Post-Game Talk: CAPTAIN MORGAN!!! | LEAFS WIN 4-3 IN OVERTIME

[frog]

Stamkos is a toronto born and raised hockey player. Any other player dropping the gloves with matthews would be unacceptable, however stamkos is a skilled franchise captain fighting another skilled franchise player. Thats fair.

 

[saltming]

That game was exhausting and slowed down, notice how Schenn got better and better as the pace came to his wheelhouse.

Where would we be right now without the trade acquisitions? Acciar scored and was a beast, ROR was amazing, Schenn, McCabe is our workhorse. Without these guys this series is slipping away from us, kudos to Dubas.

This is what he did as GM for the Marlies when they won the Calder. He surrounded the talent with grit performers.
Things move slower in the NHL but cause you don't have a plethora of talent at this level to just choose from.
Good moves by Kyle, now let's f***ing play our hearts out!

Stamkos is a toronto born and raised hockey player. Any other player dropping the gloves with matthews would be unacceptable, however stamkos is a skilled franchise captain fighting another skilled franchise player. Thats fair.

It's the first time two 60 goal scores have ever fought in the history of the NHL.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Examples .. in period 2, we had one shot on net that period with 5 minutes left.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Tampa is a good team and threw everything they had at that game. Their defense pinched extremely aggressively all night long and we failed to effectively make a good first pass to breakout...if we did there were a lot of opportunities where we could have burned them for their strategy. Winning a game you didn't play like you deserve is a good thing not a bad thing.

 

[justashadowof]

Schenn is more effective in the playoffs because they permit more interference against forecheckers in the playoffs.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Stamkos is a toronto born and raised hockey player. Any other player dropping the gloves with matthews would be unacceptable, however stamkos is a skilled franchise captain fighting another skilled franchise player. Thats fair.

f*** that it was fair lol

 

[DarkKnight]

We’ve lost so many games we deserved to win. People said our goalie would have to steal one. I’m sober as hell, I’ll take it all day long and never look back.

 

[saltming]

Schenn is more effective in the playoffs because they permit more interference against forecheckers in the playoffs.

I would add he's effective because in the playoffs the refs allow more shenanigans in front of the net by the offense, betmans imperative that more goals are needed.
Schenn is effective because he's strong enough to keep everyone on the outside and when the puck comes into the crease, he clears it like a bowling ball.

 

[thewave]

The big 3 were essentially flat and have been flat most the series. Sure they are getting points because Vas has been awful but who is kidding who? We sucked game 1 and then we had our best game which everyone showed up for. In game 3, we stole that one, the team was flat again save for the likes of Rielly and ROR and Nylander was moving at times as well. Samsonov look rigid but battled that game. We're just very fortunate to have a series lead and I don't care about stats padding league leading points totals. They were mostly all a result of the blowout game, it's the majority of ice-time where our stars look asleep or uninterested.

Put another way... ROR looks like a player that has elevated his play consistently for this run so far. Matthews Marner JT Nylander are showing glimpses. Supporting characters have showed up when needed as well.

 

[theTTC]

Can't agree. Winning is winning. Leafs looked second-best because they normally don't play a no-rules anything goes type of playoff style that the referees let Tampa impose on the Leafs in those latter moments and especially during overtime.

Leafs took the blow, and didn't attack back and demolish Tampa but still stood their ground and found a way to win in the midst of the onslaught. Leafs will not meet such a vicious animalistic team again during their playoff run.

To me, that sends a message and bodes very well in their evolution (finally!) to being a squad that has realized the fortitude it takes for playoff success.

Tampa gave it their best Tampa-like bullying with the referees consent, and we won. Bam.

 

[egd27]

Long change. Cooper had a plan to get puck into Leaf's zone, hard forecheck and capitalize on his advantage of the TBL bench being right there for fresh troops while tired Leafs couldn't get a change.

As a result they were either hemmed in, or too many zone exits ended up being icings.

 

[daveleaf]

That game was exhausting and slowed down, notice how Schenn got better and better as the pace came to his wheelhouse.

Where would we be right now without the trade acquisitions? Acciar scored and was a beast, ROR was amazing, Schenn, McCabe is our workhorse. Without these guys this series is slipping away from us, kudos to Dubas.

McCabe has been amazing, that was a really good pickup.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

were a lot of opportunities where we could have burned them for their strategy.

Seemed like there weren’t many in the second period.

 

[thewave]

Sober up people.

Winning games you should have lost still means trouble.

The second period and OT was very bad. We were hemmed in our zone and seemed to have trouble establishing anything in their zone.

Any thoughts about why we were so dominated for large sections of the game ?

