Post-Game Talk: Leafs 7 Canucks 3

[Big Muddy]

Great game for us. Spezza with a monster night. Matthews was great, Marner, etc. We even got prolific 4th line production. Things are rolling.

We even got some cooperation from the Senators as they defeated rival Montreal. We are sitting atop of the division (and league) standings now. Good stuff.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Thinking about it some, perhaps Simmonds' hit on Hughes was the right time and place.

That fight was part for Benn and part for Weber ... Weber needs to know he will be getting fed next week ... once we drop him then Habs fall apart

 

[JT AM da real deal]

That fight was part for Benn and part for Weber ... Weber needs to know he will be getting fed next week ... once we drop him then Habs fall apart

Da first cross check on Matty will be da last ... da kids are all talking about it already ... it will be a real man staged fight

 

[Papi 4 Hart]

To be fair we have a vocal group who want Dubas fired for tying his shoes in our fan base.

Vocal minority that would want Scotty Bowman fired... they just cheer for firing people. The pitchfork Brigade.

 

[zeke]

Sure, let's enjoy this but please remember that a shiny regular season record means nothing if they don't advance a round or 2 in the playoffs this year. The real season for me starts in May.

see you in May, then!

 

[Coachcorner]

Da first cross check on Matty will be da last ... da kids are all talking about it already ... it will be a real man staged fight

We are such a treal team now sire. Again, after all those Quinn, Burns and Carlyle teams. Those were the good old days. Now our fool team is killing everybody on the ice, still fighting, what! We have such talent sire.... y'all seen what Tavares did last night? All those "small" thangs so correctly and explosively. We are not to be pushed with. We can't be stopped.

 

[LeafChief]

8-2-1, with another gear to hit.

Where are the dipshits like that cynic guy or dumb hockey analyst at 4PM who only show up when the Leafs are losing?

They only show up when the team is struggling. Those are called 'burner accounts'. You'd be a fool if you didn't think TWS is behind one of those two accounts.

 

[zeke]

This was a dominant performance by the Leafs and Freddy was subpar.

I really don't think that the Canucks are that bad though. Are they?

not this bad, but they are bad, as are all the canadian teams from the pacific.

but right now they are beyond exhausted - in a worse spot schedule-wise than we were last week when we also looked pretty poor before the break there.

so we have to pound them the next two games - we won't likely have an opponent this exhausted again all year.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

Nobody likes being in a pandemic, but officiating has always been horrible, and it's been working against us more than for us for years.

People had no problem drawing wild conclusions from a 5-game sample in a summer bubble with empty arenas and horrible ice and a unique playoff format where we faced an insane goaltending performance, but now all of a sudden hockey in those conditions doesn't count? People had no problem ignoring the high quality of our division or the league-best teams we were facing in the playoffs for years, but now hockey doesn't count because some people arbitrarily guessed that our division is weak?

Our elite players and GM have taken constant abuse on contracts, production, playoffs, etc. because of an adamant refusal by many to consider context on literally anything, but now many of those same people are all about the context or writing off end results because they made some arbitrary guess that the Leafs may be benefitting? Yeah, okay.

This goes both ways though.

If the leafs get swept in the first round you'll be the FIRST to spam these forums with excuses about how this wasn't even a "real" season and a whole bunch of psychotic stats to rationalize everything. And if we go deep? You'll be the FIRST to spam these forums that it IS a "real" season and Dubas is "THE BEST!!!!"

Me? I prefer consistency on the matter. RESULTS are what count. Not lame bullshit excuses. There will always be nonsense bullshit stats we can all twist to form a narrative. But RESULTS can't be twisted with your usual propaganda.

If we lose to a lousy team in a 5 game series, I will NOT give the lame insane excuse of facing "hot goaltending". Nope. I'd call it our overpaid prima donna forwards lacking FINISH!!!!

Last years playoffs were REAL and disgraceful. And this year is real as well. I'll be consistent. And they are doing well so far. Kudos. And if they go deep, I'll do nothing but praise Dubas and the team he put together. I won't pull a "dekes for days" and cite a whole bunch of nonsense to try and form/keep my insane narrative.

 

[zeke]

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.

Gardiner never, ever got the top matchups that Rielly has had ever since he was 22.

Gardiner topped out against 2nd line quality of competitition, and not even particularly strong 2nd line qoc.

 

[willmma]

Marner: 17P in 11 GP
Matthews: 12P in 10 GP
Nylander: 12P in 11 GP
Tavares: 11P in 11GP

The scary thing is I think they all have another level at 5v5 play.

Nylander winning a puck battle without a stick against 3 Canucks basically summed up that game.

Is there a video of that? I missed it.

 

[zeke]

Leafs play in one of the best divisions, featuring the two best teams in the league: Yeah, but who cares. Just win, no excuses.

