Post-Game Talk: Hot Garbage, Leafs Lose 3-2 In OT

[Bluelines]

I think they should try Nylander with Matthews Marner. Its clear Hymans chemsitry with JT is better with Willys. Why not try Willy with Matthews Marner the chemistry could be unreal.

Willie is a puck hog, that means if your on a line with Willie, head to the net, that is where the puck will end up, eventually. Foligno is a beast in front of the net. So Foligno and Willie on the same line. JT as much as I want to like him, he is a horrid center defending in his own end, he handles the puck like it's a live hand grenade. Maybe try Willie out at center, it's where he played his entire life before coming to the Leafs, JT to the wing. Foligno and JT are big boys, tough to handle down low, get those two guys starting a cycle game and crashing the crease, they would give defenders fits, plus if Willie is at center, it kinda forces him to pay attention to a 200 ft game and not be that floater cherry picker type guy that plays a 100 ft game...

 

[Bluelines]

Simmonds and Thornton have to be scratched, just awful players. The coaching has disappointed me lately. It's like Babcock is back or something

Not sure if there are better options on the Taxi squad...

 

[Anthrax442]

Tampa lost to Preds 7:2. So what. Good teams lose too. Im sure their fans dont think their team is"hot garbage'

 

[crump]

Not going to read into this thread too much, I’m sure it’s hot garbage.

First place by 7 points, 13 games left. We are in the Quarantine period before the new players can jump in. We are going to see lapses in play, people losing a little focus.

Bottom line. We got a point, came back all game and dominated at times. Rittich did well under the circumstances.

Next game I hope they play Liljegren.

 

[Bluelines]

Not going to read into this thread too much, I’m sure it’s hot garbage.

First place by 7 points, 13 games left. We are in the Quarantine period before the new players can jump in. We are going to see lapses in play, people losing a little focus.

Bottom line. We got a point, came back all game and dominated at times. Rittich did well under the circumstances.

Next game I hope they play Liljegren.

I think what is more concerning about the Leafs is their play without a puck, is not that they are a not very good team, because they are. It's that they are not committed to playing consistent boring team defence. They are built on scoring, pushing the pace, they are not a team that likes to play in their own end. You win games in the offencsive zone you lose games in your zone, both are hard work, one results in a buzzer that says good job, the other results in a buzzer that says you sucked. Until the team, as a whole. commits to playing boring, shot blocking, systematic defencive play in their own end, a style that makes life more easy on their goalie, they will continue to be very good team, that never makes it far in the playoffs.

 

[Confucius]

We all agree there is a TON to like about this version of the Toronto Maple Leafs, I don’t think a single fan here truly thinks we suck...it’s the nonchalant performances that scare us as we’ve watched our boys drive an 18-wheeler directly off a cliff on the back of performances similar to these last 2 games (oh yeah and losing to teams we should never lose to minus an A++ goaltending performance will always drive us insane, it’s a pride thing lol)

Maybe there is a sense we don't have to win these games. If the coach is trying out players and not putting out the best lines possible, the guys get nonchalant about the game.

 

[Bomber0104]

Tampa lost to Preds 7:2. So what. Good teams lose too. Im sure their fans dont think their team is"hot garbage'

You think Stamkos, Kucherov and Vasilevsky not playing had anything to do with that?

 

[ryno23]

This may be the most ridiculously nonsensical thing Ive read tonight.
Rielly had Lindholm, Matthews should have taken Gaudreau. There was no reason for him to go cover Lindholm when Rielly already had him.

Sorry but you are wrong and not really understanding what I was saying. Once the 2 on 1 happened there was no need for Reilly to take a stride or 2 over go after the CGY guy (lindhom) as Matthews was 2 strides behind Lindholm and was applying pressure. Reilly mirrors Gaudreau which doesn't allow the pass (and his attempt to stop it was Atom level effort) so now Rittch knows there is no cross seam and then can come out to cut off the angle. Reilly needs to recognize that Matthews while 2 strides behind has enough pressure to force Lindhom to hurry his shot and there for a rebound. Reilly only job is to tie up Gaudreau.

I saw Roman Josi play it correctly the other night against Dallas in OT.

 

[Gary Nylund]

You think Stamkos, Kucherov and Vasilevsky not playing had anything to do with that?

Kucherov's been out all year chief.

 

[Bomber0104]

Kucherov's been out all year chief.

He sure has.

 

[Gary Nylund]

He sure has.

Yet they still manage to win a game every now and then, amazing eh.

 

[Bomber0104]

Yet they still manage to win a game every now and then, amazing eh.

Yup.

Having the best goalie in the world in net goes a long way.

 

[Subway Schenn]

All good, we have a dozen+ games to figure things out.... Don't mind taking these losses now at all!!

Priority: Get that PP clicking - I have full confidence that it will return to past dominance.

 

[Magic Man]

I liked Rittich's back and forth with his old teammates. He showed some early fire. I thought he looked good.

I thought Jumbo showed some as well. I'm not sure how many he was credited with. But, he scored about 5 hits by my count. He even got promoted to the top line for a shift or two and looked okay because of it. He hasn't been throwing the body this season, so it was nice to see him engaged.

 

[kevsh]

For anyone burning their Leafs jersey in frustration, consider that the nearly unanimous favourite to win the Cup (Tampa Bay) got starched 7-2 last night. That's the third time this season they've lost by 4 or more goals.

By comparison the Leafs have lost exactly zero games by 4 or more goals and only twice by 3. To me, that's a team that at least has been competitive every single game this season. Even after a horrific first period against Montreal on Monday they came back and made a game out of it. Twice they were down to Calgary and tied it up.

