Post-Game Talk: Leafs 7 Canucks 3

[7even]

I think Matthews has a No-Hat trick clause in his contract.

Does he lead the league in 2 goal games over the past 5 years? Because it sure feels like it

 

[TopChedder]

Great win!

Top players were great
4th line was amazing
D is looking better all the time

I am so so happy to have guys like Spezza and Simmonds on the team. Character guys with more to give! they have not looked out of place in this lineup and I hope to see both back next year.

When Thorton comes back he should be bottom 6 only (I still think he has a little to give especially in the playoffs)

LOVE the way Boyd plays! This guy stays in!

 

[MattySnipes]

From the Canucks game thread:

​

I rmbr reading a post of yours once all the main guys were re-signed. You did an analysis on how the guys performed with your stats, and compared it to how they were paid.

I believe you said none of them were grossly overpaid and were about fair market value.

 

[Welsh Maple Leaf]

Spezza has looked pretty good last few games. He looked a lot better than that last night though.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Dominant win, hopefully they can pick up a couple more of those tomorrow and Monday try to really solidify a playoff spot early

 

[jd22]

This pains me to say, but for the first time in my life I will be actively cheering for the Leafs. Blow the Canucks out. Rack up double digits. Trade for Toffoli. Save us from Benning before he does something even dumber.

It's the only way forward for the Canucks - clean house.

 

[Funk21]

Great win, still think they need to do something about the sloppy goals against.

Kerfoot has to go though, guy keeps taking dumb penalties and has been a whole lot of meh. I really think Bennett would be great on the team I just don’t think Kerfoot is enough to get it done. How high of a pick would we need to add?

 

[2 Slick]

Acquiring Spezza was a solid move. I always knew he played with a lot of heart and energy. With limited ice time, he makes the most of it by doing what he's done his entire career. It's nice to see him rewarded for how much effort he puts into his training and conditioning. Instead of taking a day off, Sheldon mentioned Spezza came in anyway to work with the skills coaches. In the twilight of his career making peanuts, he's showing up to work his ass off. I hope that the younger players take note... you need that kind of dedication to win regularly. Proud of Spezza.

Matthews doing what he always does, pretty much consistent every season. He's a goal scoring machine and Marner is the disher, playing sensational this season.

Nice to see Nylander get rewarded three games in a row with a little point streak going. Really happy to see Tavares FINALLY get a 5 on 5 goal this season. While they haven't needed it, your Captain needs to score five on five more than once in eleven games. At least his effort is usually there and has been superb on the powerplay.

Andersen really has me worried. I know he gets a lot of crap from fans, me included, but his save percentage and goals against is very concerning. The Leafs are an offensive juggernaut, but they shouldn't have to score 4 or more goals every single game in order to win. Our backup goaltender, while only two full games played and injured, his save percentage and GAA is sparkling. Andersen HAS to be better. He's not had a save percentage above .900% but I think once this season. That should concern fans a lot.

I get it, he's made some huge saves when the game is on the line, but he's still not doing a good enough job. Stats don't tell the entire story, but they don't lie either.

 

[Atomos2]

was that Brodie or Bogosian who made that heads up play?

That was all Brodie. This guy is a stud, super reliable. Exactly what we have been missing this whole time.

 

[ER89]

I still do not know what to do with my Babsocks. I can never wear them again.

I'd like to burn them, but that seems excessive? Any advice fellow Leafs fans?

You should wear them. A percentage of the proceeds went to CAMH. Good enough for me sir.

 

[Notsince67]

Babcock was so bad. Keefe's team is just killing it in every category over Babs.

Not everything was babvag's fault. It is as though the players figured out they were next if their attitude didnt change.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Not everything was babvag's fault. It is as though the players figured out they were next if their attitude didnt change.

If you don't see that Keefe is doing many things much differently than Babcock then you're blind. Let's start with Spezza, not playing him in our home opener was a move that's simply beyond contempt and I really don't see Keefe ever doing anything that dumb. It's almost as though when players feel like the coach is on their side instead of seeing him the enemy, they play better.

Just a great game last night, all I can ask for now is some consistency. Hoping for two more solid wins so we can head into the MTL games on a high.

Love Simmonds. I've been calling him Black Lightning, I think as far as nicknames go it's a pretty good one and lightning sure did strike last night.

 

[Bluelines]

Great win, still think they need to do something about the sloppy goals against.

