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

[Isaac Nootin]

The 3rd line should not be a strictly defensive line tho

With home ice, ROR/Accari line probably matched up vs. Kuch/Point.

 

[SprDaVE]

Early line rushes so far.

 

[embracedbias]

revision:

Jarnkrok - Matthews - Nylander
Knies - Tavares - Marner
Bunting - O'Reilly - Acciari
Kerfoot - Kampf - Lafferty

 

[Suntouchable13]

I wonder if a team anywhere in pro sports ever lost 10 straight games where they had a chance to eliminate an opponent in the playoffs. This is crazy. Get it done tomorrow, Leafs and forget about that record.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Bunting is not a 3rd/4th line player. I don't like him in a strictly defensive, physical role. That's not his game.

You still need scoring from your bottom 6, especially your 3rd line. Bunting is mainly a complementary top 6 guy, but he's not entirely useless on the 3rd line

 

[Roo]

Definitely a tough call regarding Bunting, but I would sit him. He is by far our leader in penalty minutes, and it's not just the 'edge' to his game. He isn't great defensively and takes bad penalties when he gets caught out of position. This is even more concerning as the intensity and pace has jumped since game 1.

Given how effective Tampa's PP has been, we should prioritize staying out of the box and plan to win 5v5. Remember, we have last change. It also rewards the guys that have got it done three straight. The only option to bring him in, I think, is for ZAR on the 4th where minutes are limited.

And if Tampa has been better 5v5, it would be marginal at best. Games 1 & 2 cancel each other out. We had no business winning game 3, but we were the better team in game 4 after the first. Hopefully Keefe keeps Matthews and Marner apart 5v5, and the big three centres down the middle.

 

[leafsfan5]

Very glad we're splitting up Matthews/Marner, it makes us a lot tougher to defend this way

Bunting should be in, though

 

[m1ker]

bunting is so overrated he's been a liability for the second half of the year

 

[leafsfan5]

You still need scoring from your bottom 6, especially your 3rd line. Bunting is mainly a complementary top 6 guy, but he's not entirely useless on the 3rd line

The line he'll be on also isn't a strictly defensive role. ROR is a PPG playoff performer, they'll be looked at to generate offense

 

[TheDoldrums]

If Bunting and Liljegren are sitting I think its a mistake. I don't subscribe to the notion that you leave a winning lineup alone, they were outplayed overall in Tampa and I'd rather be proactive.

Bunting just has a lot more to offer than Lafferty/ZAR, I'd drop one of them, possibly sliding Kerfoot down to the 4th line.

And the team has been in desperate need of puck movement from the backend. Holl and Gio have really struggled, I think its a fine time to see Liljegren again.

 

[Notsince67]

The 3rd line should not be a strictly defensive line tho

Especially when the Leafs have better offensive talent on the 3rd line

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

The line he'll be on also isn't a strictly defensive role. ROR is a PPG playoff performer, they'll be looked at to generate offense

Bunting, O'Reilly, and Acciari would be annoying as hell to play against, they should definitely try it.

Also, the Leafs have been historically on the losing side of razor thin margins because they just don't get enough scoring from the bottom half of their lineup. If they lose a 1 goal game so they could keep ZAR in the lineup over a 20 goal 50 point man, I would scream

 

[Gary Nylund]

20 years of futility deserves a celebration if they break it. It's not parade time but it's not nothing.

Celebration was massive when the Bills broke their 20 year playoff drought. It wears on a city

People will celebrate of course, have some drinks, jump for joy, proudly wear their Leaf jerseys etc. Bringing back alumni to mark the occasion in case we win though, that's too much and just draws attention to the fact winning a round is something we haven't done in so long.

Reminds me of our high school football team. They shut down the program for about 10 years, then when they started again we went all season without scoring a point, it was 6-7 games or something like that. Then next season, after not scoring a point for 5 games we lined up for a field goal attempt in game 6, down 35-0. We missed, the opposing team conceded a single point in the end zone and our bench erupted. Everyone rushed out on the field, hugging and celebrating like we had just win the Super Bowl. The opponents were perplexed, then when someone explained to them why we were celebrating, they were all dying of laughter.

