Post-Game Talk: ECSF: Game 1, Playing with house money, Big Game Bob shuts the door

[WaitingForThatCab]

I thought Bobrovsky made one mistake in game 7 - the way he played goal #3, but otherwise he was excellent. And his move to get the crew out to fix the goalpost swung momentum in overtime.

Just gotta trust PoMo here.

 

[I am not exposed]

This is why it's a useless conversation.

Many HoFers and cup winners have averaged less than a PPG in the playoffs, with far less impact as Barkov, he can be better no doubt, but this idea he is our 3rd liner now and that rhetoric is just stupid, sorry for the feels, but it is.

He was a ghost last year, better this time.

3rd line centre at best. He's being caved in and gets dominated. The odd takeaway does not negate this.

If it was just the Boston series and he had performed as a 1st line centre in previous playoffs, there would be less of a concern. But how he has underperformed so far in his playoff career is concerning. He normally gets dominated by Matthews as well, so it doesn't bode well. Hopefully he steps it up and actually starts playing like one of the best players on the team. Because at the moment he isn't. Being over 50 percent on faceoffs, and having the odd takeaway does not mean he's having a good playoffs.

 

[pantherbot]

To be fair, he got much better over the series. Maybe Maurice was truthful and he was sick.

If the Lundell line is going, I'm more than happy to have Barky take care of Matthews and let the Tkachuk and Lundell line go ham

Interesting both Barkov and Lundell improved in the series at the same time. It was same during the season. It's like they're connected. They still living together?

 

[iam76]

Something I gotta give Maurice props for doing which is something no one even would think of doing, including myself, but has worked out pretty well honestly and that’s putting cousins with Bennett and tkachuk. Also, the Lundell-Reinhart-Luostarinen line has looked really solid, to go along with staal and Dalpe on the 4th (once Lomberg is ready I hope he takes white’s spot rather than dalpe’s), and then keeping the Verhaeghe-Barkov-Duclair line on the top as they’ve obviously had a lot of continuity in the past.

i was saying move him up. he had more life end of season and first few games... i think game 1 or 2 he had like 6-9 mins.. but was a royal pain. Was the right move.. plays playoff style.

 

[Chaos2k7]

3rd line centre at best. He's being caved in and gets dominated. The odd takeaway does not negate this.

If it was just the Boston series and he had performed as a 1st line centre in previous playoffs, there would be less of a concern. But how he has underperformed so far in his playoff career is concerning. He normally gets dominated by Matthews as well, so it doesn't bode well. Hopefully he steps it up and actually starts playing like one of the best players on the team. Because at the moment he isn't. Being over 50 percent on faceoffs, and having the odd takeaway does not mean he's having a good playoffs.

He needs to be better, however I don't agree it's as bad as you portray, this postseason.

He gets slack because he has no showed before, Barkov apologists need to accept this too.

I don't feel it's as bad as you are saying it is.

 

[BeezKnees]

What ridiculous fallacy that is lol

The amount of leeway this guy gets is ridiculous. He's our most talented player and paid to be a franchise centre. Newsflash, he's not playing like one so far this playoffs. The credit he is getting is the kind of stuff you give to 3rd line centres playing well.

His metrics in the Boston series were terrible and it matches with the eye test as well.

I don't recall anyone crediting that series as being Barkov's peak performance. My point is, even though this was not his best, he was not "terrible." He can and will have better games.

 

[Prominence Problem]

i was saying move him up. he had more life end of season and first few games... i think game 1 or 2 he had like 6-9 mins.. but was a royal pain. Was the right move.. plays playoff style.

Like a baseball analogy, it makes your lineup deeper. Putting him on that second line allows a better player to move down.

 

[iam76]

Interesting both Barkov and Lundell improved in the series at the same time. It was same during the season. It's like they're connected. They still living together?

took lundell getting rocked and barkov stepping up

 

[I am not exposed]

I don't recall anyone crediting that series as being Barkov's peak performance. My point is, even though this was not his best, he was not "terrible." He can and will have better games.

Well let's hope so. Because he has underperformed so far in his playoff career so far. We need it against the Leafs who have centre depth.

