GDT: ECQF: Game 2 - Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators, 7:30 p.m. EST | Back to the Future Edition

[Namikaze Minato]

What's the over/under on Leaf dives tonight?

One and a half Stutzle's

 

[FrozenJagrt]

I find it amusing that many fans seem to think the refs are the reason the division winner beat the wildcard team in game one.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Thanks to the NHL's scheduling this round, I will not be able to watch this game. Thanks NHL.

I watch all TV in a web browser on a computer hooked up to my TV. I'll be able to have one game on mute but watch the action with the other game in the background with sound on. It works!

 

[cyris]

What's the over/under on Leaf dives tonight?

Your team has Tim Stuzle and you’re complaining about another team diving?

 

[Zybalto]

Ullmark will bounce back and make a couple big stops but Stolarz is still the bigger story.

Now 9-0-0 and a .948 save % in his last 9 games.

Leafs win a closer one tonight, 4-2.

 

[Zybalto]

Your team has Tim Stuzle and you’re complaining about another team diving?

The biggest self own in the complaints for sure, especially as they are complaining about Matthews who drives Leafs fans crazy by not selling any calls ever and was off balance when he got hit from behind.

 

[The Professional]

Leafs can't expect officiating that is as one sided as Saturday every night. Some of the calls were a f***ing joke, especially when you look at the way the other series have been officiated comparatively. This is the playoffs, not f***ing ringuette. Contact is, in fact, allowed. Yes even on the Leafs golden boys. Hopefully the zebras swallow their damn whistles and let the boys play tonight.

 

[Just Rude]

What's the over/under on Leaf dives tonight?

You must be 6-2 your stomach after Game 1, huh?

 

[The Professional]

I expect a more disciplined road game by the Sens, and a bounce back performance from Ullmark. They were the better team at 5v5 by all metrics, it's those soft penalties on which the Leafs capitalized that sunk them. Stay out of the box, and they can beat Toronto no problem.

5-2 Sens

 

[Korpse]

I find it amusing that many fans seem to think the refs are the reason the division winner beat the wildcard team in game one.

Do fans think that or are they just disappointed in the officiating.

 

[93gilmour93]

Leafs can't expect officiating that is as one sided as Saturday every night. Some of the calls were a f***ing joke, especially when you look at the way the other series have been officiated comparatively. This is the playoffs, not f***ing ringuette. Contact is, in fact, allowed. Yes even on the Leafs golden boys. Hopefully the zebras swallow their damn whistles and let the boys play tonight.

Compared to the other series, Ottawa was by far the most undisciplined team in the first game of every series so it's not surprising they got a bunch of calls against them

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

They were very soft. I'm sorry. They could have called Leafs for similar things but didn't.

Alas, 1 sided. I'm not the only one saying this..plenty of neutral experts and ex NHLers saying so.

If you don't see it that way, I don't blame you...you're a leaf fan...but if you were trying to take the bias out, you would see the softness of the calls.

Ah yes....all the "neutral fans and experts" who spend more of their lives discussing the Leafs than their own teams. The same ones who voted 3/4 in favour that Marner was a 4th liner. Solid argument.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I expect a more disciplined road game by the Sens, and a bounce back performance from Ullmark. They were the better team at 5v5 by all metrics, it's those soft penalties on which the Leafs capitalized that sunk them. Stay out of the box, and they can beat Toronto no problem.

5-2 Sens

People keep saying they were the better team 5 on 5 but they lost 6-2 and even if you want to take out the PP goals they were out scored 3-2 5 on 5.

No they weren't

 

[93gilmour93]

Ah yes....all the "neutral fans and experts" who spend more of their lives discussing the Leafs than their own teams. The same ones who voted 3/4 in favour that Marner was a 4th liner. Solid argument.

 

[TorMapleJays]

Leafs can't expect officiating that is as one sided as Saturday every night. Some of the calls were a f***ing joke, especially when you look at the way the other series have been officiated comparatively. This is the playoffs, not f***ing ringuette. Contact is, in fact, allowed. Yes even on the Leafs golden boys. Hopefully the zebras swallow their damn whistles and let the boys play tonight.Say it with me.

Thou shall not cross check players in the numbers or the teeth.