Kerfoot has to go though, guy keeps taking dumb penalties and has been a whole lot of meh. I really think Bennett would be great on the team I just don’t think Kerfoot is enough to get it done. How high of a pick would we need to add?

Kerfoot is the kind of guy that does something awesome then immediately does something equally stupid. I wouldn't trust him to be the stick boy.

I noticed that too, they looked really sloppy at times trying to force the play, although they scored 7, it was vs the 'nuckleheads, that's like beating the Sens.

I loved seeing the old Spezza, the guy looked like he was the Spez of 15 years ago....

Heres to you Spez....

 

[CabanaBoy5]

I can’t believe how well Bogosian is playing. He’s been a very reliable third pairing defenceman. No wonder he played for a Stanley cup winning team less than half year ago. Brodie has been an absolute stud top pairing defenceman. Both of these guys bring something to the team we haven’t had in a long time...dependable defensive zone play with the ability to move the puck. That Brodie pass on the second goal was a thing of beauty.

 

[Notsince67]

If you don't see that Keefe is doing many things much differently than Babcock then you're blind. Let's start with Spezza, not playing him in our home opener was a move that's simply beyond contempt and I really don't see Keefe ever doing anything that dumb. It's almost as though when players feel like the coach is on their side instead of seeing him the enemy, they play better.

Just a great game last night, all I can ask for now is some consistency. Hoping for two more solid wins so we can head into the MTL games on a high.

Love Simmonds. I've been calling him Black Lightning, I think as far as nicknames go it's a pretty good one and lightning sure did strike last night.

Do you actually read or do you set up strawmen arguments all day?

 

[LeafGrief]

Feels good to thrash a team, it's been a while. Rielly and JT had something like 87 xGF% last night. My goodness the Canucks are bad, I can't remember watching a team that bad defensively.

A real nice part of that win is that Keefe rolled all 4 lines. Our defense played a lot because Dermott got hurt, but Marner led the forwards with 19:20, and Boyd had the least with a 10:48. Nice to spread out the minutes and keep the top dogs fresh for Saturday.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Do you actually read or do you set up strawmen arguments all day?

Is that all you got? No more cracks about the payers "attitude"?

 

[TMLAM34]

Feels good to thrash a team, it's been a while. Rielly and JT had something like 87 xGF% last night. My goodness the Canucks are bad, I can't remember watching a team that bad defensively.

A real nice part of that win is that Keefe rolled all 4 lines. Our defense played a lot because Dermott got hurt, but Marner led the forwards with 19:20, and Boyd had the least with a 10:48. Nice to spread out the minutes and keep the top dogs fresh for Saturday.

We were just as bad defensively not too long ago haha

 

[LeafGrief]

We were just as bad defensively not too long ago haha

Honestly, I don't think we were ever THAT bad.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Canucks coach blaming it all on the team being tired.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Honestly, I don't think we were ever THAT bad.

Yeah since we drafted Matthews the Leafs were never this bad defensively...

 

[lebdafor norris]

That happened already, his name was Jake gardiner

Gardiner 2016-2019 5 vs 5; 2.04 GA
Rielly 2016-2019 5 vs 5; 2.83 GA

Gardiner being a defensive liability is a myth, yes he and Andersen both let the team down during that game 7 but his overall body of work shows that he was a solid 2 way D for the Leafs. Rielly is a much closer comparison to Hughes than Gardiner, both struggles in the defensive end but are capable of putting up 50-70+ points on the offensive zone. I haven't seen enough of Hughes however to see if he can carry the puck and slice thru the opposing neutral zone defence like Rielly can, for all I know he might just be a Tyson Barrie.

 

[srnd9399]

Babcock watched this game and says Spezza is a gud pro

but needs to work on his penalty kill

 

[Notsince67]

Is that all you got? No more cracks about the payers "attitude"?

Really dont know what you are talking about. Why dont you go away until the playoffs because you care little about regular season success

 

[Stigma]

Kerfoot is the kind of guy that does something awesome then immediately does something equally stupid. I wouldn't trust him to be the stick boy.

I noticed that too, they looked really sloppy at times trying to force the play, although they scored 7, it was vs the 'nuckleheads, that's like beating the Sens.

I loved seeing the old Spezza, the guy looked like he was the Spez of 15 years ago....

Heres to you Spez....

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