Post-Game Talk: Leafs 3 Jets 2. Pavelec fails again.

[Holden Caulfield]

I have to say I'm starting to become really weary of Pavalec apologists trying to constantly excuse away his marginal goaltending. That fat contract of his is money that could have been put towards a forward or defenceman, instead, we have a goaltender ranked dead last in save % for starters and in the 50's for the whole league.

Your pretending there are people out there defending him no matter what. Which is quite simply put, not true.

Nobody is happy with how he has played so far this season. After the Tampa and Florida games, everybody was talking about how poor he is playing.

But what people are saying is that it was not his fault TODAY. That's it. He had no chance on any goals today. He looked better today than he has so far this season, was challenging better, was attacking the shooter better, looked more confident in the net than any time this season. Today. That's it.

Like it or not we are running with him for the foreseeable future. Montoya is nowhere close to starter. We have the right to analyze every game on it's own merits. He has not been up to par this season, but he looked better tonight. Hopefully he can build on that and be better.

 

[PensFan6687]

I hope people got that I was joking about Enstrom. lol

 

[Lorenzo1000]

I have to say I'm starting to become really weary of Pavalec apologists trying to constantly excuse away his marginal goaltending. That fat contract of his is money that could have been put towards a forward or defenceman, instead, we have a goaltender ranked dead last in save % for starters and in the 50's for the whole league.

Postma had a rough game, but that can be forgiven. Very excited about Redmond. Feeling kind of numb about the game, and starting to realize that we're still very much lost in the desert. It's deflating.

edit: Not really sure where the Enstrom hate is coming from. Maybe the rough turnover that lead to a goal against the Islanders (or was it Montreal?). Defense wasn't an issue here. 15 shots is childsplay for NHL goaltenders

Really? Postma was directly responsible for the Leafs first goal!

 

[BigZ65]

Although he had two or three times tonight where I felt like screaming "SHOOOOOOT!!!!!"

...Enstrom that is.

He's too busy adjusting his grip on his stick that's a foot too long so he can handle the puck. I think if we're gonna pay a guy 5 mil a year we should require he use a proper stick. For each pokecheck and avoidance of body contact he gets from that stick, he loses five opportunities to clear the puck, shoot or make a strong pass because he's adjusting his grip so he can handle the puck in tight.

 

[SensibleGuy]

Yeah Redmond looks real good out there...

 

[BigZ65]

Postma had a rough game, but that can be forgiven.

He better pray for another D injury, cause he's on waivers once Byfuglien and Bogosian are back.

 

[JetsFan815]

Noel mentioned something about personell changes when asked about the crappy PP. Not sure if this means different players on the PP or that Perry Pearn might be on his way out ....

 

[truck]

I thought the Jets carried the 5 on 5 play.

The Burmi line played great possession hockey.

Kane put 7 shots on net. He and Olli are a little snake bit, but that line is struggling. Wheeler has been a turnover machine.

Not sure what happened in the 3rd. Maybe the Jets backed off, it may have been the result of the Leafs triple shifting Kessel.

 

[Gnova]

This loss isn't on Pavalec.

It's time players like Kane actually played like they wanted to win the game.

Jets deserved this game but really they only deserved it because the Leafs were so much worse.

 

[Inflict]

A question to all the Pavelec supporters in this game: Would you start him in Ottawa?

 

[Holden Caulfield]

He better pray for another D injury, cause he's on waivers once Byfuglien and Bogosian are back.

Exactly. Play great for a stretch, but the second you make one mistake WAIVERS. GTFO.

 

[Lynk]

Guys need to lax on Toby and the length of stick he uses.

He uses it to make up for the lack of size on defense, and as far as I can tell he's leading all defensemen in the NHL on offense.

Case closed.

 

[JetsFan815]

He's too busy adjusting his grip on his stick that's a foot too long so he can handle the puck. I think if we're gonna pay a guy 5 mil a year we should require he use a proper stick. For each pokecheck and avoidance of body contact he gets from that stick, he loses five opportunities to clear the puck, shoot or make a strong pass because he's adjusting his grip so he can handle the puck in tight.

The guy has been using that stick since he was a kid and has turned into a bonafide elite defenseman using that stick. Asking him to switch is ridiculous, might as well trade the guy away at that point.

 

[Gotaf7]

39 D Tobias Enstrom 10 2 11 13 -4 6 0 0 0 7 28.6

Tied with Clitsome as our worst d man! To small to many give aways!

 

[Gnova]

He's too busy adjusting his grip on his stick that's a foot too long so he can handle the puck. I think if we're gonna pay a guy 5 mil a year we should require he use a proper stick. For each pokecheck and avoidance of body contact he gets from that stick, he loses five opportunities to clear the puck, shoot or make a strong pass because he's adjusting his grip so he can handle the puck in tight.

