Post-Game Talk: Leafs beat Tampa

[leafsfan5]

It's definitely a concern but there is still plenty of time before the playoffs and the playoffs are a new season.

Remember it wasn't too long ago it was doom and gloom over here as well.

For our sake I hope they continue sleep-walking. Probably the only team in the conference I don't like our chances against

 

[ACC1224]

I think they are bored of the regular season tbh. I know they have been struggling but it seems like they are legit just slacking in effort in areas here and there just from what I've seen

They’ve played a lot of hockey over the last two years plus that was their 3rd game in 4 nights. It’s understandable they are a bit tired.

 

[Mess]

I think they are bored of the regular season tbh. I know they have been struggling but it seems like they are legit just slacking in effort in areas here and there just from what I've seen

I've thought they've being playing possum recently as well, simply coasting down the stretch not carrying whom they face in round #1 and conserving energy for a long playoff run.

They know what the grind of a 20+ playoff season is like, and what it takes to win.

That doesn't take away from the great game Matthews and Marner had, nor the rebounding of Campbell that we're seeing.

This is the kind of playoff performance Leafs will need to beat TB if they meet in the playoffs.

 

[Ziggdiezan]

Since November 24th, Engvall has scored more even strength goals than JT or Nylander.

Not sure if I should be impressed for Engvall or embarrassed for the other 2 lol

 

[ShaneFalco]

I'm scared.....
This team is making me believe again...... and I've been hurt oh so many times before

 

[riffle]

I've thought they've being playing possum recently as well, simply coasting down the stretch not carrying whom they face in round #1 and conserving energy for a long playoff run.

They know what the grind of a 20+ playoff season is like, and what it takes to win.

That doesn't take away from the great game Matthews and Marner had, nor the rebounding of Campbell that we're seeing.

This is the kind of playoff performance Leafs will need to beat TB if they meet in the playoffs.

That's always a concern when it comes to reading too much from what happened last night. It was Tampa's 3rd in 4 nights. Plus, as you've theorized they may just be laying in the weeds.

We have a Leafs team who really wants to prove their mettle and goes all out last night and wins big. But, what was Tampa's mindset for that one last night? Was it as important to them? Or, even close to as important?

So, if you now believe the Leafs are better than Tampa and should handle them should they meet in Round 1, you may be very surprised with how different it is from last night. How much can the Leafs elevate their game from last night? If they're peaked out and Tampa decides to crank it up for a playoff game it may not look anything like last night.

Then, again, Tampa may have been going full-tilt like Toronto. We just don't know for sure.

We do know the playoffs are a different animal so we'll just have to wait to see what the boys have as far as another gear, if any, until May. Plus, they have the burden of past playoff failures to carry around. We have no idea how that might affect them. Last night could've either been a preview of what we can expect, or as good as it will ever get for them.

 

[Twine Tickler]

One of the more impressive wins all year. I will say this game looks massively different if not for some massive saves from Soup Doggy Dogg in those first 2 periods. I am really hopeful we look back on this game as being the game that kickstarts Jack's confidence again. He was outstanding. If not for Auston scoring a hattrick and tying Vaive, he is easily the story of the game IMO.

AM34, nothing more you can say about him. We are living in complete privilege getting to watch him do what he is doing every night. Same goes for Mitch, who is playing the best hockey he's ever played.

AM34 and Mitch are arguably the greatest 2 Leafs of all time, with Auston being the clear and undisputed GLOAT. I have never witnessed this level of greatness from a Leaf player in my 31 years of life. It's not even close TBH.

Major shout out to Engvall as well. He went from a player I had HS'd and even waived on my pre-season lineup card to a player who has elevated his game to a point where we need to find a way to keep him on our team going forward. He has always had the skill and talent to be an everyday NHL'er, but was incredibly stupid with the puck. He has almost eliminated that from his game at this point. He made 1 vintage brain dead play last night where he elected to drop pass the puck back into the d-zone to no one, and it extended the D-zone shift by like 20 seconds and almost caused a goal against. I remember watching it live and saying, "wow, I haven't seen that from Pierre in a while". Which goes to show just how far his game has come, because those plays would happen 2-3 times a game before.

