Pre-Game Talk: Game 5: Tampa @ Toronto - April 27th, 2023

[3blizzard4]

Ffs the border ads are back every 3 seconds. I’m out. Do you guys not realize the site is not usable like this.

Check your dm.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Holls PK the last 3 games is what has him in the line up (I think). He's had a real good game (3), one ok game (2) a bad game (4), and a bed shitter (1). If he doesn't play at least ok, then it's time to go to Lilly.

With all of that said, Brodie has been really bad for Brodie and Gio hasn't been a lot better. Thank God the other 3 dudes have been mostly stellar

This is exactly how I see it as well. Brodie has been uncharacteristically bad. Not sure I have ever seen him look so lost. I have actually noticed him in a more negative capacity than Holl.

I think we can all agree that Liljegren >> Holl. But in this moment, I really don't think playing Justin over Timmy is the wrong play. Holler can absorb a ton of tough minutes against the oppositions best players. I love Timmy, but he would be on for the exact same amount of GA at 5v5 as Holl if he were in his place. Maybe even more. It really all comes down to Holl's ability to PK and Box out at the top of the paint. By no means am I claiming Holl is a top tier D-man in that regard, but with guys like Killorn, Perry, Maroon, Colton, and Jennault on the other side, we cannot afford to have D-men give them free space at the top of the crease.

Holl is far from perfect, and the numbers may not necessarily be in his favor in terms of iGF vs. iGA overall. But removing the catastrophically poor performance (by everyone) of game 1, he's been on the ice for 4 GA and 2 GF at 5v5. Which is not terrible given he is largely out against the top 2 lines of TB and starting getting a ton of defensive zone starts.

Holl is an easy target. A lot of times for good reason. But he has been more than fine this post season. We need his big body right now. So we will just have to take the bad with the good unfortunately.

 

[Drytoast]

Yes , can’t stand this ….

I don't bother on phone anymore. These boards suck. So they lost all my mobile traffic getting greedy. f*** em.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Isn't Holl something like 1GF - 10GA? I'm not a hater, and I know he plays tough situations but it does feel like he's always on the ice for Goals Against. Him and Gio just haven't been great, IMO.

Ya the numbers are definitely not pretty. But that was due in large part to the 6 piece in game 1 that he was on the ice for. He's been on the ice for 4GA and 2GF in the last 3 games at 5v5. Which is really not all that bad given his defensive usage.

Like I've been saying, his big body in front of the net is what we need to combat TB's larger then average lineup. Bellmare, Kuch and Pointer are the only players on the lightning roster that are listed under 6 foot tall, and they are all listed at 5'11. Not to mention those guys play tough as hell. TB is so good at mucking it up in and around the blue paint. Sure it would be really nice to have Timmy's ability to breakout the zone, but I don't trust him in and around the net front at this point against this TB team. He was also uncharacteristically terrible going back on pucks after the TDL, which is a recipe for disaster against a strong forechecking team like TB. It's almost as if he lost his way when his buddy Rasmus was dealt.

I have so much belief in Timmy. His time will come. But I 100% support Keefe's decision to play Holl over him at this point

 

[Hellcat]

I was 14

Uhhh.. do the math.... carry the one.... your 600 years old?

 

[mikeyz]

We absolutly dont want them to treat it like a game 7.

LMFAO. Fair enough.

Okay. Let me rephrase. A Non Leaf game 7!

 

[wingman75]

I don't bother on phone anymore. These boards suck. So they lost all my mobile traffic getting greedy. f*** em.

I see lots of people that have this problem. My solution(s):

Desktop - I use Chrome browser with uBlock Origin. Zero ads on this site.
Mobile - I use Brave browser. Zero ads on this site.

I realize these solutions are not for everyone, but they work for me and might be worth a try for others. Good luck!

 

[mikeyz]

Florida extends it. Boston will be tired when they face us

Dude. NO!!!!!!!!

This series is not even close to being over yet.

 

[Drytoast]

I see lots of people that have this problem. My solution(s):

Desktop - I use Chrome browser with uBlock Origin. Zero ads on this site.
Mobile - I use Brave browser. Zero ads on this site.

I realize these solutions are not for everyone, but they work for me and might be worth a try for others. Good luck!

I use chrome but I don't mind not using these boards when I'm on the go. f*** em. They don't deserve that traffic putting in such obnoxious ads on their mobile site.

 

[Pi]

We absolutly dont want them to treat it like a game 7.

Made me snort haha. Yes, please Toronto do not treat this like a Game 7. If you have to treat it like a Game 7, at least make sure it's not a Leaf one.

 

[JoeyBeans]

Heartbeat intensifying

 

[666]

Does anyone else call Knies Knives?

 

[ponder]

I thought game 1 was pretty even (despite the score), game 2 we dominated, game 3 and 4 though, Tampa really controlled the play, and we were very lucky to win. Keefe's opinion is "stick with what's working", but ... I dunno, getting dominated but having some puck luck and miraculous comebacks, I wouldn't consider that something that we can likely keep replicating.

Don't get me wrong, I've been having a blast watching the games, very proud of the boys for these amazing comebacks, but I do think we need to realize there's lots of luck in hockey, and coaching/lineup decisions should try to block out the noise, focus on what's most likely to make us win. It's nice that the luck has been turning our ways, compared to past playoffs where we've often lost despite outplayed the competition, but we shouldn't be counting on luck, it's too random.

IMO:

- We get dominated at ES with Holl out there. The problem is primarily breakouts - Tampa's forwards pressure him and he just forces bad passes up ice. Almost always leads to Tampa getting the puck right back. This is a major issue, it means we spend most of Holl's shifts without the puck, in our own end. The #1 thing we could do to start controlling the play more at ES is take out our biggest ES liability (Holl), and replace him with a very strong ES player (Lily). Holl is better on the PK, but Gio/Brodie/McCabe/Schenn are all on par with Holl on the PK, they can take his minutes​

​

- Bunting is simply better than ZAR and Lafferty, should be in over one of them​

Based on that, I'd go with:

Jarnkrok - Matthews - Nylander
Knies - JT - Marner
Acciari - ROR - Kerfoot
Bunting - Kampf - Lafferty

Rielly - Schenn
McCabe - Brodie
Gio - Lily

Sammy
Woll

 

[Enniskillen]

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