ECQF: Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs (Series Tied 3-3)

[BHD]

Been watching this series and was hoping for a nice long and exciting one, but woof, it's been painful.

This feels like the worst of all the playoff 'appearances' for this group.

 

[Ned Bouhalassa]

It's really not good, the Leafs team is just significantly worse - I'd be surprised if Boston made it past round 2.

Watch other series and you'll agree lol

And the regular season was a fluke?

 

[Barnum]

Hey, look, a Habs fan talking about the past. I’m shocked.

Easy there, cowboy. You’re the first team to ever finish in 32nd place.

Again dude, I have no idea why you are trying to bust on a Hab fan about “the past”. The Habs have been successful in relatively recent times. While the Leafs haven’t won a thing since most of us on here were alive. Trust me, this is not the winning burn/zinger you think it is.

 

[Ladyfan]

Exactly what the Leafs are missing. And the people clamoring for Tavares to loose the C and to make Matthews captain...

The C and the title Captain are largely figureheading. A good team has multiple leaders, and the whole 'He's the best player make him the Captain' is stupid. Also, people saying 'This is Matthews' team'... that's admitting that Matthews is a poor leader if this is what his team plays like and projects.

The best player isn't always a good leader.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

Once the Leafs are eliminated, I'd certainly hope Sheldon Keefe would be fired for the sake of Leaf fans. He's done nothing with this core. I'm not saying this whole mess has been his fault but he's gotta be at least part of the problem. He's coached the team for years with miniscule success.

I hope Leafs brass comes up with excuses for why they didn't win this year either and decide to run it back one more time, just in case "next year is finally our year."

And then I hope outrage among Leafs fans explodes and gets directed at the one guy who's still here through all of the Leafs failures, and who way too many people are giving either a free pass or a welyahbut.

 

[Ghost of Murph]

This is actually a bridge/rebuild year for the Bruins. The bruins need a 1C and another solid winger before they can really contend. I don’t think there is a Bruins fan anywhere that has any delusions about what this team really is.

Telling us they’re probably going to lose the next series against a team almost all of think is better isn’t going to hurt our feelings. *IF* the Bruins somehow manage to squeak by the Leafs, then we shall see what happens. Win or lose, it will be another 1 to 2 weeks of playoff hockey for Bruins fans.

True. In fairness to Boston fans, heading into the playoffs their sentiment was pretty much hopefully the Bruins can do the usual playoff beating of the Leafs, then whatever happens next happens. I can't recall any Boston fans proclaiming they are going deep into the playoffs and winning the Cup this year. They've been a humble bunch of fans this season since the team was never supposed to do much until next season when they have a lot better cap situation.

 

[Barnum]

The best player isn't always a good leader.

Marcel Dionne anyone?!?!?!

 

[nbwingsfan]

Because those players haven’t even played a full game together this series.

Every game theybhave played with:

Rielly, Marner, Tavares, and either Matthews or Nylander.

You think missing just one of those players for 3 games or just one of those players for one period is enough to justify 7pts in 17 games?

Actually what you said makes no sense. I’m counting the combined games they DID play. In the games they have played, they have scored at a combined 0.41pts/game


The excuses are so insane from Leaf fans, I’ll let someone else take over from here

 

[Ladyfan]

This series isn't over, and anything can happen (as us Bruins fans well know). I still hope to see handshakes Tuesday but am not all that confident.

 

[Megustaelhockey]

The media reaction to this game has been WILD.

Maybe this is always how it is for the Leafs in the GTA thunderdome, but yikes.

 

[57special]

At the risk of angering those who want to hear another post about the Leafs, did anyone else notice how smart, big, and strong the BOS depth players are? Once they went up 3-0 they barely made a mistake, just forechecked like hell, always had an extra man back, no "creative" passes, with the possible exception of Pasta, and that's part of the deal with players like that. Shattenkirk kind of worries me, but he has so much help his deficiencies are hidden.