Great win, lets get another one tonight!

 

[therealkoho]

Just saw the boxscore, Matthews 3rd was unassisted? Maybe I misremembering but didn’t Marner set him up?

i put the video in my post

It certainly looked as though MM wasn't just throwing out a hail-mary and hoping for the best he doesn't do that. It was a purposeful pass out to Matty who looked as though he called for the puck. Sergachev I thought took a swipe at it to intercept and it caromed right onto Matty's tape and then into the net. They awarded the assist last night, because it didn't look like Sergachev had any real control, but maybe he did. All I know is Mitch made that pass with that result in mind.

Mitchs' pass to Matthews on the second goal through Sergachevs legs was a work of art.

Never ever forget Leafers where you were when Mark Hunter said what he said and did what he did

 

[Dekes For Days]

The Montreal media is in f***ing shambles.

 

[81Leafs50]

Leafs are steam rolling the best teams in the NHL and its not even close.

 

[81Leafs50]

Tampa is not slacking. They are losing on purpose. They want to go over the Metropolitan division. CAR, WSH, PIT, NYR are not scary teams. TBL do not want to play BOS, FLA, or TOR.

 

[zeke]

I've thought they've being playing possum recently as well, simply coasting down the stretch not carrying whom they face in round #1 and conserving energy for a long playoff run.

They know what the grind of a 20+ playoff season is like, and what it takes to win.

That doesn't take away from the great game Matthews and Marner had, nor the rebounding of Campbell that we're seeing.

This is the kind of playoff performance Leafs will need to beat TB if they meet in the playoffs.

For future reference, Mess, "playing possum" refers to intentionally looking dead/weak in order to fool predators, not to just taking your foot off the gas and not playing full out.

 

[nuck]

Unless Vasilevsky is playing hurt I don't read a ton into Tampa's recent woes. As others have mentioned it was not long ago people were lamenting the Leaf's implosion. Teams go through ups and downs and they have a couple of new bodies to assimilate. However they have created the possibility of a matchup with Florida in round 1 if they don't snap out of it quickly.

 

[MapleLeafs9]

I think they are bored of the regular season tbh. I know they have been struggling but it seems like they are legit just slacking in effort in areas here and there just from what I've seen

This is not a thing, especially when the playoff race is as close as it is in the Atlantic.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Mitchs' pass to Matthews on the second goal through Sergachevs legs was a work of art.

The funny part of that play is It probably doesn't even make his top 5 assists of this season. That is how good Mitch is at passing the puck.

Mitch really is an elite talent. There are likely less than 5 players in the NHL that can see the ice the way Mitch does. Truly a magician with the puck on his tape.

I think the most impressive part of Mitch and Auston is that they are so good defensively as well. Auston is the most complete forward on our roster by a mile, and realistically should get more Selke love. I don't think he necessarily would win it, but he should be nominated IMO. Mitch on the other hand might be one of the top 5 PK'ers in the NHL. He is elite in so many ways. His defensive anticipation is equally as good as his offensive.

His shot selection is better than it's ever been. I am sure if we rolled back all of Mitch's 29 goals on the year, I'd say 22-25 of them were on and off his tape. No delaying and f***ing around. He's always been an accurate shooter, he just has a weak shot. He finally realized he will not beat goalies clean with his muffin. He's gotta surprise goalies, and just get it off his tape right away. Ever since he made that adjustment i'd say 1/3rd of the way into the season, he began potting goals left right and center. With ease. I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see him hit 40 at one point if he keeps getting off those quick shots.

 

[Bluelines]

This has probably already been posted but LMFAO.



The Montreal media is in f***ing shambles.

I'm tired of these snowflakes complaining about their lives not being sheltered enough to be spoon fed what they want.

If you don't want to see Leaf stuff, don't watch TSN or SNET, watch TVA or listen to web streams for other cities.

