Pre-Game Talk: Game 7: last chance for the core

[Artorius Horus T]

If i was a Leafs fan, or Keefe rather..

i'd go with

Engvall-Spezza-Hyman
Mikheyev-Matthews-Nylander
Kerfoot-Thornton-Marner
Galchenyuk-Brooks-Nash

Sandin-Liljegren
Brodie-Holl
Hutton-Bogosian

SG : Hutchinson

You guys need legs, to both f and d
You need the fighting spirit, need to go to basics.

Defense, Habs believe in their young guys, why not you,
you have two well skating, well passing, towards forwards playing
young d-men, both are Swedes, use that for your favor

Offense, You need speed, spirit, for all 4 lines
put together players who have similar abilities,
remove free loaders from playing roster & key positions, simplify your game

Goaltending : Campbell is great but i don't think he can handle game 7 pressure
Andersen is obviously the wrong guy, Hutchinson can come to game as a fresh face
with not much of pressure, as the unexpected hero.

 

[1specter]

Even if they win (which they won't), how do you take pride in this? Montreal isn't even a playoff team. You're going to be proud of blowing a 3-1 lead and needing 7 to win against these guys? That too after forcing comebacks in games 5 and 6 only to lose in OT both times

 

[fahad203]

Matthews Marner and Nylander
Hyman Spezza and Gally
Engvall Kerfoot and Mikahayev
Rest of the losers

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I found this interesting... And it is not even like he is being forced by an impending hit most of the time.

This happens far too often for it to be a coincidence or even being scared... Unless he is so scared by the prospect of a hit that even if a guy is not within a 10ft radius of him he will flip the puck out.

I just don't know how you can be in the middle of the ice with no one around you and somehow flip it over the bench and out when you are trying to get Hyman the puck down ice...

 

[MSZ]

It's time for Keefe to take advantage of the last change. Send out the Kerfoot/Nylander line against the Danault line. It's obvious that Matthews could not do a thing when Danault shadowed him all series.

 

[egd27]

I am absolutely in favour of taking marner off the top line and putting him on the 3rd line.

I would do this however:

foligno-matthews-Nylander
Gally-kerfoot-marner

nylander and matthews have proven chemistry and nylander is an actual threat to shoot the god dam puck. Unlike marner who either drifts into into the goalie trying to dangle, or rips a muffin straight into prices logo

I thought about that, but IMO it still gives Montreal the opportunity to focus on the 34 & 88 line.

Let them focus on 34 and once he's on the bench 88 is out and after that 16 (with more time and space)

I don't believe Montreal can come close to matching that (provided the Leafs are actually working hard)

 

[Clark4Ever]

Hmmm let's see, up 3-1 in a series .. Lose back to back games in Overtime after staging two multi-goal come backs.

Yeah this isn't going to end well at all.

My prediction: the Leafs jump out to a 2-0 lead early. Montreal cuts it to 2-1. The Leafs pull ahead 3-1 by the end of the second period. Montreal comes back and wins 4-3 i regulation. Because that's what this core does. Loses games in specularly different wants. Blowing a 3-1 series lead is just another different chapter in this embarrassing book.

100%. When we lose, it has to be in the most gut wrenching manner imaginable.

 

[BigGulpsEh]

Leafs are frauds. Most of us all drank the kool aid and bought into this clown show.

Always finding a new soul crushing way to choke

They are losing tmrw.

Death, taxes and leafs 1st rd exit are inevitable

 

[Mr Knies Guy]

I thought about that, but IMO it still gives Montreal the opportunity to focus on the 34 & 88 line.

Let them focus on 34 and once he's on the bench 88 is out and after that 16 (with more time and space)

I don't believe Montreal can come close to matching that (provided the Leafs are actually working hard)

Which they won't so it doesn't matter what line combos are used when the engine of the team is dead.

