Post-Game Talk: Leafs beat Tampa + Refs 5-3

[LaPlante94]

Did Holmberg not play much the 3rd period? Mainly the last 10 minutes. I saw Dewar take his spot on the Tavares and Marner line but maybe that's a good sign and he might not play Holmberg when everyone else is healthy.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

The retaliation shot was a lot more egregious and deserving of a penalty. Our Leafs seem to always get called for the retaliation, but NOT the Lightning player tonight.

Once again, the American based team was favored by the refs to get them back in the game.

Woll deserved the shutout and should have at least had only one goal against.

f*** the Panthers and Lighting, and especially the NHL Refs. Win or lose, I'm growing more and more tired of this anti-Leaf bias as every game goes by.

Congrats on the win Leafs !!! Fighting 2 teams almost every game is very hard.

Well said. I was incredulous at any call being made, but then no penalty on the retaliation? Game management at its most obvious. It started with the pick on Marner that wasn’t called in the third because we were up 4-0. It’s bullshit. I was a bit surprised that Berube or OEL said little to the refs.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

Bennett literally punched a guy in the head during a faceoff today and no penalty lol.

Maybe they should put out a video on what is or isn’t a crosscheck? Or a punch in the head for that matter.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Wow, so coaching does make a difference? Who could have ever imagined.

We had the 2nd least HD goals against and 7th best HD goals for in 22-23, was Keefe just bipolar year to year about whether the blue paint at both ends is important or not?

 

[PromisedLand]

We’ve seen hot Novembers before but there are distinct differences in how they’re winning that are encouraging building blocks

Happy Keefe kept Marner and JT together

Happiest for Robby for getting off the snide. Love seeing a pure shooter snipe like that.

 

[BayStBullies]

I wish the refs would give the Leafs the same forceful push when they're trailing, but the good guys managed to win this one anyway.

 

[stats1]

That third period was dog shit, didn’t like how they just sat back and let TB come at them in waves. We got owned in the dot, it’s pretty obvious now that this team needs another C before the deadline. This is pie in the sky stuff but even if there is a tiny chance Crosby is even open to a trade Treliving has to do whatever it takes to get him. He would literally be the perfect and missing piece to this team.

We got the goaltending, we got the D, a 3 punch combo down the middle of Matthews, Crosby and Tavares would be amazing

 

[Lightsol]

We had the 2nd least HD goals against and 7th best HD goals for in 22-23, was Keefe just bipolar year to year about whether the blue paint at both ends is important or not?

Again, the problem is that Keefe wanted them to play one way in the regular season and another way in the playoffs. During the regular season, Keefe pushed low event possession hockey, but then in the playoffs he asked the team to switch to grinding it out along the boards and fighting for space, and the team couldn't switch styles fast enough.

I think they'll be more successful this year simply because they're going to keep playing the way they are now in the playoffs as well.

 

[Pinkcat]

Well said. I was incredulous at any call being made, but then no penalty on the retaliation? Game management at its most obvious. It started with the pick on Marner that wasn’t called in the third because we were up 4-0. It’s bullshit. I was a bit surprised that Berube or OEL said little to the refs.

The OEL cross-check was the retaliation and it did get called. What didn't get called was the initial hard slash OEL took to his arm or the Tampa retaliation to the OEL retaliation. There were 3 penalties in that sequence and somehow only the Leaf penalty was called while the Tampa penalties were ignored.

 

[Stephen]

The OEL cross-check was the retaliation and it did get called. What didn't get called was the initial hard slash OEL took to his arm or the Tampa retaliation to the OEL retaliation. There were 3 penalties in that sequence and somehow only the Leaf penalty was called while the Tampa penalties were ignored.

Cirelli retaliated on the retaliation however. That could have just been offsetting penalties because usually a Dman is given some leeway to clear a crease area a little aggressively aka with a crosscheck after a whistle.

 

[Pinkcat]

Cirelli retaliated on the retaliation however. That could have just been offsetting penalties because usually a Dman is given some leeway to clear a crease area a little aggressively aka with a crosscheck after a whistle.

Yes and the point remains that the ref knowingly and willfully ignored the two more egregious penalties committed by Tampa yet called a weak penalty on Toronto.

 

[ZEBROA]

We have the best goal scorer in the world on our team and people actually think we are a better team with him injured. Absolutely wild some of the takes on him.

It is not a wild take to say we play better without him. But in that case it is a team mental problem and not a Matthews problem.

 

[MSZ]

That third period was dog shit, didn’t like how they just sat back and let TB come at them in waves. We got owned in the dot, it’s pretty obvious now that this team needs another C before the deadline. This is pie in the sky stuff but even if there is a tiny chance Crosby is even open to a trade Treliving has to do whatever it takes to get him. He would literally be the perfect and missing piece to this team.

We got the goaltending, we got the D, a 3 punch combo down the middle of Matthews, Crosby and Tavares would be amazing

Dubas isn't going to help the Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

[notDatsyuk]

I’m still pissed about that penalty at the end. That’s inexcusable refereeing.

I am very rarely critical of the refs, but that call was horrible.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Again, the problem is that Keefe wanted them to play one way in the regular season and another way in the playoffs. During the regular season, Keefe pushed low event possession hockey, but then in the playoffs he asked the team to switch to grinding it out along the boards and fighting for space, and the team couldn't switch styles fast enough.

