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

[Strangle]

He flat out owns the leafs from the reg season and now the postseason.

The Leafs are the best in the league at making goalies look like world beaters and giving their opponents confidence

Nothing wrong with swayman, but the leafs aren’t at all making him work for it, they’re handing this over

 

[serp]

Thought I read their high danger chances were dropping each game entering last nights game. Be interesting to see what they had last night. Bruins D and team structure definitely contributing to that.

According to the Keefe this aparently is also in part fault of the system the Leafs are trying to play ? They want low event hockey which on one hand i get because their goaltending and defenseman are unlikely to bail them out in a more open game but on the other hand since their defense and goalies are more prone to brainfarts it seems like a bad idea to not open up the game more so you are at least more able to generate goals in response.

At least this is how i understand Keefes press availability after game 4 ?

 

[ijuka]

No he hasn’t, he hasn’t even been tested

What are you talking about? Yes he has.

Let's use numbers: 4 goals allowed, 9.28 expected goals against (naturalstattrick)

He crushed their souls in the first game of the series.

 

[Strangle]

What are you talking about? Yes he has.

No. He hasn’t

Unless you think a handful of shots from the perimeter over 14 powerplays is ‘tested’

I can probably think of 2 good saves (not even great) swayman has had to make all series

This isn’t price in 2021 or bobrovsky last year standing on their heads, absolutely destroying the leafs offense.

The leafs don’t have any offense in this series

 

[rfournier103]

On the Leafs boards, Leafs fans still have the expectation that McDavid is "coming home" as a UFA and that will fix everything.

Yup. That’s exactly what Toronto needs: another 10+ million dollar forward.

What I haven't seen is an explanation as to why McDavid would ever want to play for that franchise.

Exactly. I’ve never met Connor McDavid, but I heard him say (ironically) on NHL Radio that the interviews and the media attention are his least favorite parts of the game. One would think Toronto would be the LAST place he would ever go.

Lmao Dangle's 2nd funniest video of all time

I have to ask: which one is the funniest? It HAS to be the 2019 Game 7 video.

 

[Just Rude]

Yup. That’s exactly what Toronto needs: another 10+ million dollar forward.

In fairness, IF McDavid hits UFA, JT would be off the books and hopefully that candy ass Marner is somewhere else.

Everything else you said is bang on.

 

[ijuka]

According to the Keefe this aparently is also in part fault of the system the Leafs are trying to play ? They want low event hockey which on one hand i get because their goaltending and defenseman are unlikely to bail them out in a more open game but on the other hand since their defense and goalies are more prone to brainfarts it seems like a bad idea to not open up the game more so you are at least more able to generate goals in response.

At least this is how i understand Keefes press availability after game 4 ?

I don't get it at all. Low event hockey is for a team with a great defense and a great goalie. High event hockey is for a team with a great offense. Leafs are a run-and-gun team. Or should be.

 

[OurlordAndSaviorKuch]

Closer to top 5 than top 10 regardless.

Put him just outside top ten.

 

[ijuka]

No. He hasn’t

Unless you think a handful of shots from the perimeter over 14 powerplays is ‘tested’

I can probably think of 2 good saves (not even great) swayman has had to make all series

This isn’t price in 2021 or bobrovsky last year standing on their heads, absolutely destroying the leafs offense.

The leafs don’t have any offense in this series

In the first game, Leafs had 38 shots on goal, 4.54 expected goals for, 20 high danger chances for.

I don't know what "tested" means to you but there's only so much "testing" that can even be done in a short series. So please, why would this not count as testing him? Because you said so?

Then, I'd say that you decided that he wasn't tested beforehand and are fitting the evidence to suit your narrative, rather than the other way around.

Like I said: He crushed their soul in the first game.

I can probably think of 2 good saves (not even great) swayman has had to make all series

Then you have to think a bit harder. Especially about the way you evaluate goaltenders.

Not having to make any great saves is a GREAT thing. If your goalie never has to make great saves, he probably is good at positioning and reading the game. You probably are impressed by goalies with poor positioning who then have to make up for it with some flashy dives and desperation saves. Not me.

 

[serp]

I don't get it at all. Low event hockey is for a team with a great defense and a great goalie. High event hockey is for a team with a great offense. Leafs are a run-and-gun team. Or should be.

Maybe Keefe wants to make the losses look less embarassing ? Lose 1 to 3 instead of 5 to 8 or something

 

[Bruin]

Nylander played last night and was supposedly going to be the cure for all the Leafs ills yet they still lost and his name was barely mentioned last night. Y’all are going to run out of excuses.

 

[Melgene Eunyk]

I've never seen such a mentally fragile group. Matthews, nylander and mariner are practically crying on the bench. The series and game aren't even over and they looked resigned.

