ECSF - Game 1 - Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers - 7pm EST, ESPN

[RedRocking]

So, G1 should be the battle of who has the bigger emotional letdown after a crazy high over the weekend.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Any mods that wouldn't mind making the Leafs pre-game thread a GDT and switching it to live? Not sure what is going on on our board

 

[ShelbyZ]

Florida will beat them.

They were a team that struggled this year but the President's Trophy core from last year is still there. They made their adjustment

The more I look at the Panthers after taking down the Bruins, the more I start to see the '97 Red Wings. Lots of similarities:

-Big Tkachuk and Shanahan trades
-Back and forth and back Veteran vs heir apparent young goalie dynamic
-Previous season Presidents trophy winner that needed to get through some growing pains and make adjustments before they were heavily slept on for pretty much the entire playoffs

 

[JP Mick]

The NHL really gave the Leafs the Oilers schedule because they're so scared of Florida having no fans in the building with the Heat playing on Saturday's

They wanted to avoid TV conflicts so fans of both teams didn’t have to pick and choose. The arena would be filled regardless, it was last year when both teams played at the same time but you probably already knew that. The Panthers owner also has a top horse in the Kentucky Derby race on Saturday.

 

[Divine]

Panthers went head to head with the Heat in the playoffs last year and had no issues selling out. The league is in the business of making money and more viewership and higher ticket prices because they aren’t fighting a losing battle vs the far more popular league is a wise one financially for the NHL. You’d think sunbelt fans wouldn’t have to explain such simple concepts to O6 fans but here we are

You've contradicted yourself. So they did it last year and had no issues... but they won't do it this year because they'll have issues? Makes sense.

They wanted to avoid TV conflicts so fans of both teams didn’t have to pick and choose. The arena would be filled regardless, it was last year when both teams played at the same time but you probably already knew that. The Panthers owner also has a top horse in the Kentucky Derby race on Saturday.

The Heat play at 3:30 on Saturday, so that's not it.

 

[Satan]

meow

 

[Despote]

I'm in team Florida but Barkov needs to step up and play like the player he is in the regular season for FLA to have a chance here. Toronto's centers are a huge challenge compared to bergeron-less Boston.

 

[TSBruins13]

You know what they say - if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

LET'S GO PANTHERS

 

[FlaPanthers11]

You've contradicted yourself. So they did it last year and had no issues... but they won't do it this year because they'll have issues? Makes sense.



The Heat play at 3:30 on Saturday, so that's not it.

Wow didn’t know I’d need to spell it out even more lol

“They had no issues selling out”

Is different than the league having issues with TV ratings and the selling price of those tickets that did sell.

The Heat at 3:30 isn’t an issue? How would you expect overlapping STHs to make both games? We’re not talking about a Heat road game. Common sense here and you can get there

 

[HockeyVirus]

You know what they say - if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

LET'S GO PANTHERS

Looking forward to you joining our bandwagon then

 

[Divine]

Wow didn’t know I’d need to spell it out even more lol

“They had no issues selling out”

Is different than the league having issues with TV ratings and the selling price of those tickets that did sell.

The Heat at 3:30 isn’t an issue? How would you expect overlapping STHs to make both games? We’re not talking about a Heat road game. Common sense here and you can get there

The league won't have issues because most of the fans will be Leafs fans, who are indifferent about the Heat. No matter what time you change the game too, the Leafs fans will fill the building.

Overlapping STH's still have time to make both games. How did overlapping STH's do it last year or during the regular season?

 

[Mez]

Wait....Eakins takes is a thing!?

 

[Pablo El Perro]

I don't want him to make a fool of me again, so tonight, I'm predicting 2 goals from Sasha.

 

[Strangle]

For the last 7 years, I've been so anxious every game day knowing the Leafs had so much to prove. Weirdly, I feel no anxiety at all today. Maybe it's the emotional let down of the last two series these teams were in, but I don't feel that electricity that's been there every other game.

I feel a similar way, I’m not nervous or scared. That’s not normal.

Something has changed after they beat the bolts

 

[HockeyVirus]

Samsonov hurt in warmup.. f***

 

[Strangle]

Panthers fans, sorry for the inevitable influx of Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa fans, among others.

They're just passing time until the draft lottery.


Not a single Leaf fan I've seen is saying this.

If you think that, you have no idea about the history of this franchise.

Ya where are all these posts people are referencing that say fans are looking past florida?

Out of any fanbase at all, leaf fans know they can’t do dumb shit like that. There are no gimme series in the NHL playoffs. We know that better than most

Samsonov hurt in warmup.. f***

No f*** off!

 

[HockeyVirus]

Ya where are all these posts people are referencing that say fans are looking past florida?

Out of any fanbase at all, leaf fans know they can’t do dumb shit like that. There are no gimme series in the NHL playoffs. We know that better than most



No f*** off!

 

[TSBruins13]

Looking forward to you joining our bandwagon then

Boston didn't lose to Toronto.

...and no, I will never join a Leafs bandwagon.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Who is buzzing the goalie high in warmups! That was doing lines in practice when I grew up playing

 

[TSBruins13]

Ya where are all these posts people are referencing that say fans are looking past florida?

Out of any fanbase at all, leaf fans know they can’t do dumb shit like that. There are no gimme series in the NHL playoffs. We know that better than most



No f*** off!

I mean, one of your fans about 8 posts above this is.....

 

[Felidae]

I'm in team Florida but Barkov needs to step up and play like the player he is in the regular season for FLA to have a chance here. Toronto's centers are a huge challenge compared to bergeron-less Boston.

I mean it would be nice if he stepped up but after 20 or so playoff games and multiple series of him performing under expectation, I wouldn't count on it

Also, we didn't need regular season Barkov to somehow beat the Bruins crazy enough. Mostly everyone else around him stepped up tenfold though.

 

[violaswallet]

I feel a similar way, I’m not nervous or scared. That’s not normal.

Something has changed after they beat the bolts

It's same for me as a Florida fan: we won the series that caused most angst, so almost playing with house money.

 

[zeykshade]

Bolts fan hoppin' on the Panthers wagon. Leafs Elimination Day has been such a consistent thing for 2 decades and has provided many smiles. I just want to keep the good vibes going in the rest of the hockey world. Go Panthers.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Bolts fan hoppin' on the Panthers wagon. Leafs Elimination Day has been such a consistent thing for 2 decades and has provided many smiles. I just want to keep the good vibes going in the rest of the hockey world. Go Panthers.

Damn this man wants to feel the sting of being eliminated by the Leafs twice

 

[Strangle]

Thank you

It's same for me as a Florida fan: we won the series that caused most angst, so almost playing with house money.

May the best team win!! (Hopefully the leafs will be the best team though)