Pre-Game Talk: It's official: Leafs vs Bruins [Game 1 on Wed]

[hotpaws]

I would intentionally flip pucks in on Chara's side (don't hammer them in) and force him to play the puck and have one if not two guys coming full speed with instructions to plaster him over and over and over. It wouldn't be long until he gets frustrated and/or sore. You want to deal with a bully? Bully him.

And all he'd have to do is chip it up the boards and we'd be giving up constant odd man rushes .

The only way we're beating Bos is to keep the games close , hope Reims stands on his head and our pp scores enough to win .

 

[Yosho]

Feeling a little less excited about the next two weeks after that brutal weekend of hockey.

 

[EDDIE20*]

Are we talking the same leaf team that played Montreal on Saturday?

Leaf fans seem to like to talk about bostons rough finish to the season... yet they got only ONE less point than the leafs the past ten games.
Of all teams that made the playoffs, the leafs are the 2nd worse team defensively. And you know what they say about defense in the playoffs...

The leafa have beat Boston ONCE in the last ten games.

This is going to be yet another utter humiliation from a team that's made a career utterly humiliating the leafs.

Right on cue!

Your math skills are right up there with the best. I'll give you that. Looks like fifth grade really paid off.

A word of free advice to you - Why don't you just become a Sens fan? Melnyk and Co. need all the support they can get. You're a pathetic excuse for a sports fan and would fit right in with the Sens fan base. Or why not try the Habs since the Leafs lost to them this weekend? I'm sure Habbers would welcome your idiotic views with open arms (or then again, maybe not... some of them do have a semblence of intelligence).

 

[RhyZa]

I don't get this cowardly/scared fans talk. Like it has any impact on the outcome and it means fans are any less loyal to the Leafs. They're simply basing their evaluation on a large sample size vs a team. As players I'd hope they come out 100% without any fear, as we're heavy underdogs so we have nothing to lose.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Playoffs are a challenge, each and every series there is going to be a test of wills, nerves, and on ice play.

If you don't love it, you don't like playoff hockey.

Guys will play hurt, it's a battle of attrition, it's a mental test.

Win the race, not the sprint.

 

[namttebih]

Lets do it. Boston isn't playing well. Jump on them quick

Yes, because right now we are really on a roll. (On my cell. No sarcastic emoticon)

 

[jmart21]

Pumped for this series!

We've shaken the boston monkey over the past 2 games against them. A series like this is the definition of overcoming all odds; something we need to see this team do!

So pumped!

 

[zeke]

There is no reason to think we're heavy underdogs.

the two teams finished right next to each other in the standings.

the two teams were extremely close head to head.

the leafs are the team with two ppg forwards, two forwards challenging for top 10 in scoring and two dmen in the top 10 dman scoring, not the bruins.

it's the leafs that have had two deal with injuries to key players like lupul and reimer and gunnar, not the bruins.

it's the bruins that had the super hot start (14-2-2 in their first 18) vs a cushy schedule and then fell off to mediocre the rest of the year (14-12-4 in their last 30), not the leafs (4-5-0 in first 9, 22-12-5 in last 39).

The bruins might be favorites and may win, but there's little reason to think this will be a lopsided series.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Okay. let's try to break this down again.

Playing Boston is a GOOD. THING. Regardless of the outcome, there are going to be a lot of valuables that are learned from I think the last 2+ weeks of the season, and this round.

I've been picking on my guy, but

A: Lupul not talking trash about the team we could potentially play, period.


B: assuming that we were GOING to face Montreal. you could tell the majority of the players thought this was going to be the matchup to be had. Until it's settled, you never take your foot off the gas, and even then you still keep going.

C: if we lose - we can learn a lot. if we win, we can move mountains. I'm beliving we're winning, and we're going to move mountains.

D: you have got to beat the best team. Boston was one of the favourites this year per usual.

E: ANYTHING. CAN. HAPPEN.

negative thoughts totally utterlly not cool.

 

[EDDIE20*]

Well said.

 

[iArts]

Contrary to what everyone thinks, I believe we'll pull an upset and win the series in 6.

I believe in Carlyle. He knows what's up when it comes to playoffs.
Also, guys like JVR, Lupul, Kessel, Kadri, Komarov are all guaranteed to come up big. That + dark horses in Grabo, Mac and Kuley.

 

[naturalnumbas]

For everyone who seems too young (or too old ) to remember, regular season does not translate well into the playoffs.

We have a lot of players who should do well in a playoff atmosphere, time will tell but I am excited to see what happens.

Time to bury the Bruins!

 

[jimmycarter]

i had a dream last night that grabovski starts playing very well and surprises many...me included.

 

[Krylian]

Bring me the Bruins!

 

[sommervr]

Can't say I am optimistic for the leafs chances. I am absolutely dreading watching Kessel this series.

If they actually dress Colborne and Frattin I predict they do well.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Actually very disappointed with how many of us 'fans' have given up already as if the series is already over.

Its the playoffs anything can happen boys.

I hope the media overwhelmingly writes us off as well. It will provide more motivation for the troops going into battle and there will be no pressure.

 

[TmlHockeyFan]

People, stop complaining about the Bruins. The Leafs haven't made the playoffs and they finally did in 9 years.

This is playoff hockey, not regular season hockey. Sure the Bruins have more playoff experience but the playoffs are a little bit unpredictable sometimes. Leafs have shown that they can beat the Bruins. They lost to the Bruins last game in SHOOTOUT. There's no shootout in playoffs.

 

[SprDaVE]

The Leafs have played well against Boston this year. This ain't the same team as last year.

We are 1-2-1 against the Bruins this year. All 4 games could have gone either way and they were pretty close. The only game that didn't end in a one a goal game was because of an empty net. The Leafs matched Boston physically very well and did not lay down. I'm not sure why some Leaf fans are so scared and are all ready throwing the towel.

Leafs are not getting much respect for their season. In fairness though, respect is earned and the only way to do this is to at least make a good series out of this. Both teams have lost their last game of the season pretty badly, so both teams should look to rebound.

 

[beleaf67]

Bring it on... I believe

GO LEAFS GO !!!

 

[Clark4Ever]

It's also worth noting that the Leafs were a shootout goal away from finishing the season series with the Bruins dead even, and that was with ZERO contributions from Kessel, and Lupul on the sidelines.

 

[leburn98]

This matchup is the best thing to happen to the Leafs. We lose, it was expected. However, if we win we accomplish more than simply winning a playoff series. Winning the series will remove the monkey (or bear in this case) off our backs.

If Kessel shows up and leads the way, it will finally put an end to that whole Seguin trade bs. Defeating the Bruins will increase their confidence tenfold heading into the next round. We have a great opportunity here to shut up the naysayers, something a series win vs the Habs would not do.

 

[Erdinger]

Healy is going to be in heaven if the Leafs don't show up in this series.

 

[legendinblue]

Healy is going to be in heaven if the Leafs don't show up in this series.

You bet.

 

[pspot]

this is exactly what this team needed, you want playoff experience you are going to get it against the Bruins

If they win this series think of how big that will be for them moving forward

if they lose and/or get completely shut down they'll still take away about how different the games are. the preparation, the game plans are next level

 

[Man Rocket]

Good luck guys, we know this will be good