Everyone points out Tavares, and that's perfectly valid, but every one of those 4 is soft as charmin. The style of hockey they play doesn't translate as well to the playoffs.

So you expect these 4 idiots to carry an AHL D-core and goaltending to a cup? How the f*** were they ever considered a contender? Lol

 

[PuckG]

The usual complaint is that they have to always play good teams. I mean if they want an easier opponent they should win their Division.
They finished 5th in the East and 10th overall. They just expect a tough match up given their regular season performance.
Now Dallas has a legitimate complaint!

True, but I also think if you’re going to complain about playing good teams, the core you had has to have already beat the bad teams (namely the Canadians and Blue Jackets). The excuse doesn’t work cause they suck against everyone during prime time.

Not to mention their record against playoff teams in other divisions is mediocre.

 

[leafsfan5]

Its no fun when leafs fans rip on their guys its way better when they have full faith in their 3 *100 point players* , don't give up so soon! Matthews scored 69 he can win this series!!

Matthews has the shits he isn't scoring a thing

 

[NyQuil]

Matthews has the shits he isn't scoring a thing

It definitely sucks to have a series where (thus far) everything seems to be going wrong.

But that's what makes it so important to advance in those years where it doesn't.

This is partly why teams don't win 3 or 4 championships in a row anymore IMO.

Cap is definitely part of it, but I still think you need a dose of luck with the league being as competitive as it is.

Anyway, 3-1 comebacks aren't as rare as they used to be. Hard to imagine at this point with the body language.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

O'Reilly was brought in to be a support player in Toronto, that team still belonged to Matthews, Tavares, Marner, Rielly, and Nylander. I don't think he can just step in at the trade deadline and immediately take over as the main voice in the room.

It always comes back to your top players. If they don't have the right mindset, then nothing will ever happen.

That’s fair, it’s just odd to essentially say “he quit because they’re quitters”, which was the gist of the post I replied to. I still wonder if he coulda done more in Toronto, but your point is a good one. Bit tough to come in and say “hey, I’m not as good as I once was, super talented group- get better.”

 

[Pavel10]

First, I was replying to the “we want Florida!” chant. Literally. That chant in MLS after Game 6. You know, by a bunch of kids.

Second, why wouldn’t most fans have preferred Florida over Boston last year? Boston had the best record of all time.

Would the Canes prefer the Rangers or Washington in round 2? Florida was the 8 seed last year. Of course most Leaf fans preferred them over Boston before the series started.

I get you don’t like the Leafs, but you look foolish right now.

Doesn't matter. Just be happy you advanced. Acting like you can beat a team having won nothing in 20 years is a recipe for disaster. Edmonton beat kings 2 years in a row and are likely going to win this year again. No one is going to be screaming "we want Nashville!"

 

[Kazparov]

I called it in the Leafs board pre series predictions. Boston in 5. Leafs are playing October hockey in April.

Leafs need a big shakeup. Off the ice and on the ice

 

[leafsfan5]

It definitely sucks to have a series where (thus far) everything seems to be going wrong.

But that's what makes it so important to advance in those years where it doesn't.

This is partly why teams don't win 3 or 4 championships in a row anymore IMO.

Cap is definitely part of it, but I still think you need a dose of luck with the league being as competitive as it is.

Anyway, 3-1 comebacks aren't as rare as they used to be. Hard to imagine at this point with the body language.

Yeah I mean, in a vacuum you'd look at this series and just acknowledge everything is going wrong and run it back. Matthews started great but his sickness derailed him, Nylander, unfortunately, got migraines after playing all 82, Marner playing after a high ankle sprain, etc.

But we've seen the song and dance so many times no one cares about the reasons anymore. These guys will never get it done together and have shown it time and time again.

The only way through this series is if Joseph Woll becomes JS Giguere and we win every game 1-0 or 2-1. Otherwise, the Leafs will go out quietly in game 5, something like 3-1

 

[Mad-Marcus]

No. He hasn’t

Unless you think a handful of shots from the perimeter over 14 powerplays is ‘tested’

I can probably think of 2 good saves (not even great) swayman has had to make all series

This isn’t price in 2021 or bobrovsky last year standing on their heads, absolutely destroying the leafs offense.

The leafs don’t have any offense in this series

rose colored glasses for sure! The high danger stats from Games 1 and 3 speak louder than your frustration with your teams inability to finish. Game 1 and 3, Leaf forwards were parked at the paint during every extended shift, screening, making contact, when the B's could get out of their own way in their own zone. Especially the 2nd period of G3. Bert in particular(It's what Boston misses about him)

But people see what they want to see.