They need to flip the script if/when we get past Tampa. There can't be any of these legless games or we'll be shown the golf course in short order.

 

[saltming]

Sober up people.

Winning games you should have lost still means trouble.

The second period and OT was very bad. We were hemmed in our zone and seemed to have trouble establishing anything in their zone.

Any thoughts about why we were so dominated for large sections of the game ?

I posted this in the pgt but it applies you your thread

They bent but didn't break. Kept their defensive structure while under fire, avoided being penalized and didn't allow goals.
I believe that's what good teams do when the heats on. Everyone and their sister knew the bolts would be pushing hard that game and we had to weather the storm; we did.
The whole didn't deserve to win narrative has always confused me. We didn't deserve to win because they outplayed us? Well maybe their offense was firing well but our defense, which includes the goalie (who Imo looked shaky to start), outplayed their offense.
Maybe the posters that say we didn't deserve to win also still think we are a bad defensive team?
I wonder why there is a saying, "defense wins championships"?

I will add that when we were on the offensive, we also looked good. Other than the first goal, we played well in their zone. Crowding the net, deflection good cycles and we got back on defense when needed.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Felt like the first time we scored on a 6-on-5 with the goalie out

Second in two games. Nylander scored the winner in game 2 and ROR tied game 3.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Long change. Cooper had a plan to get puck into Leaf's zone, hard forecheck and capitalize on his advantage of the TBL bench being right there for fresh troops while tired Leafs couldn't get a change

It was very effective.
Why can’t we do that ?

 

[thewave]

I posted this in the pgt but it applies you your thread

They bent but didn't break. Kept their defensive structure while under fire, avoided being penalized and didn't allow goals.
I believe that's what good teams do when the heats on. Everyone and their sister knew the bolts would be pushing hard that game and we had to weather the storm; we did.
The whole didn't deserve to win narrative has always confused me. We didn't deserve to win because they outplayed us? Well maybe their offense was firing well but our defense, which includes the goalie (who Imo looked shaky to start), outplayed their offense.
Maybe the posters that say we didn't deserve to win also still think we are a bad defensive team?
I wonder why there is a saying, "defense wins championships"?

I will add that when we were on the offensive, we also looked good. Other than the first goal, we played well in their zone. Crowding the net, deflection good cycles and we got back on defense when needed.

Samsonov didn't break, they were broken essentially.

 

[egd27]

Long change. Cooper had a plan to get puck into Leaf's zone, hard forecheck and capitalize on his advantage of the TBL bench being right there for fresh troops while tired Leafs couldn't get a change.

As a result they were either hemmed in, or too many zone exits ended up being icings.

It was very effective.
Why can’t we do that ?

See the bolded.

 

[saltming]

Samsonov didn't break, they were broken essentially.

The first 2 against Sammy were of the softer variety. He wasn't as jumpy as game 1 but it took him some time to settle down.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Everyone and their sister knew the bolts would be pushing hard that game and we had to weather the storm; we did.

In period 2, the game was tied. They dominated and scored.

They pushed hard.

Why didn’t the Leafs ?

Does the home team have better opportunities for this because of the home ice line matching ?

 

[weems]

Schenn is more effective in the playoffs because they permit more interference against forecheckers in the playoffs.

He's also effective because he knows his limitations and doesn't try alot of high risk plays with the puck.

Alot of just simple short little outlet passes and moves the puck very quickly. He's not holding onto it for that long or trying some dangerous fancy play.

Sure he will still get caught sometimes flat footed with speed or have some turnovers but alot of the things he does well really play up in the playoffs. Things like clearing the crease, breaking up a cycle, blocking shots, making smart low risk decisions, finishing his checks ,removing the player from the play and generally being in good position in the defensive zone.

 

[Smif]

We’ve lost so many games we deserved to win. People said our goalie would have to steal one. I’m sober as hell, I’ll take it all day long and never look back.

This. You have to steal a game here and there that you don't deserve, it's happened to us in every series we've lost. You have to be good to be lucky and get lucky to be good I believe is how the saying goes.

 

[Dayjobdave]

I am enjoying my Sunday morning after our good team beat their good team on Saturday night. I’ll take two more wins like that nd respect them in the handshake line for a gutsy effort.

 

[saltming]

In period 2, the game was tied. They dominated and scored.

They pushed hard.

Why didn’t the Leafs ?

Does the home team have better opportunities for this because of the home ice line matching ?

Ebb and flow. Momentum. Late goal in the first for Tampa and they came out charging. Desperation.
Leafs were the best or close to the best team in the second period for the season.
Game 2 we out shot Tampa 17-9 in the he second and out scored them 3-1.
Imo we do just fine in the second. This was one game and as I opened with, ebb and flow