Post-Game Talk: Leafs beat Oilers (and refs!) 4-3. We're going streaking!

[OddyOh]

When you are down 2 men against a PP with McDrai for a minute and a half, more often than not its gunna end up in your net. I am not sure how any official feels comfortable calling ticky tacky shit like that knowing the potential ramifications. I honestly think that's the exact reason TOR gets zero calls. They understand that by giving TOR a PP, they have a higher than normal chance to score. Therefore there is more pressure on the official to make the right call. That's totally fine by me, but lets hide the whistle on both sides then.

Agree completely.

 

[Warden of the North]

Burke ranted for about 20 minutes about the ticky tacky penalties on Hockey Central today

 

[Cor]

Our 7-2-0 start matches our start in the 2017-18 season.

The Leafs proceeded to go 1-5-0 in their next 6 games, to blow the start and become 8-7-0.

We'll see if we can avoid that this year.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Refs did their best, but Barrie did better I cannot express how happy I am to play against him this year. Good forecheck, but my goodness what is he doing with the puck behind the net, gave up a freebie

Did their best to F*** the game and done that in spades. Haha Barrie getting signed by the Oilers is one they are going to be regretting very shortly. He’s a powerplay specialist. I’m glad he’s gone.
Bogosian is a much more valuable team player in his sleep.

 

[zeke]

TBH outside of starting with Thornton on the top line wing, there hasn't been too many questionable lineup decisions asides from the fourth line at times. Nothing too egregious to really complain about.

I'd like to see Engvall-Spezza-Boyd on the fourth line next game though. Boyd's been very good, and Spezza looked like he had some jump after a needed night off.

I know folks were questioning and wanting the top unit stacked. And while that can be effective, it was a bit predictable last year. Splitting between two units has been really effective because it gives the Leafs a 1A/1B unit on the same PP. By my eye test a lot of the Leafs PP goals have come in the second half of that PP. That can be attributed to splitting the units up.

TBH the Leafs PP hasn't looked this good since the big 3's rookie year, when they had two split units .. A key difference is that Malholtra has them moving the puck a lot better, getting pucks to the net which helps open up seams for the skilled plays.

For the record Thornton-Matthews-Marner has been our most dominant combo this year. By a lot.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

The danger with all of the penalty calls last night, is that there is the perception of bias for the Oilers. The NHL, and particularly the Oilers I'm sure, want to see McDavid happy. I'm just hypothesizing, but McDavid didn't seem too happy after that loss. Losses add up when you are a star player, be it McDavid or Eichel, it wears on you. Even worse, if you are losing to players who are your peers, such as a few on this Leafs team; and you know they are going to the playoffs again.

It's why some of these young Leafs need to appreciate the opportunity they have. You can have all the talent in the world but not even see a playoff series. When you have the chance, apply yourself and go for the gold.

As it were, call the game straight. The call against Kerfoot in particular was absurd.

I really don’t feel bad for the oilers that they are missing their best defenseman. I hope we blown them out Tomorrow. I hope they keep losing, one less team to worry about.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Disgusting game last night to watch.

 

[Critical13]

For the record Thornton-Matthews-Marner has been our most dominant combo this year. By a lot.

Agreed, that line was both analytics good and eye test good.

Thornton is actually still a really good player, IMO. Sometimes I forget he's out, sure helps our LW depth.

I wonder what refs they will have on their taxi squad starting the game for them.

nice

 

[Twine Tickler]

TBH the Leafs PP hasn't looked this good since the big 3's rookie year, when they had two split units .. A key difference is that Malholtra has them moving the puck a lot better, getting pucks to the net which helps open up seams for the skilled plays.

I think an underappreciated new aspect of this PP as well has been Wayne Simmonds net front presence. I was listening to the SDP earlier this week, and I was absolutely shocked to hear that Wayne ranked 3rd in PPG over the last 10 years. Only behind Ovi and Stammer. I literally had to google it to confirm. But sure as shit, he is. How many of those goals were scored outside of a 7 foot radius from the crease? my guess is under 5. But that's not even the best part of his net front presence. This guy does so much that goes unnoticed in front of the net. I know it may not have looked like a massive screen on Koski yesterday on the GWG. but rewatch it. Koski literally has to stand upright to get a view of Matthews. Sure he saw the shot, but he was in no position to save it given his upright stance. And Matthews is the best shooter in the game, he is not missing those shots. Looks like a tough one to give up for mikko, but when you look at what he has to do to even see the shot, it makes more sense why he was beat low trapper. That to me, is why Wayne is so valuable on the PP1. The goals hes been scoring is an absolute cherry on top

 

[Critical13]