Besides as great as Playoff Bob is for FLA, Swayman has a much more calm, efficiency of motion style compared to most goalies. That's why is looks so easy and like he isn't challenged.

Highlight saves a great, but when you have a goalie stopping high danger shots and making it look easy..well, that just a heart out of the opponent.

You folks easily have a top 3 offense, but not stud between the pipes and no stud shutdown D man, and it's been years due to accumulating 3-5 max contract forwards. The GM's keep changing, the coaches keep changing but the roster balance doesn't. It's too bad, the NHL is way better with a great TOR and MTL.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

rose colored glasses for sure! The high danger stats from Games 1 and 3 speak louder than your frustration with your teams inability to finish. Game 1 and 3, Leaf forwards were parked at the paint during every extended shift, screening, making contact, when the B's could get out of their own way in their own zone. Especially the 2nd period of G3. Bert in particular(It's what Boston misses about him)

But people see what they want to see.

Besides as great as Playoff Bob is for FLA, Swayman has a much more calm, efficiency of motion style compared to most goalies. That's why is looks so easy and like he isn't challenged.

Highlight saves a great, but when you have a goalie stopping high danger shots and making it look easy..well, that just a heart out of the opponent.

You folks easily have a top 3 offense, but not stud between the pipes and no stud shutdown D man, and it's been years due to accumulating 3-5 max contract forwards. The GM's keep changing, the coaches keep changing but the roster balance doesn't. It's too bad, the NHL is way better with a great TOR and MTL.

Weird how the Leafs keep running into hot goalies every year. Unluckiest team ever?
If only they had a stud between the pipes or a stud D that could score more goals for their ‘top 3 offense’.

 

[Peasy]

Yeah I mean, in a vacuum you'd look at this series and just acknowledge everything is going wrong and run it back. Matthews started great but his sickness derailed him, Nylander, unfortunately, got migraines after playing all 82, Marner playing after a high ankle sprain, etc.

But we've seen the song and dance so many times no one cares about the reasons anymore. These guys will never get it done together and have shown it time and time again.

The only way through this series is if Joseph Woll becomes JS Giguere and we win every game 1-0 or 2-1. Otherwise, the Leafs will go out quietly in game 5, something like 3-1

This about sums it up. Majority of people are over the excuses and running it back with the same group.

 

[DitchMarner]

I've never seen such a mentally fragile group. Matthews, nylander and mariner are practically crying on the bench. The series and game aren't even over and they looked resigned.

Everyone points out Tavares, and that's perfectly valid, but every one of those 4 is soft as charmin. The style of hockey they play doesn't translate as well to the playoffs.

So you expect these 4 idiots to carry an AHL D-core and goaltending to a cup? How the f*** were they ever considered a contender? Lol

Yeah, they're mentally fragile. It's like they're afraid the worst will happen again and then it does. Kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I received "haha" type comments for suggesting the team isn't soft in a physical sense. People may have interpreted that as an excuse for the top players. But I think it's the opposite.

If the entire roster was soft physically, guys like Marner could say, "it's not my job to do the dirty work." But plenty of guys on the team are providing physical play. All the top guys really have to do is show up and produce offensively. If they were scoring more (ie doing their job) and the PP wasn't such a joke, the series might be tied - in which TOR would stand a decent chance at advancing. People really just want wins; not many would care about Marner's board battle effectiveness if the Leafs ended up winning the series with substantial offensive contributions from him. But it looks like this thing is all but done now. The lack of health of certain players sucks, but in series where these guys have been healthy, has the final result been any different?

 

[Kranix]

Yeah I mean, in a vacuum you'd look at this series and just acknowledge everything is going wrong and run it back. Matthews started great but his sickness derailed him, Nylander, unfortunately, got migraines after playing all 82, Marner playing after a high ankle sprain, etc.

But we've seen the song and dance so many times no one cares about the reasons anymore. These guys will never get it done together and have shown it time and time again.

The only way through this series is if Joseph Woll becomes JS Giguere and we win every game 1-0 or 2-1. Otherwise, the Leafs will go out quietly in game 5, something like 3-1

Meh. People said the same thing about Ovechkin. "They'll never win with Ovechkin as their top player." He won the cup at 31, previously never getting out of round 2 in his career. It's extremely hard to win the cup.

 

[KCC]

The Leafs are the best in the league at making goalies look like world beaters and giving their opponents confidence

Nothing wrong with swayman, but the leafs aren’t at all making him work for it, they’re handing this over

Doesn't matter. The roster is no where near good enough anyways. The top players are soft as Charmin and are basically invisible most games. There's a huge enough sample size now that proves they are not built for the playoffs. They can't handle the pressure. Fact.