 

[ryno23]

It's time for Keefe to take advantage of the last change. Send out the Kerfoot/Nylander line against the Danault line. It's obvious that Matthews could not do a thing when Danault shadowed him all series.

but keefe is not worried about a matchup. He is getting outcoached again. It's simply not working with Matthews and Marner make the switch for game 7 and maybe Marner clues in he is the problem

 

[TheShape]

I rarely make fantasy line ups but the Habs have shut down 34 & 16 so let's spread it out

Hyman- Matthews - Foligno
Gally - Kerfoot -Nylander
Spezza - Brooks - Marner
Mikheyev - Engvall - Simmons

Galchenyuk-Matthews-Nylander
Foligno-Kerfoot-Marner
Mikheyev-Engvall-Hyman
Brooks-Spezza-Simmonds

I'd also like to add it's criminal we haven't seen Robertson this series, he was a spark plug against CBJ a year ago and now the team has gone backwards. But hey, Jumbo!

 

[TheDoldrums]

I found this interesting... And it is not even like he is being forced by an impending hit most of the time.

This happens far too often for it to be a coincidence or even being scared... Unless he is so scared by the prospect of a hit that even if a guy is not within a 10ft radius of him he will flip the puck out.

I just don't know how you can be in the middle of the ice with no one around you and somehow flip it over the bench and out when you are trying to get Hyman the puck down ice...

This is like the yips at this point.

How the hell does one of the best stickhandlers in the world keep getting so many puck over glass penalties in the playoffs. It's a mental block.

 

[ToneDog]

Leafs are frauds. Most of us all drank the kool aid and bought into this clown show.

Always finding a new soul crushing way to choke

They are losing tmrw.

Death, taxes and leafs 1st rd exit are inevitable

If they are frauds they are good frauds cause they managed to convince Shanny and Dubie to go all-in this year. Much better frauds than last year when Dubas and Shanny saw it.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Keefe needs to make adjustments because we've been outplayed 2 games in a row. Might as well go out swinging.

Foligno-Matthews-Marner
Galchenyuk-Kerfoot-Nylander
Mikheyev-Engvall-Hyman
Thornton-Spezza-Simmonds

Rielly-Brodie
Dermott-Holl
Sandin-Bogosian

Campbell
Andersen

 

[HolyCrap]

I found this interesting... And it is not even like he is being forced by an impending hit most of the time.

This happens far too often for it to be a coincidence or even being scared... Unless he is so scared by the prospect of a hit that even if a guy is not within a 10ft radius of him he will flip the puck out.

I just don't know how you can be in the middle of the ice with no one around you and somehow flip it over the bench and out when you are trying to get Hyman the puck down ice...

Last night it looked like he intentionally did it. He flipped that puck right over the glass. Is he betting on Leafs losses? Lol. Like I just don’t get it.

 

[Squiffy]

Don’t worry guys, I just shaved off the beard I had going from game 1, we should be fine now.

 

[SeenSchenn2]

but keefe is not worried about a matchup. He is getting outcoached again. It's simply not working with Matthews and Marner make the switch for game 7 and maybe Marner clues in he is the problem

Seriously. In a game of f***ing bounces, he goes out and says 'I'm not gonna hide them from anyone'. Jesus christ dude - take an opportunity and try to take advantage.

 

[hullsy47]

I found this interesting... And it is not even like he is being forced by an impending hit most of the time.

This happens far too often for it to be a coincidence or even being scared... Unless he is so scared by the prospect of a hit that even if a guy is not within a 10ft radius of him he will flip the puck out.

I just don't know how you can be in the middle of the ice with no one around you and somehow flip it over the bench and out when you are trying to get Hyman the puck down ice...

Holy smokes he's afraid

 

[IrishInOntario]

The lesson to learn from the Kessel haters is the same regarding Maryland Matthews.

While people like Trapper might now claim they never were naysayers, it's just not true.

Those claiming that Matthews and Marner are no good in the playoffs are falling into the same hyperbole hole that some people fell into with Phil.

Marner has the delay of game penalties. Not the first line. One of those was given up on the penalty kill with no pressure around him. The other was also a play of little pressure.

Matthews has been on the ice for 1 goal against - a short handed goal resulted from a horrible giveaway. In 6 games.