Coyle looks so rock solid and engaged. If only scientists could find a way to keep him playing like this, and prevent his on ice hibernation periods.

 

[Just Rude]

You're being disingenuous I work with a whole bunch of very grown up men that are life time leaf fans and had the same mentality. Just because they're home with their families doesn't mean they didn't think otherwise.

Wait. Are you telling me that your co-worker Leaf fans would have rather played the #8 seed as opposed to the team with the best regular season record ever, and one that has beaten the Leafs three times (soon to be four) in 11 years?

Wow. That’s, um, crazy.

Fact: the “we want Florida” chant came from a group of drunk kids in MLS.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Could AM34 not have put a diaper on and come out blazing in the third?

Speed boost

 

[Divine]

Every game theybhave played with:

Rielly, Marner, Tavares, and either Matthews or Nylander.

You think missing just one of those players for 3 games or just one of those players for one period is enough to justify 7pts in 17 games?

Actually what you said makes no sense. I’m counting the combined games they DID play. In the games they have played, they have scored at a combined 0.41pts/game


The excuses are so insane from Leaf fans, I’ll let someone else take over from here

The big 3 are: Nylander, Matthews, Marner. They have yet to play a full game with all 3.

You adding a bunch of names to the list doesn’t make it any more special. You might as well name the whole roster at that point.

 

[Kranix]

The big 3 are: Nylander, Matthews, Marner. They have yet to play a full game with all 3.

You adding a bunch of names to the list doesn’t make it any more special. You might as well name the whole roster at that point.

And the Bruins only have two stars to play together at one time.

 

[Based Anime Fan]

The big 3 are: Nylander, Matthews, Marner. They have yet to play a full game with all 3.

You adding a bunch of names to the list doesn’t make it any more special. You might as well name the whole roster at that point.

If your team can't survive loosing 1 player, they will never win a cup.

 

[Divine]

And the Bruins only have two stars to play together at one time.

They use that cap space on other players.

If the Leafs didn’t have those players it’s not like they’re going to just ignore the cap space. They’d probably have a better goalie or D.

The reason they don’t have a better goalie or D is because they’re using that cap on those players - so it’s clearly important that they play.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Because those players haven’t even played a full game together this series.

You are probably one of the only few leafs fan that would die on this hill
I don’t understand why are you so attached to a core that constantly fail, have you ever witnessed any other version of the leafs team that made some deep runs?

 

[nbwingsfan]

Could AM34 not have put a diaper on and come out blazing in the third?

No CGI editing needed on the new “Matthews tracker”… just follow the poop trail.

 

[Kranix]

They use that cap space on other players.

If the Leafs didn’t have those players it’s not like they’re going to just ignore the cap space.

Wait wait. You're saying the leafs are down 3-1 because the big 3 have yet to play together, but also, the leafs are losing because the big 3 absorb too much cap space.

 

[Mike C]

This series isn't over, and anything can happen (as us Bruins fans well know). I still hope to see handshakes Tuesday but am not all that confident.

keep swayman is net and all will be well

 

[Based Anime Fan]

This series isn't over, and anything can happen (as us Bruins fans well know). I still hope to see handshakes Tuesday but am not all that confident.

I don't think the Bruins will do that again, they be mad.

 

[habsterr]

One thing in life is certain and that's a Maple Leaf joke job in the playoffs. Matthews used up all his goal-scoring abilities in the regular season.

 

[Mike C]

No CGI editing needed on the new “Matthews tracker”… just follow the poop trail.

when i was feeling less than my best, i drank half a bottle of pepto bismol and did my job.

of couse in this case, him playing or not playing is really the same difference.

 

[Divine]

Wait wait. You're saying the leafs are down 3-1 because the big 3 have yet to play together, but also, the leafs are losing because the big 3 absorb too much cap space.

No, why would I be saying that? It makes no sense.

I’m saying the players the Leafs spent the majority of their cap on are important players.

Saying the Leafs don’t need Nylander or Matthews because they got other forwards is basically saying they should play under the cap.