I think they'll be more successful this year simply because they're going to keep playing the way they are now in the playoffs as well.

That’s at least a good argument, I don’t completely agree but at least I can see the complaint. Imo Keefe played too slow and too careful, play not to lose hockey. Other people acting like we used to play Boudreau run and gun is a strange development.

Re the playoff style switch, I would be shocked if that wasn’t a sports science moneyball idea that Keefe tried to implement. It’ll be interesting to see if regular season wear and tear is harder to overcome than switching between what felt like 3 different games throughout the season under Keefe - the normal healthy possession game, the November skeleton crew shutdown game, and whatever Frankenstein of the two he tried to do in the playoffs.

Ironically enough, this roster would make more sense to run the low strain regular season possession game to keep guys with a lot of miles on them like Tanev and OEL fresh. We don’t really have the roster space or assets to rent relatively fresh shutdown D from low intensity basement teams this year and the Marlies don’t have many plan B options ready to go.

 

[notDatsyuk]

They were the 3 stars, not my picks

Yes, it's really bad how the 'three stars' are based on the scoresheet instead of the game.

"Tanev with 2 points and most toi - star."
"Marner with 2 points and assist on gwg - star."
"Hedman record (so what he was -2) - star."
"Woll let in three goals, so he can't be a star."

The three best players in the game may have been Woll, Hagel, and Nylander.

 

[Gilmour1996]

Once again, the American based team was favored by the refs to get them back in the game.

It's almost getting to the point where I can't watch it. It's not Professional Wrestling reffing but it's getting close to Professional Boxing reffing. I don't think it's simply reffing incompetence either.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Dubas isn't going to help the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He didn't help them when he was cashing their paychecks - why start now?

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Nice to see one of Robertson's low percentage shots finally go in.

Take enough of them and one will eventually find it's way to the back of the net. Now that he's scoring again they should trade him. I don't see his value going any higher than what it is currently.

Hopefully there's a team out there with a dying need for a puck hog who scores once every twenty games or so.

Any idea why the Lightning's mascot is called Thunder Bug. Lightning Bug makes way more sense to me. I always thought organizations try and align the mascot with the name of the team.

Then again the Leafs employ a goofy polar bear so what do I know.

American Thanksgiving and another November hot streak has the team in a playoffs spot. Now that thirty percent of the season is over the anomalies from small sample sizes are fading. The only thing left for fans to do now is hope they continue to play the same way in April.

Except Robertson who I assume will be on another team by then.

 

[horner]

Score does not do us justice. That was one of our best games of the year minus the last 4 minutes. I’m really liking the splitting of lines tbh.

We need one more center and we need to fire Holmberg into the sun. Please put Robertson with Tavares and Marner

I would even put Lorenz in that spot he has more offensive touch than Holmberg and has the defensive play.

 

[horner]

Nylander best game of the season physically and defensively.
Tanev amazing game + 2 pts
Woll incredible game stay healthy bud and for 3 mill wow.
McCabe be alright.
Vasi we have his number not worried about TBin the playoffs if everyone is healthy.
Mathews ok game lots oof rust
OEL not his best game

 

[All Mod Cons]

Dubas isn't going to help the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He never has.

 

[weems]

OEL played well the first few games on his offside but recently he's started to struggle.
It has suppressed his puck moving ability and puts his footspeed/agility under more pressure.
Some players can play their offside well (Brodie, Weegar etc) but other's can't and there's legitimate functionality reasons why.

 

[sittler rules!!!]

Minten is playing very well. Hard to justify taking him out. He's a very smart player and another option at center.

Grebenkin too. Brings some much needed size and willingness to get in opponents faces that this team lacks.

Wonder how Minten would look with Marner and McMahon. When lineup is healthy if and ever when:
Kneiss Matthews Domi (some very good mix there last year)

Patches JT Nylander ( this line was hot before the injury bug)

McMahon Minten Marner ( M & M line.. Marner is getting a ton of ice now playing in "ALL" situations
(Minten could really benefit from playing with Marner, and both Marner
(and McMahon are defensive responsible)

Lorentz Kampf Grebenik (bang, crash and forcheck. There is some size grit and skill there as well)

Dewar/Reeves

Trade Robby, Jarnkrok, Holmberg.

Keep the door open if an impact third line centre becomes available, but if Minten works out.......

 

[Hellcat]

We have the best goal scorer in the world on our team and people actually think we are a better team with him injured. Absolutely wild some of the takes on him.

AM is clearly an elite player but there is the Sundin effect where lesser players defer to the Stars (like Matty and Sundin) to win them the game with one shot. The theory is the lesser players dont put in the same effort with him on the roster as they do with him off the roster. The sum of the parts is often better than the individual parts. If the best team was the team with the best player the Oil would be on a 8 year SC winning spree.

It's not that AM makes the team worse, it's that the supporting cast dont give as much of a contribution with him on the roster, is it because he is one shot superstar Matty? Maybe we are better, maybe we are not better, the record without him and the record with him certainly must give anyone a pause, it's not a small sample size. We are capable of playing better hockey with out him. That is a fact. Why? Are we a better team? I dont know.