/boggle

 

[Hammer Slammer]

Exactly. Play great for a stretch, but the second you make one mistake WAIVERS. GTFO.

Everyone must be perfect. All the time. You didn't know?

 

[BigZ65]

Noel mentioned something about personell changes when asked about the crappy PP. Not sure if this means different players on the PP or that Perry Pearn might be on his way out ....

Start with Antropov. Doesn't posess the puck, doesn't get his big 6'6 245 lb arse out front.

I'd go:

PP1

Kane
Jokinen
Wheeler
Enstrom
Redmond

PP2

Ladd
Little
Poni
Burmi
Hainsey

 

[jungles]

Kane-Wheeler-Jokinen have almost literally zero chemistry. It is downright comical watching them try to pass to each other.

 

[Lorenzo1000]

Everyone must be perfect. All the time. You didn't know?

I feel like we've been invaded by the post game radio show callers!!!

 

[Holden Caulfield]

39 D Tobias Enstrom 10 2 11 13 -4 6 0 0 0 7 28.6

Tied with Clitsome as our worst d man! To small to many give aways!

Start with Antropov. Doesn't posess the puck, doesn't get his big 6'6 245 lb arse out front.

I'd go:

PP1

Kane
Jokinen
Wheeler
Enstrom
Redmond

PP2

Ladd
Little
Poni
Burmi
Hainsey

Kane is by far our worst PP player. He cannot make a pass to save his life. How can you use him on the top unit? I'd rather have anybody else out there with strict instructions to go to the front of the net.

Antropov did not have a good game on the PP. Was trying to be a little too cute. But the whole team was suffering that this game.

 

[BigZ65]

Exactly. Play great for a stretch, but the second you make one mistake WAIVERS. GTFO.

When has Postma played great? He's vacillated between average and awful. Out of the six we are playing he has the lowest TOI. Redmond has clearly beaten him out.

 

[BigZ65]

Kane is by far our worst PP player. He cannot make a pass to save his life. How can you use him on the top unit? I'd rather have anybody else out there with strict instructions to go to the front of the net.

Antropov did not have a good game on the PP. Was trying to be a little too cute. But the whole team was suffering that this game.

Kane and Ladd are the only guys we have who go to the front of the net and Kane is our best finisher in front and in the slot. I don't want him running the half-boards or point.

 

[Dave512]

Just finished watching the game delayed on Gamecenter Live. In one minute, I went from thinking/hoping it would be a good, hard fought, 1 goal win to being just absolutely depressed at what had just happened.

This loss is on everyone. Both our goals came from defensemen (unless they change the Clitsome goal)... where are the forwards? Bueller? And while Pavelec may have been "better" tonight, is it too much to ask for him to actually make a big save once in a while? Yes, I know the first goal was Postma's fault, but shouldn't Pavelec be able to make that save at least once in a while, instead of, you know, never?

 

[Holden Caulfield]

When has Postma played great? He's vacillated between average and awful. Out of the six we are playing he has the lowest TOI. Redmond has clearly beaten him out.

Are you kidding me? Postma has been one of our top D-men all year. Best skater we currently have (Bogosian is better), makes a solid first pass, got a great shot, makes a nice first pass, has been mostly solid positionally even which is his greatest weakness.

Postma has a higher upside than Redmond. Redmond is better twoway guy, solid consistant, but he is a 3rd pairing type guy. Postma can be a 2nd pairing guy sometime down the road, his toolbox is much better than Redmond's. I like both guys though.

This is an overreaction based on one game. There is no chance Postma hits the waiver wire again.

 

[Stej]

Pavs is very inconsistent, just like last year. Problem is, he isn't stealing any games for us like he did last year. Not saying he cost us this game specifically, but I'm starting to resign myself to the fact that this team is going nowhere unless we get average goaltending at the very least. The stats don't lie, our goaltending is terrible.

Up until very recently, I've managed to defend Pavs in my own mind by saying that many of the goals scored on him are "ones he didn't see". Part of that may be on the skaters, but the majority of that might be due to the fact that he is terrible at tracking the puck. He just looks lost out there once the puck starts moving around. Rather than make an effort to find the puck, he just drops down into the butterfly and pulls his arms as tight into his body as possible which completely opens up the top half of the net.

He's athletic and he's got some natural ability, but I'm starting to question his softer skills (positioning and awareness).

We can ***** and moan about the PK, the PP, the effort level, the forwards scoring, the energy level, etc, etc, but until we get more stable goaltending it's going to be really difficult to get things going in all other areas. Bad goaltending is like bad short-putting in golf; it leaks into all other aspects of your game.

Just my opinion. Maybe I can sleep better after getting that off my chest (or maybe not, since it's so depressing).