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.