If every player had only been on the ice for no more than 1 goal against, this team would already be playing Winnipeg.
I mean, Matthews plays 25 minutes a night and doesn't give up more than 2 scoring chances, 0 goals, generates 5+ scoring chances for.
If every line did the same, this is a sweep.

The Habs have scored on the following plays: rushes after giveaways, scramble plays in front of the net, 2 man advantage.

They haven't created a goal for themselves by outplaying the Leafs, instead, they have played full on defense and pounced on breakdowns.

Last night, the shots were 15 in the first period and 16 for the rest of the game. Thats almost 3 full periods with 16 total shots. Hell, they went 45 full minutes with no shots at all.

Your point is not consistant though. The reason Kessel went and won the Cup is because he got paired with two Superstars and a prime defenseman, who had already won Cups, knew how to win Cups and had a history of producing in the playoffs. Who is your suggestion for the Malkin, Crosby and Letang roles in Toronto, so that Matthews and Marner can play the support roles that Kessel did in Pittsburgh? I'd love some names.

Next, you go on to talk about how defensively responsible Matthews is, despite not being able to score. Which other 11.7 million dollar player is playing a "shutdown" role for his team and is not expected to lead the way offensively, especially when flanked by a 10.8 million dollar player for 25+ minutes per night? Come on man, that's not grounded in reality. Their job is to get it done at both ends of the ice. What's why they're the top line. That's why they play 25 minutes per night and that's why they get paid what they do.

I can't imagine a Boston fan (a fan of a team who has won something) letting Pasternak, Marchand and Bergeron off the hook, because they were excellent defensively, but didn't contribute offensively. That's unfathomable... By the way, that line had a much tougher matchup in the 1st round than Toronto does, and that line has now combined for 18 points, in 7 games.... Despite being matched up against their opponent's best defensive line, every night.

Pastrnak-Marchand-Bergeron= 18 points (7 GP)

Matthews-Marner-Hyman= 8 points (6 GP)

If you can't see that the top line's gross lack of production, compared to their peers, is what is most holding this team back from advancing, I don't know what to tell you. By the way, Colorodo's top line, Tampa Bay's top line etc, also producing in line with Boston's numbers.

 

[IrishInOntario]

This is like the yips at this point.

How the hell does one of the best stickhandlers in the world keep getting so many puck over glass penalties in the playoffs. It's a mental block.

He's Johnny Gaudreau in the playoffs. Some guys just aren't clutch. The only way to fix it is to ship him out of town and let him be somebody else's playoff problem.

 

[Clark4Ever]

I mean... I get it when people stay in abusive relationships... you keep telling yourself itll change... itll be different... they're not the same anymore...

Yup. We're all suffering from Stockholm Syndrome.

 

[Gary Nylund]

It’s actually 1.4%



Of f***ing course this would be the franchise to pull this off and this would be the universe I live in where this would be a reality.



Jesus f***.

Haha just recently I had this discussion with @zeke. He keeps talking about how well we've played in the playoffs despite losing. I said that the probability of the Leafs losing in the 1st round every year for the last 4 years was roughly 10%, hard to call that playing sell. Zeke replied with "your math is wrong". I say no, my math is fine, if you say I'm wrong then show me. @zeke disappears.

I was only estimating of course and as these numbers from the Athletic show, I was actually shading the numbers slightly in the Leafs favour. @zeke is constantly quoting the Athletic, maybe reading this would force him to tear his eyes away from his spreadsheets and acknowledge the hard truth.

Really hope we win tomorrow night. Losing to MTL would be the low point in my 50+ years of following this team.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Matthews Marner and Nylander
Hyman Spezza and Gally
Engvall Kerfoot and Mikahayev
Rest of the losers

Stacking the top line did nothing but stifle Nylander.

 

[Jozay]

Leafs are frauds. Most of us all drank the kool aid and bought into this clown show.

Always finding a new soul crushing way to choke

They are losing tmrw.

Death, taxes and leafs 1st rd exit are inevitable

This is the last time this team ever tricks me lol

 

[3blizzard4]

Failure builds adversity they said.
Makes you stronger they said.
You need failure to succeed they said.