Toronto is the 7th largest city in NORTH AMERICA.... to most people they could figure out how that correlates to the media coverage

 

[Stigma]

This has probably already been posted but LMFAO.



The Montreal media is in f***ing shambles.

One dumb, young man, mistake and he's "rotten at the core" now? LOL

 

[Darch]

The Leafs made Tampa look slow and outmatched large portions of that game. Nice effort!

 

[therealkoho]

The funny part of that play is It probably doesn't even make his top 5 assists of this season. That is how good Mitch is at passing the puck.

Mitch really is an elite talent. There are likely less than 5 players in the NHL that can see the ice the way Mitch does. Truly a magician with the puck on his tape.

yeah for sure that is the crazy part, but what may actually be even crazier is he still may be getting better and just entering his peak

Gretzky was in his 5th pro season when he hit 212
Denis Savard was in his 8th when he hit 131
Mario was in his 5th when he hit 191
Patrick Kane in his 9th at 106 and topped it in his 12th at 110
Sittler 8th season at 117
Sakic 8th at 120

hopefully still some amazing things to come as he keeps adding to his bag of tricks

 

[kb]

I'm tired of these snowflakes complaining about their lives not being sheltered enough to be spoon fed what they want.

If you don't want to see Leaf stuff, don't watch TSN or SNET, watch TVA or listen to web streams for other cities.

Toronto is the 7th largest city in NORTH AMERICA.... to most people they could figure out how that correlates to the media coverage

This is a Montreal newspaper Sports columnist....his salty tears feed my soul.

Just devastated by the top cap hit team in the league being at the bottom of the standings.

Cry baby cry.

 

[therealkoho]

Make your mother sigh

 

[kb]

Make your mother sigh

Hahahaha! nice......

 

[Twine Tickler]

I'm tired of these snowflakes complaining about their lives not being sheltered enough to be spoon fed what they want.

If you don't want to see Leaf stuff, don't watch TSN or SNET, watch TVA or listen to web streams for other cities.

Toronto is the 7th largest city in NORTH AMERICA.... to most people they could figure out how that correlates to the media coverage

I never understood what was so complicated about this. TSN and Sportsnet don't just put out Leafs content because they love the Leafs. They cover the team more because that is the formula that produces the most profit. As if Rogers and Bell don't have the metrics to support this lol. f*** a standard Youtube channel has the analytics to provide the creator when people drop off while watching their videos, so why do people think this is any different for major networks lol.

The major network's air Leafs content because Leafs fans will always tune in. Meanwhile here in Vancouver I have been asked if I want to go to a Canucks game free of charge 3 times in the last 2 weeks. Prior to Hughes and Petterson, Vancouver couldn't even sell out their barn, and yo could easily find tickets for mid week games for under $50. I remember seeing some as low as $30. Rogers arena is smack dab downtown, so there really is no location excuse. If the Canucks are shit, their fans won't show up. Same goes with their coverage. So why exactly would Rogers and Bell broadcast equal amount of content to the Leafs? Makes zero sense.

Network TV is one of the most historically metric driven markets in the world. If you do not have the ratings, you are dropped. Simple as that. The content that is on the TV is reflective on what is working.

Suck it up Habs, Canucks, Jets....etc

Choose a better team maybe? I don't f***ing know lol

 

[Discoverer]

This is a Montreal newspaper Sports columnist....his salty tears feed my soul.

Just devastated by the top cap hit team in the league being at the bottom of the standings.

Cry baby cry.

Montreal has been much better lately. Considering where they were, they definitely deserve way more attention for battling back and climbing up the standings to... *check standings*... just one point back of breaking into the top 30!

 

[kb]

Montreal has been much better lately. Considering where they were, they definitely deserve way more attention for battling back and climbing up the standings to... *check standings*... just one point back of breaking into the top 30!

Hahahaha. Hopefully they go on a roll and slide into the 6th or 7th last place.....just enough to drop them out of the top-5 in the draft.