on the backend.

They also need to get smarter about weaponizing a forecheck. Guys like Girard, Byram, Toews and Makar, in reverse order of their abilities, should be picked on and plastered into the end boards and on board pinches to reduce effectiveness. I understand you’re not likely to catch Makar, but the lower end guys should be feeling the big hits and harassment all night to break down that transition from D to F. Kill their transition before it gets going at full speed.

 

[MarMarSab3]

No chance, they need the depth for the playoffs and he easily gets picked up

My guess is, Holmberg goes down or Jones or Gregor gets waived

 

[Stephen]

Probably Lagesson

Or what if Gio just didn’t return.

 

[Jojalu]

Wow.

I had forgotten that during this 11-2 stretch that the Leafs had beaten the Stars, and the Jets twice.

Combined with the Vegas and Avs win, this has been a great stretch of hockey!

 

[BrannigansLaw]

Watching the highlights a couple times now and I still can’t understand wth Tavares was thinking trying to kill clock or whatever. He had about 2-3 seconds of time with a clear shot to the net. That could have been so stupid. I would have lost my shit if he did that in a playoff game

 

[Commander Clueless]

Probably Lagesson

I'd really like to hang on to Lagesson. To me the odd man out is Gregor at this point.

I'd hate to send either down, but I think Robertson and Holmberg are still waiver exempt....

 

[Warden of the North]

The puck hopped on stephan too, but nobody ever cut him any slack

Stephan was on a breakaway, JT had a defenseman hanging off him

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Stephan was on a breakaway, JT had a defenseman hanging off him

agreed!

 

[ToneDog]

Watching the highlights a couple times now and I still can’t understand wth Tavares was thinking trying to kill clock or whatever. He had about 2-3 seconds of time with a clear shot to the net. That could have been so stupid. I would have lost my shit if he did that in a playoff game

Yup even if he misses not much time left for the Avs. Seems not only his hands and feet have jumped the Shark, now his brain is starting to be affected. LOL.

 

[Stephen]

Watching the highlights a couple times now and I still can’t understand wth Tavares was thinking trying to kill clock or whatever. He had about 2-3 seconds of time with a clear shot to the net. That could have been so stupid. I would have lost my shit if he did that in a playoff game

That was egregiously bad with Mackinnon coming back to get that great chance at the buzzer beater. Prime example of when he goes into head down, tunnel vision ball hockey mode.

 

[Evilhomer]

Wow.

I had forgotten that during this 11-2 stretch that the Leafs had beaten the Stars, and the Jets twice.

Combined with the Vegas and Avs win, this has been a great stretch of hockey!

This is probably where I should say I told you so.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

 

[Dekes For Days]

Yup even if he misses not much time left for the Avs.

When he passed center and had his opening, there was 10 seconds left. The Avalanche player initiated the pass up in his own zone with 5.5 seconds left. If Tavares had shot and missed, it wouldn't have taken more than that 4.5 seconds to retrieve and initiate the pass. It didn't really change the timing of the puck heading back to our end.

 

[ToneDog]

When he passed center and had his opening, there was 10 seconds left. The Avalanche player initiated the pass up in his own zone with 5.5 seconds left. If Tavares had shot and missed, it wouldn't have taken more than that 4.5 seconds to retrieve and initiate the pass. It didn't really change the timing of the puck heading back to our end.

So he basically forfeited a shot at the EN for nothing?

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

 

[crump]

Great road trip. Gutsy wins against top opponents. Players hitting, blocking shots, depth scoring, Sammy playing well. It’s all good news. Tavares is back scoring 5/5, and I’ll give an alternate ending to the empty net bobble. If Tavares shoots it from centre, it gets blocked or misses, McKinnon would have an extra few seconds drive the net and score. As it was those few seconds Tavares held on could have been the difference.

 

[ToneDog]

So he posts great numbers for Rielly and Lagesson and then says to go get Rielly a partner?