Post-Game Talk: ECSF, Game 5 (Florida wins 4-1): Cuzzy finishes the job. Let's go home baby!!

[Great8Cam]

Most definately, Zito deserves A LOT of the credit. This is a better playoff team with huberdeau and weegar out and verhage and montor taking up more important roles. Once again finding quality for cheap in cousins and mahura. Guy is a genius.

I went to hit the LIKE for your post, but then I remembered that he also signed the Shitter Staals

 

[Jacob Roberts]

I went to hit the LIKE for your post, but then I remembered that he also signed the Shitter Staals

I get it… but the results don’t lie. Plus, we’re talking about a 4C and 4D on the minimum salary. They are paid and positioned correctly.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Cousins started this series, and ended this series.

 

[CHGoalie27]

I went to hit the LIKE for your post, but then I remembered that he also signed the Shitter Staal.

I dunno dude, on top of what @Jacob Roberts just said, for all the good in experience and hustle they provide, and of all defensemen that I have bitched about in the past, I can't argue their spot as being yet another part of the Zito legend.

Nobody's perfect and they've done much more good than bad as far as I see it.

 

[Prominence Problem]

The Rangers won the season series 3-0. Two of those games were complete goaltending meltdowns (Bobrovsky and Lyon were like a combined .810) and the third one was damn close. The Panthers have been playing a lot better since those meetings.

I would have liked our chances vs either NYR or NJD.

In one of the pressers, I believe Maurice has stated the season really changed about halfway through the January 1st New York Rangers game.

I think that was Gregory Campbell sitting next to Zito

Is he in the organization now?

That trophy is cursed.


Your exit last year was nothing in comparison to how we felt in 2019 or how the Bruins fambase is probably feeling/felt. Just need a team to get hot at the right time. Cliche, but the best way to put it.

Just like the MLB.
The best team all season rarely wins. You play a 162 game regular season, but it's the team that usually is hottest the last month of the season that gets in the playoffs that wins The World Series.

 

[5 Hole]

How do we feel about Carolina? Personally I think this will be the toughest series. They always seem to have our number.

 

[Prominence Problem]

I dunno dude, on top of what @Jacob Roberts just said, for all the good in experience and hustle they provide, and of all defensemen that I have bitched about in the past, I can't argue their spot as being yet another part of the Zito legend.

Nobody's perfect and they've done much more good than bad as far as I see it.

I quite enjoy playoff Marc Staal.
He is an animal out there physically. Like a poor man's Gudas almost. Definitely plays with a Snarl.

 

[austropanther]

How do we feel about Carolina? Personally I think this will be the toughest series. They always seem to have our number.

Won't be tougher than BOS. As PoMo said correctly, it is a game of inches, and we need them on our side against CAR, just as they were for us against BOS

 

[CHGoalie27]

I quite enjoy playoff Marc Staal.
He is an animal out there physically. Like a poor man's Gudas almost. Definitely plays with a Snarl.

Whenever I thought he was a detriment to the Rangers, it turned out he was playing hurt

 

[Ghoste]

Campbell is the VP of player personnel and the Checkers GM I believe. Glad to have him with us, always loved him.

-ghoste

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

How do we feel about Carolina? Personally I think this will be the toughest series. They always seem to have our number.

I thought Toronto was the toughest matchup in the Eastern Conference for the Panthers going into the playoffs. They absolutely dummied the Panthers in the regular season.

 

[Ghoste]

It’d be awesome to at least split the first two games in Carolina. That’d be huge.

-ghoste

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

View attachment 708382


Not sure if its been mentioned, but Carolina is banning outside residents from ticket sales. Where is the national outrage?

It's so silly. Leafs and Habs fans are the only two fanbases delusional enough to give a shit about this stuff. Just about every team does it.

 

[batting1k]

Is he in the organization now?

Yup, Zito hired him right after he joined I believe.

 

[Jakeybonz]

I missed who got the game puck. Im assuming cousins?

 

[Gentle Man]

I missed who got the game puck. Im assuming cousins?

Wayne 'chezsky'

 

[KW]

Barkov usually plays well against the canes.

 

[Gentle Man]

 

[scoopscj]

Just wanted to bop on over here and give you fans and the team a big congratulations for making the ECF. Some amazing team work and play. I have no skin in the game now that my team is out, but I'd be happy if you guys made it to the cup. Would love to see Carolina or Florida take the cup overall. Show those west coast teams the east has it going on. Keep it up.

 

[Panthers Propaganda]

Carolina has bitch slapped up this season if memory serves correct except I think we beat them in November. We are certainly a different team now though...Bob will have to be hot, I think this is doable but I am not optimistic.

Losing to Carolina wouldn't upset me too much, I never expected to make it this far and beating Boston and Toronto has been my Stanley Cup.

 

[Ghoste]

Not sure how much he’d cost but Kampf could be a Staal replacement next season. Thought he was very noticeable in the series.

-ghoste

 

[pantherbot]

Not sure how much he’d cost but Kampf could be a Staal replacement next season. Thought he was very noticeable in the series.

-ghoste

Thought the same thing. He'll be an expensive 5th liner though, could see him getting another $1.2-1.5M AAV contract. May be too much for us, but I'd like him on our team.

 

[Prominence Problem]

Dalpe might have a productive series, especially on the road.
Hurricanes play 2 and a 1/2 hrs from where the Charlotte Checkers play. I'm assuming he lives close by. I'm also assuming he would get to see his wife and 3 boys. Should lift his spirits.

Now that I just wrote this., I wonder if there will be a big Charlotte checkers fan base cheering for the panthers in attendance?

 

[pantherbot]

Bob was great, but it was also a great team effort on defense. People keep talking about how the big Leafs stars were absent, as if they weren't even playing, but team did a good job trying to limit their chances. Pretty sure once we got the series lead, the gameplan was that Bob is better than Samsonov/Woll. So even it all out elsewhere and let Bob outplay their goalies, flip the coin enough times and we'd win.

The Matthews line was <50% CF through the series, but >50% xGF because they're just so dangerous when they do get anything going. You're not going to prevent it completely, can only limit it and let Bob take care of the rest. Huge props to Ek/Fors containing that Leafs top line.

Lot of complaining about the turtle in Game 5, but the Leafs had two high danger chances that entire period. Replay that period and more often than not, we would've won if not for that iffy goal by Nylander. That's a solid game plan. Not saying its appropriate for all situations, but it made sense given we weren't going to outskill the Leafs and they also started to adjust to our forecheck a bit by holding back themselves.

 

[pantherbot]

I think we have a good chance against the Canes now that we've found our game. We seem similar to them, but they've got a way better defense while I think we have more forward skill (especially with Canes injuries) and advantage in net if playoff Bob continues. Not sure if Canes biggest challenge, just different and probably just as difficult.

Win or lose, I already feel great about this season. Obviously I'd love for us to go all the way, but honestly don't think even a sweep would bother me that much.