I think an underappreciated new aspect of this PP as well has been Wayne Simmonds net front presence. I was listening to the SDP earlier this week, and I was absolutely shocked to hear that Wayne ranked 3rd in PPG over the last 10 years. Only behind Ovi and Stammer. I literally had to google it to confirm. But sure as shit, he is. How many of those goals were scored outside of a 7 foot radius from the crease? my guess is under 5. But that's not even the best part of his net front presence. This guy does so much that goes unnoticed in front of the net. I know it may not have looked like a massive screen on Koski yesterday on the GWG. but rewatch it. Koski literally has to stand upright to get a view of Matthews. Sure he saw the shot, but he was in no position to save it given his upright stance. And Matthews is the best shooter in the game, he is not missing those shots. Looks like a tough one to give up for mikko, but when you look at what he has to do to even see the shot, it makes more sense why he was beat low trapper. That to me, is why Wayne is so valuable on the PP1. The goals hes been scoring is an absolute cherry on top

I've been really unfair to Wayne this year, and I never bought the "muscle in front of the net" thing, but I was wrong.

He's excellent there, he sucks in a defender giving more space for our big guys, and he has decent hand eye to boot. I prefer it to whatever nonsense we were doing last year where Tavares was sometimes behind the net for some reason.

 

[Zybalto]

1st slash Yes he clearly slashed his hand = right call
2nd only lift the stick = bad call

His 3rd penalty (interference) just a stupid play by him.

A bad cover on turris cost a goal too. 2 bad penalty, 1 ghost penalty and a bad cover cost 3 goal. Really not a good game for him

Hey, I dont mind calling out players if they have good or bad games.

I really couldnt tell on the first slash if it made contact with the hand when I watched the replay last night. Did it just barely clip a finger? You know we come down hard on players in the GDTs if they deserve it. Gotta call a stupid penalty a stupid penalty. Everyone to a man thought it was a brutal call. I havnt seen any video of it but if anyone has it, put it up.

 

[Darch]

So from the highlights you figure Muzzin should have done better facing a 5 on 3 with the best player in the world AND another hart trophy winner on the ice?

Muzzin is great on the PK and most players would fare much, much worse, so to answer your question, No.

Actually, he was behind the play on the 3rd goal as well, pretty similar to the PP one. That's why I was asking.

 

[MattySnipes]

Burke ranted for about 20 minutes about the ticky tacky penalties on Hockey Central today

What time slot and which sportsnet channel?

 

[Twine Tickler]

I've been really unfair to Wayne this year, and I never bought the "muscle in front of the net" thing, but I was wrong.

He's excellent there, he sucks in a defender giving more space for our big guys, and he has decent hand eye to boot. I prefer it to whatever nonsense we were doing last year where Tavares was sometimes behind the net for some reason.

100% . in front of the net is no place for a guy like JT TBH. There is an art to the screen that is so undervalued. Wayne is looking down AM's shot the whole way and gets out of the way at the last second. Even on his goal, I am convinced he didn't mean to tip that. But if you look at Koskinens positioning again on that Marner shot, I honestly dont think he is saving that even without the tip. His head was on the short side of the net, poking around Simmer, and he didn't even react to Marner shooting at all. in fact he didnt move until the puck had been tipped past him. But good things happen when you go to the net, simmer got the blade on it and he was rewarded.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

I think an underappreciated new aspect of this PP as well has been Wayne Simmonds net front presence. I was listening to the SDP earlier this week, and I was absolutely shocked to hear that Wayne ranked 3rd in PPG over the last 10 years. Only behind Ovi and Stammer. I literally had to google it to confirm. But sure as shit, he is. How many of those goals were scored outside of a 7 foot radius from the crease? my guess is under 5. But that's not even the best part of his net front presence. This guy does so much that goes unnoticed in front of the net. I know it may not have looked like a massive screen on Koski yesterday on the GWG. but rewatch it. Koski literally has to stand upright to get a view of Matthews. Sure he saw the shot, but he was in no position to save it given his upright stance. And Matthews is the best shooter in the game, he is not missing those shots. Looks like a tough one to give up for mikko, but when you look at what he has to do to even see the shot, it makes more sense why he was beat low trapper. That to me, is why Wayne is so valuable on the PP1. The goals hes been scoring is an absolute cherry on top

Simmonds has been good in all situations. Marner is intentionally flipping pucks with the right speed to them for him to tip. They are just high passes. There is a chemistry forming there. Nothing new for Marner because he and Jvr had that thang goin too. Simmonds has his legs under him now too. He moves well still.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Wasn’t Hyman’s penalty on McDavid last night the second time he took a penalty to put us 2 men down?

 

[JT AM da real deal]

For the record Thornton-Matthews-Marner has been our most dominant combo this year. By a lot.