Leafs play some of the best teams in the league in the playoffs, taking them to the limit: Yeah, but who cares. Just win, no excuses. Who you play and why you win don't matter - Vancouver made the 2nd round and that means they're super awesome and better than us and everybody is passing us!!!

Leafs play in a temporary division of unknown quality: Yeah, but like... Vancouver sucks so it doesn't count.

yep.

leafs have faced elite teams (and even in CBJ's case, elite defensively) in the playoffs every year but nobody mentions quality of competition then.

leafs only ever finish behind the two best teams in the league every year, and nobody mentions quality of competition then.

Funny enough - everyone has always claimed that the leafs actually got EASY competition in the atlantic division, so it must be surprising for them to see the atlantic teams kicking ass this year outside that "easy" division.

 

[zeke]

North is not the only bad division. VEgas has played terible teams and that division is very soft

The hilarious part is that the last couple of years these western canadian teams have been the TOUGHEST divisional competition that Vegas has had to deal with. The other pacific teams are even worse - the three cali teams and arizona.

but nobody ever mentions how easy Vegas has it, and they always act surprised when they don't do anything in the playoffs even against teams below them in the standings.

 

[Dekes For Days]

If the leafs get swept in the first round you'll be the FIRST to spam these forums with excuses about how this wasn't even a "real" season and a whole bunch of psychotic stats to rationalize everything. And if we go deep? You'll be the FIRST to spam these forums that it IS a "real" season and Dubas is "THE BEST!!!!"

That is false. Unlike you, I am always consistent throughout. I maintained that the playoffs last season were real, even when we lost, and congratulated Tampa on a well-deserved Cup. Do not misrepresent the things that I do and say.

 

[zeke]

It's like the ATlantic was. 2 or 3 very good teams the rest are crap.

Florida and montreal are showing this year that that wasn't true, either.

 

[zeke]

Vancouver radio is a dumpster fire this morning. Love it. Angry sport team discussion beats happy sport team discussion every single time.

never, ever underestimate just how hated the leafs are, especially by western canadian fans.

never give an inch to them on the main boards, or anywhere else.

 

[zeke]

It costs nothing to put in a claim. It does bring to light that GM's around the league aren't as cutthroat as I as a fan thought. I thought a team would claim him, if he retired, at the very least it hurts the Leafs some. I'm not employed by another team to help the Leafs out.

why on earth would any GM force spezza into retirement out of spite for the leafs?

that would be the biggest dick move in league history.

 

[zeke]

That was a really nice play. I'm not a big fan of defensemen leaving their feet, but Brodie played that one well.

yeah they should never leave their feet....unless they're brodie.

honestly that's four or five times now he's left his feet and made absolute beauty plays this year. he seems to know just how to time it (and protect himself when he does, like this time).

 

[Bluelines]

Gardiner never, ever got the top matchups that Rielly has had ever since he was 22.

Gardiner topped out against 2nd line quality of competitition, and not even particularly strong 2nd line qoc.

Even when Mo was hurt he never ever?

 

[Confucius]

why on earth would any GM force spezza into retirement out of spite for the leafs?

that would be the biggest dick move in league history.

So I've been told already.

 

[zeke]

Is there a video of that? I missed it.

there is, and it's spectacular.

our 40gl/80pt power forward, folks.

 

[CanuckleBerry]

This was a dominant performance by the Leafs and Freddy was subpar.

I really don't think that the Canucks are that bad though. Are they?

At the moment, yes I'm afraid we are. The type of play from last night is very indicative of how the Canucks have been playing this year aside from the Winnipeg game, and the odd period here and there. The team is in disarray, and with this crazy condensed schedule, it's hard to say if things will settle before the season's end.

 

[34]

Quinn Hughes trying to defend Matthews is comical! It was like a baby trying to beat up Mike Tyson.

 

[IPS]

People had no problem drawing wild conclusions from a 5-game sample in a summer bubble with empty arenas and horrible ice and a unique playoff format where we faced an insane goaltending performance, but now all of a sudden hockey in those conditions doesn't count? People had no problem ignoring the high quality of our division or the league-best teams we were facing in the playoffs for years, but now hockey doesn't count because some people arbitrarily guessed that our division is weak

I dunno mannnnn....

If we reversed the scenarios and we beat Columbus with "insane goaltending" while getting outplayd I sincerely doubt you'd be the first one to come on here and say "the series win didn't really count guys, we beat them with unsustainable goaltending so it doesn't mean anything."

I'm almost certain some "wild conclusions" would get drawn.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

That is false. Unlike you, I am always consistent throughout. I maintained that the playoffs last season were real, even when we lost, and congratulated Tampa on a well-deserved Cup. Do not misrepresent the things that I do and say.

You were not consistent because you just made lame excuses for our “elite” forwards shameful lack of finish.

If the leafs do well this post season, I’ll just be happy and congratulate them. I won’t say they were just lucky or faced bad goaltending, or any other such silly ness.