GDT: ECSF: (A1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs (A3) Florida Panthers - GAME 2 - 7 PM EST IN TORONTO

[kevsh]

The Leafs should review this game from last year's final. Or at least take away from it the belief that the Panthers aren't some unstoppable beast. They got torched 7-1 in that game and the Oilers scored a whopping 17 goals over that span of 3 games to get it to game 7.

McDavid sets playoff assists record, Oilers roll past Panthers in Game 4 of Cup Final | NHL.com

Center tops Gretzky mark for single postseason, has 4 points to help Edmonton stay alive

www.nhl.com

The Leafs don't have McDavid of course but they have speed, shooters and if they can overcome the heavy forecheck, the Panthers get exposed very quickly. And Bob, as we've already seen, can have bad nights.

The Kitties make up for their lack of overall talent by getting dirty & nasty, cheap shots and intimidation. As soon as the Leafs make it clear that won't work, and push they pace with their speed & skill, the Panthers have no response.

The Leafs can prove that tonight and take a big 2-0 lead heading into Swampland.

 

[NinjaKick]

crush them

 

[Delete1]

Remember rd 2 from last season, Boston smoked Fla. 5-1 in gm 1 and then got hammered 6-1 and 6-2 in the next two games. My sage advice to the Leafs would be... don't let that happen.

That isn't happening here. I get the big bad Florida narrative, but I don't see it when I watch them play. They struggle to produce offense, and Tkachuk looks pretty hampered in his skating. I'm sure they will control parts of this game, but I think it will end up looking a lot like the first two periods of game 1, just without as many goals. I think this will be similar to games 2 and 3 in the Ottawa series. I think the Leafs will go up 3-0 in this series before Florida wins a game.

 

[Nineteen67]

Late game tonight, so the early game goes at 7. Assuming the Leafs make it a relatively short OT period, this one should be done by 10:30. Still kind of late for me, but much better than an 8 pm start.

I can’t do OT because you never know when it’s going to end, even though in your scenari it’d only be 9:30 CT.
I wish they had 3 on 3 until the final.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

Wow Seth Jones played 27:39 minutes in game 1

 

[willmma]

If it's because Bennett, Tkachuk, or Marchand are leaving the ice missing a bunch of teeth or a left nut I'm okay with that

how about the right nut?

 

[Malachi Crunch]

1. Win
2. Throw a puck at f***ing four-eyes on the bench

 

[Delete1]

I can’t do OT because you never know when it’s going to end, even though in your scenari it’d only be 9:30 CT.
I wish they had 3 on 3 until the final.

I'm up at 4 am every moning, so I usually turn the games off before they end.

 

[Jmo89]

Leafs need to rally behind the Stolarz injury and play the best hockey of their lives. No more missing open nets for Matthews. Take a commanding 2-0 lead into Florida and then take a split.

For now the best retribution is winning without being pushed around. Slam Bennett and Tkachuk whenever they touch the puck. Give them an extra poke in the ribs every time. If / when the series is out reach for the Panthers, and a play wants to exact revenge go for it. Until then, the sole focus is winning.

There's no need to fight Bennett either. We may not like him but he's tough and likely gets his team fired up when he wrecks Domi again. Batter him against the boards and shoot some pucks as his shins.

 

[Tak7]

That's every team in the league and for most of NHL history that's been the case
Roy, Hasek if those guys went down, whatever success their teams has had would have never happened

Same right now with McDavid. If Connor goes down, Oilers are an AHL team

Fair point.

Any team at this time of year is going to shit the bed if they have to dig into their 3rd goalie.

And as some pointed out already - almost every single Western Conference team who made the playoffs this year would kill for the Leafs goaltending situation.

 

[budzz]

Leafs need to go into this game a little pissed off.... not off the rails head hunting, but determined, focused and angry at Florida's typical antics. Those pr!cks took out our goalie and everyone should be wired on every shift. If both teams play at the top of their game i believe we are a better team. Finish every check, skate hard, PROTECT OUR NET.

 

[1specter]

Need to protect the crease. Can't be letting a guy like Rodrigues run over Woll right after Stolarz gets concussed.

 

[Tak7]

Big concern is that the boys over-compensate for Woll / protecting their own crease tonight, and get away from the fast transition game that led them to so much success in game 1.

Have to play the same way you did in periods 1 and 2, and not let Bob settle in.

 

[1specter]

Big concern is that the boys over-compensate for Woll / protecting their own crease tonight, and get away from the fast transition game that led them to so much success in game 1.

Have to play the same way you did in periods 1 and 2, and not let Bob settle in.

For sure but clearing the crease and protecting the goalie has also been a big part of Berube's system throughout the year, if anything after Stolarz left the game they got sloppy, lost their shape and let guys in with point blank chances around the net.

 

[fahad203]

crush them

Deep. I like the way you think man

 

[DarkKnight]

This idea Panthers come out energized I get, but with this crowd I doubt we don't meet them. Should be an amazing first period of hockey.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Need to protect the crease. Can't be letting a guy like Rodrigues run over Woll right after Stolarz gets concussed.

For real. If anyone even breaths on Woll tonight they need to be eating the ice right away.

 

[Tak7]

This idea Panthers come out energized I get, but with this crowd I doubt we don't meet them. Should be an amazing first period of hockey.

I was there for game 5 vs Ottawa lol - I don't think the crowd matters at all, if these guys just aren't in the mood.

I expect good energy from them though.

 

[banks]

Wow Seth Jones played 27:39 minutes in game 1

And he's been playing that much all year. Florida overplayed Jones in round 1, too, getting like 26 minutes on average.

He'll be worn out soon, and he'll become a weak point. He's not a defensive stud to begin with, so we can expect Jones to get burned by Nylander and Marner late in the series.

 

[ToneDog]

And he's been playing that much all year. Florida overplayed Jones in round 1, too, getting like 26 minutes on average.

He'll be worn out soon, and he'll become a weak point. He's not a defensive stud to begin with, so we can expect Jones to get burned by Nylander and Marner late in the series.

Getting Ekblad back will help unless he gets suspended again.

 

[ToneDog]

I was there for game 5 vs Ottawa lol - I don't think the crowd matters at all, if these guys just aren't in the mood.

I expect good energy from them though.

We'll see if they are in the mood after they are punched in the face tonight. Maybe they should plan to punch them first like they did in game 1. Should be a great game.

 

[1specter]

And he's been playing that much all year. Florida overplayed Jones in round 1, too, getting like 26 minutes on average.

He'll be worn out soon, and he'll become a weak point. He's not a defensive stud to begin with, so we can expect Jones to get burned by Nylander and Marner late in the series.

He wasn't very good either. At 5v5 he was outchanced and was on the ice for 2 goals against.

 

[DarkKnight]

I was there for game 5 vs Ottawa lol - I don't think the crowd matters at all, if these guys just aren't in the mood.

I expect good energy from them though.

They outshot them 12-4 in the first that game?

 

[1specter]

They outshot them 12-4 in the first that game?

Yeah but there was a nervous energy about the team that was palpable, like they were gripping the sticks too tight. And once that first Ottawa goal went in, it completely deflated the group. It felt alot like game 7 of the Habs series or game 5 of the Columbus series where they just could not generate anything even if they tried. Thankfully, they snapped out of it in game 6 and played far more loose and free.

 

[stats1]

Nothing against the rules by ripping a slapper at the head of Bennett…. I mean you got to shoot to score . Pick him on the bench and slap one right at him. Add Tkachuk to hit list too. f*** these scumbags.

And please someone go knock Bob’s head. The precedent has been set and it’s open season on goalies. Go after Bob cause they got nobody after him