 

[The Professional]

Compared to the other series, Ottawa was by far the most undisciplined team in the first game of every series so it's not surprising they got a bunch of calls against them

Give me a break. Ottawa was the most penalized, not the most undisciplined. That's not the same.

 

[Maria Sharapova]

I think it's an insane take that the leafs dove in game 1. Sens just had the yips and I expect it to carry on.

 

[93gilmour93]

Give me a break. Ottawa was the most penalized, not the most undisciplined. That's not the same.

One is the reason for the other. Undisciplined results in more penalties

 

[jbeck5]

I don't see how this is true. People just think Marner, Tavares, Nylander, and Matthews aren't fighting anyone so their forwards aren't tough. I don't think there is another roster forward who won't hit or fight (maybe Nick Robertson?). They all finish their checks, even the core 4 do. They just won't fight.



Our best skating dman is... Rielly I guess? I mean sure we don't have any poor skaters on D but certainly no elite skating dmen. Doesn't mean a lot that you can skate well if you are stood up at each blue line by bigger and stronger players though.



Ehhh IDK about that. Best skaters in what way? Straight line speed? Leafs system doesn't promote straight line speed anymore but when it did those guys would fly. Edges and stuff I don't see any gap worth debating about.

If the Leafs look slow it is because they are playing a different system. Under Babcock and some Keefe teams, the orders were to fly the zone as soon as D looked like they had possession, which is similar to how Ottawa plays so it looks like they are faster because they are full speed in the neutral zone against players mostly floating around their assigned position.



This is where the playoffs are a different game. Leafs played this way for years as well and every year they ran into a bigger, more experienced team who would stack blue lines and choke out the neutral zone and we could never get things going ever outside of the odd rush chance / breakaway. If you don't convert on those chances you are cooked.

Main difference under Berube is we play that style of game and have the players to do it now. Stay relaxed, trap the neutral zone, stand up at the blue line and force dump ins. Wait for the Sens D to get impatient and force a pinch and then counter attack

I was asked where the sens might be better...I don't think I'm wrong in saying skating. Guys like Chabot or especially Sanderson are the best D skaters in this series. Stutzle is probably the best skating forward.

I didn't say thats why they'll win or anything. I was asked by a leaf fan where Ottawa might have an edge. I think most would agree with what I said about the best skaters in the series.

 

[The Professional]

One is the reason for the other. Undisciplined results in more penalties

Lmao sure buds. That "penalty" on Stutzle was the most laughable boarding call I've seen in years, but yeah, sure, sens were "undisciplined".

Let's see what happens when Sens don't get called every time they sneeze on the Leafs.

 

[jbeck5]

Ah yes....all the "neutral fans and experts" who spend more of their lives discussing the Leafs than their own teams. The same ones who voted 3/4 in favour that Marner was a 4th liner. Solid argument.

Fair enough. I don't get those fans, but you're right, some weirdly hate other teams for no reasons. Ottawa has their share. I'm sure Toronto has a lot more.

I don't personally know fans like that nor do I do that, so I don't automatically make that connection. My bad.

 

[jbeck5]

I don’t think that officiating in the playoffs has gotten softer. But you can’t compare what’s called in the playoffs as a whole to what’s called in the first games of the first round.
The refs always start by calling a tighter game and then ease of to the point where murder is legal by deciding games especially in the later rounds.

One of the NHL’s defences when criticized for letting too much go in the playoffs is to point out that overall calls are up in the playoffs vs the regular season. But if you pay attention that is only because of have the game is called early in round 1 and maybe round 2.

Good point. I think Jason York made that point on the coming in hot podcast. Said people think playoffs are low penalties because of the later rounds where they don't call anything...but mentioned round 1 has more penalties than the regular season.

 

[ottawagm]

Your team has Tim Stuzle and you’re complaining about another team diving?

Tim doesn't dive, he gets tripped. Never seen him hold his head after he backed into someone else.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

It appears Jensen and Gregg are out tonight based on the lines posted on Twitter.

I wonder what happened

 

[Transplanted Caper]

There are way more steps than just the one to the "are the Leafs different this time" narrative. Tonight feels like the first. Can they follow up an assertive win with another one and put a team on their heels early in a series.