They are not perfect, their PP is an abomination and for some reason Keefe is still juggling his non-PP lines (and PP lines) like the players are lottery balls, yet they are still in first and soon will be adding Foligno and Willie will return. They will be fine.

 

[Cotton]

I'm with Jeff. It was a silly fight and a bad one too. It will satisfy a few fans though. Hopefully we don't see Sabourin play another game for us.

Did he play bad? He looked like (in the 4:29 he played) that he was hustling and threw some heavy hits. Enough of that will make some play scared - start rushing passes/ fumbling the puck, something we’ve been on the shitty end of many times.

3 heavy hits and a CRel% of 28.6 - I don’t think he was the problem.

 

[fahad203]

Love Matthews and Marner, but man, SERIOUS brainfarts by those 2 in OT. Marner put in great work to win us the initial possession, but then completely wasted it by going 1-on-3 and throwing a garbage shot on net. Hold on to the puck in OT!!!

And then when the puck was going the other way, the forwards were terrible. Gambling for takeaways that clearly weren't going to work, basically useless defensively, allowed Gaudreau to walk in for an easy, uncontested breakaway goal. Terrible defence by both Matthews and Marner on that one.

People blaming Rielly, go back and watch it. It's a 2-on-2, not a 2-on-1, Rielly takes the puck handler (Lindholm), Matthews is supposed to take Gaudreau. Should be a nothing play, but Matthews is lazy and tries to intercept the pass vs. just skating hard and keeping up with Gaudreau. That's almost all on Matthews, and a bit on Marner, who was weak and gambling in the neutral zone (and gave up possession in the first place with a clearly awful shot).

Rittich was good, PP was bad, OT play was shockingly dumb.

People love trashing on Rielly and rightfully so. But that play was Matthews to me. Sure technically that should have been Rielly's man but that doesn't take away your lack luster effort

Matthews was off the entire game so I'll give him benefit of the doubt that he had a bad game. The entire team was off not named Tavares. Man he was a beauty again last night. I miss the old Johnny

Keefe needs to start resting guys properly and I think he started that well with Jason. But Simmonds and Joe experiments needs to be over. If he has a lot of respect for them, great. Play one of them at a time

Use them to rotate each other but they can't be both iced at the same time. Worse, they shouldn't be on ice together

 

[fahad203]

Did he play bad? He looked like (in the 4:29 he played) that he was hustling and threw some heavy hits. Enough of that will make some play scared - start rushing passes/ fumbling the puck, something we’ve been on the shitty end of many times.

3 heavy hits and a CRel% of 28.6 - I don’t think he was the problem.

You can't play him every game but I wouldn't mind having him around. He had more energy and willingness than Joe and Simmonds. We could have used him more over Barabanov last 30 games

Keep him around, I like his tenacity. This is still hockey, last night not a lot of Flames try to take a run at anyone
Usually Tanev is all over Matthews

 

[zeke]

Tampa lost to Preds 7:2. So what. Good teams lose too. Im sure their fans dont think their team is"hot garbage'

Leafs 2 worst losses of the year were 3 goal losses.

Calgary beat us 3-0 with Rittich standing on his head.

Winnipeg beat us 5-2 and it was a stinker by Fred.


Our only two 3-goal losses of the year.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Tampa lost to Preds 7:2. So what. Good teams lose too. Im sure their fans dont think their team is"hot garbage'

They also let in 6 and 5 goals in 2 losses to Detroit this season.

 

[Bluelines]

Is it just me or did the Leafs look like they were playing hot potato with the puck, like virtually EVERY pass was bouncing off the receivers stick, is that a focus thing? an equipment thing? It really messed up the flow of their game.

 

[zeke]

You think Stamkos, Kucherov and Vasilevsky not playing had anything to do with that?

So you're saying that TBay's defense stinks and they need to be bailed out by goaltending and scoring forwards?

 

[Gary Nylund]

For anyone burning their Leafs jersey in frustration, consider that the nearly unanimous favourite to win the Cup (Tampa Bay) got starched 7-2 last night. That's the third time this season they've lost by 4 or more goals.

By comparison the Leafs have lost exactly zero games by 4 or more goals and only twice by 3. To me, that's a team that at least has been competitive every single game this season. Even after a horrific first period against Montreal on Monday they came back and made a game out of it. Twice they were down to Calgary and tied it up.

They are not perfect, their PP is an abomination and for some reason Keefe is still juggling his non-PP lines (and PP lines) like the players are lottery balls, yet they are still in first and soon will be adding Foligno and Willie will return. They will be fine.

Not that it's important but I think COL is the cup favourite now in most betting shops.

I agree that some people are freaking out over losing for no good reason. Every team loses now and then, even the Leafs.

The PP is starting to worry me though. I've been thinking there's just too much talent there, it'll sort itself out eventually but ... I'm starting to worry.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Is it just me or did the Leafs look like they were playing hot potato with the puck, like virtually EVERY pass was bouncing off the receivers stick, is that a focus thing? an equipment thing? It really messed up the flow of their game.

I think it's the effect of clogging up the neutral zone / trap style hockey. Also lots of pressure up high in the offensive zone and good active sticks from the opposition. They essentially force you to make a quick decision while limiting your options.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Is it just me or did the Leafs look like they were playing hot potato with the puck, like virtually EVERY pass was bouncing off the receivers stick, is that a focus thing? an equipment thing? It really messed up the flow of their game.

Both teams did, the ice is horrible at Scotia for whatever reason this year. Some how it's worse than when they had concerts and basketball abd whatever else.