That was high school, this is the big leagues. Everyone celebrates at least a little bit whenever they win a playoff series, but I just don't think we should overdo it. Let's not embarrass ourselves, we've done enough of that over the last 50+ years already. JMHO.

 

[justashadowof]

Is he? Since April 1st he has averaged 3 minutes of PIM's a game and a 3 game suspension

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Translated from that disingenuous spin:

Since April 1st in 9 games, he has scored 2 goals, been given only 2 minor penalties that resulted in a power play against, been in a fight, had a 10 minute misconduct and that match penalty which in my opinion would have been a two minute elbowing penalty if he were an American NHL team player.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

If Bunting and Liljegren are sitting I think its a mistake. I don't subscribe to the notion that you leave a winning lineup alone, they were outplayed overall in Tampa and I'd rather be proactive.

Bunting just has a lot more to offer than Lafferty/ZAR, I'd drop one of them, possibly sliding Kerfoot down to the 4th line.

And the team has been in desperate need of puck movement from the backend. Holl and Gio have really struggled, I think its a fine time to see Liljegren again.

Yeah, Leafs have outscored Tampa 8-3 at 5v5 with that pairing off the ice, but have been outscored 2-3 with Holl and Giordano on the ice. The underlying numbers don't look good either, and they've also frankly sucked when they've been apart so it's an issue with both of them. Obviously they have a tough role and aren't totally awful, but this isn't the time to be okay with poor results. They need this win, and they need to start with their best lineup

 

[Roo]

Early line rushes so far.

Solid

 

[DarkKnight]

1050 says Bunting isn’t in top four lines for practice.

bunting is so overrated he's been a liability for the second half of the year

Just heard a stat, he has more even strength coals last two years than JT.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Good for Knies moving up with the big boys in the top 6.

 

[notbias]

1050 says Bunting isn’t in top four lines for practice.

Coaches like safe players, and Bunting is the opposite of that... not entirely surprised, although a little.

Thinking about it a little more... I feel like Knies didn't play game 1 because Keefe had no reason to take anyone out... and this may be the same. If someone gives him a reason he will put Bunting in next game, but until then, he hasn't earned a spot himself.

 

[DarkKnight]

Coaches like safe players, and Bunting is the opposite of that... not entirely surprised, although a little.

Thinking about it a little more... I feel like Knies didn't play game 1 because Keefe had no reason to take anyone out... and this may be the same. If someone gives him a reason he will put Bunting in next game, but until then, he hasn't earned a spot himself.

I get it. TB will target him too.

 

[Blanche Blanche]

With Cernak out again for game 5, we need to keep taking advantage. The last thing we need is to lose game 5 in Toronto and head to Tampa for game 6 with Cernak potentially returning to their lineup and giving them that extra boost.

This.

Get it done. Full 60 mins for once in your life on this team.

Holy shit. Just do it.

 

[ACC1224]

1050 says Bunting isn’t in top four lines for practice.


Just heard a stat, he has more even strength coals last two years than JT.

I wouldn't put any meaning into anything they do today.

 

[DarkKnight]

I wouldn't put any meaning into anything they do today.

Sure, but it is interesting.

 

[SprDaVE]

Bunting, O'Reilly, and Acciari would be annoying as hell to play against, they should definitely try it.

Also, the Leafs have been historically on the losing side of razor thin margins because they just don't get enough scoring from the bottom half of their lineup. If they lose a 1 goal game so they could keep ZAR in the lineup over a 20 goal 50 point man, I would scream

Yeah I think it's a mistake if they go ahead with that lineup. Winning doesn't mean you can't be better. Re-adding your 5th best scorer should be automatic in place of forwards that aren't exactly playing well. Even if Bunting goes back in and they lose, it's still very much the right decision.

I guess it won't matter if the Leafs take care of business.

 

[thewave]

Very glad we're splitting up Matthews/Marner, it makes us a lot tougher to defend this way

Bunting should be in, though

They had no choice, it wasn't working out. I don't think Keefe or any coach envisions the norm to be coming back and winning in OT 2 games in a row, even if it was on the road.