And your point was shrouded in ridiculous fallacy.

 

[Ghoste]

I like to think the farther we go, the more info & data Zito and Co. have to make the correct moves this summer.

-ghoste

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

I like to think the farther we go, the more info & data Zito and Co. have to make the correct moves this summer.

-ghoste

I think this core is good -- part of why I was so upset by the regular season underachievement -- and especially the forward group needs only minor tweaks. Look at getting cheap extensions on some of these guys (Cousins) where possible, and otherwise try to upgrade the blue line. M. Staal is really just on his last legs out there.

 

[Rat Trick]

Also have to remember that we have back to back games? Might be good to share the workload with goalies. Anyhow that schedule is killing us, if true..

 

[pantherbot]

Interesting choice starting with Lyon, but it kind of makes sense. Bob was pretty solid, but wouldn't say he's riding a hot streak and could probably benefit from rest. We aren't sweeping the Leafs, we'll see Bob come back again, just like in the last series.

Also have to remember that we have back to back games? Might be good to share the workload with goalies. Anyhow that schedule is killing us, if true..

What...? is that confirmed?

 

[FinlandPanther]

I don’t know. I’m pretty sure most games Bob has been absolutely torched by Toronto so I’m good with it. The leafs always light him up.

 

[Rat Trick]

What...? is that confirmed?

In YLE, Finnish media. But not in the states I guess, so hoping they have the wrong info.

 

[DrMom9900]

I think our Pomo dump n chase was refined into a masterpiece during the bruins series. It went from curdled milk in the regular season to an artisan cheese plate served at the ritz.

Just look at the game 7 OT goal. TO will have no answer, just like boston had no answer. Just gotta limit penalties and this is in the bag

 

[violaswallet]

Interesting both Barkov and Lundell improved in the series at the same time. It was same during the season. It's like they're connected. They still living together?

Nope, I think Lundell lives near Las Olas and Barky lives in Boca Raton.

 

[pantherbot]

Didn't know this before, but Matthews and Marner know Tkachuk pretty well. Matthews played with him at the US NTDP in 2013-15, Marner played with him on the same line for the London Knights.

Will be interesting to see how Tkachuk approaches this and how the Leafs respond. They didn't do too bad against the Lightning antics in round 1. I know everyone talking about playing physical against them and we definitely need to, but I have a feeling they won't get as easily knocked off their game like the Bruins were.

 

[Gentle Man]

For what it's worth.

We only had Sam Bennett for one game against the Leafs this year, and that was back in January (we lost in OT) when we were just starting to pick it up before floundering in February and early March.

The last 3 games we did not have the God of Destruction and WE ALL KNOW how massive he is for us.

 

[TotalHomer]

I hope we rough them up bad. All their guys are soft and need to be hit hard.

All their original guys are but they added O'Reilly, Cookie and McCabe, those guys aren't soft. Or Schenn.

 

[violaswallet]

For what it's worth.

We only had Sam Bennett for one game against the Leafs this year, and that was back in January (we lost in OT) when we were just starting to pick it up before floundering in February and early March.

The last 3 games we did not have the God of Destruction and WE ALL KNOW how massive he is for us.

And that was the game where the refs were the MVP for the Leafs

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

I'm surprised at this move, Lyon's glove hand has been exposed and while Bob was only great in game 5, he was serviceable enough the other games.

 

[Chaos2k7]

All their original guys are but they added O'Reilly, Cookie and McCabe, those guys aren't soft. Or Schenn.

If Cookie, McCabe and Schenn are the difference in this series, we are getting swept.

 

[violaswallet]

I'm surprised at this move, Lyon's glove hand has been exposed and while Bob was only great in game 5, he was serviceable enough the other games.

Bob needs rest after those 3 games: a lot of high pressure hockey for him

 

[Sticksandsun]

I thought Bobrovsky made one mistake in game 7 - the way he played goal #3, but otherwise he was excellent. And his move to get the crew out to fix the goalpost swung momentum in overtime.

Just gotta trust PoMo here.

Bob deserves the start just for this, it was a 10 million dollar move. They were freaking out 1st shift and it immediately calmed them down.