Pretty much any line Matty is on will dominate ... he is our best 2 way player by far ... he is 5 tool ... and he is a little quicker this year ... in our 9 games he has been best player on ice both teams 7 times thus far by my count ... Mitch is complimentary help on offense but like last night can be a huge turnover machine ... Jumbo provides leadership to keep both kids in line

 

[Twine Tickler]

Simmonds has been good in all situations. Marner is intentionally flipping pucks with the right speed to them for him to tip. They are just high passes. There is a chemistry forming there. Nothing new for Marner because he and Jvr had that thang goin too. Simmonds has his legs under him now too. He moves well still.

He has been my biggest surprise this year for sure. After watching that blue/white game I thought that was the Wayne I was dreading. But I have had absolutely 0 complaints on his game. I honestly really like him on that 3rd line with Kerf and Vesey. And Soup looks better on the JT line than Vesey, so it really just looks right. I think when jumbo comes back, id put him back with matty and marner, drop hyman back down and keep soup on the second.

jumbo - Matts -Marner
Soup - JT - Willy
Hyms- Kerf - simmer
Engvall - spezza - Boyd

and then rotate in Vesey, Barabanov, Robertson, and whoever else I am missing when injuries occur or guys need nights off

edit: its really nothing against hyman, hes been amazing. But Joe wont help a 3rd line, and AM and MArner could play with me for crying out loud

 

[Twine Tickler]

For the record Thornton-Matthews-Marner has been our most dominant combo this year. By a lot.

Yup, I really don't see why he wouldn't go straight back up top with them after he gets healthy. Hyman has been good, but he always will be, no matter where you play him. Joe does not help our lineup on the 3rd line. But he can help our top line with his vision and passing. And truthfully, i am not sure Hyman-MAtthews-Marner has been any more dominant 5v5 than thorton-matthews-marner. So may as well balance out the lines and put a stud like hyman down to the 3rd line

 

[MattySnipes]

One of the highlights of the night

Bad couple of nights for Tkachuk brothers.

Brady also got fired up in loss to Canucks.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

What time slot and which sportsnet channel?

It’s no surprise Burke would be insensitive to the refs doing their job. That’s what they were doing after all. Ahhh ishhh good nuff they were patting themselves on the back after in the refs locker room ( janitors room) mopped up on the leafs tonight they laughed. Complete incompetence. Watched another habs game last night too. They are still cross checking anything that moves in their crease with no calls. Tkachuk got in to it with Chariot in the crease and i was wishing Tkachuk beat the face on of him. Complete dirtbag. Simmonds in hindsight should have hit him when he was down.
The level of reffing has reached a all time low right now. Putrid,gross, bias, incompotent, ignorant. You name it, its a poorest reflection on the game right now. We wait all this time for hockey to watch these clowns ruin it every game. Consistently garbage in all games I’m watching. Obviously this is a league driven decision.

 

[Critical13]

He has been my biggest surprise this year for sure. After watching that blue/white game I thought that was the Wayne I was dreading. But I have had absolutely 0 complaints on his game. I honestly really like him on that 3rd line with Kerf and Vesey. And Soup looks better on the JT line than Vesey, so it really just looks right. I think when jumbo comes back, id put him back with matty and marner, drop hyman back down and keep soup on the second.

jumbo - Matts -Marner
Soup - JT - Willy
Hyms- Kerf - simmer
Engvall - spezza - Boyd

and then rotate in Vesey, Barabanov, Robertson, and whoever else I am missing when injuries occur or guys need nights off

edit: its really nothing against hyman, hes been amazing. But Joe wont help a 3rd line, and AM and MArner could play with me for crying out loud

I would rather rotate Spezza than Robertson, but I guess I should wait to see how he looks post recovery. He really needs his skating to be effective.

 

[Warden of the North]

What time slot and which sportsnet channel?

Noon EST on the FAN590. Radio/stream

 

[Big Empty]

You guys look good. It’s going to continue be both of us at the top of the division.

Could you imagine a Habs vs Leafs playoff series? The country would shut down for 2 weeks.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

He has been my biggest surprise this year for sure. After watching that blue/white game I thought that was the Wayne I was dreading. But I have had absolutely 0 complaints on his game. I honestly really like him on that 3rd line with Kerf and Vesey. And Soup looks better on the JT line than Vesey, so it really just looks right. I think when jumbo comes back, id put him back with matty and marner, drop hyman back down and keep soup on the second.

jumbo - Matts -Marner
Soup - JT - Willy
Hyms- Kerf - simmer
Engvall - spezza - Boyd

and then rotate in Vesey, Barabanov, Robertson, and whoever else I am missing when injuries occur or guys need nights off

edit: its really nothing against hyman, hes been amazing. But Joe wont help a 3rd line, and AM and MArner could play with me for crying out loud

Nothing wrong with that lineup. Simmonds of old back and healthy. Awesome