Post-Game Talk: Leafs begin season with a WIN. 6-5 in the shootout

[Martin Skoula]

Steve Simmons is an idiot, I’m not sure why he is still able to ask questions to the players.



That shot isn’t available anymore not because Matthews isn’t back. But because teams are completely taking away time and space. We’re going to see Matthews have that shot clean anymore.

It took 5+ years for them to figure out to take that space away and has nothing to do with multiple wrist injuries and a surgery? The shot that specifically is designed to be taken with defenders in front of him?

 

[PromisedLand]

if anyone wants a good laugh; oilers board is pure comedy

 

[Voodoo Child]

if anyone wants a good laugh; oilers board is pure comedy

Just wait til Drai leaves after next year.

McDavid might not but Drai is already with foot out door.

As for the Habs congrats - only one point, I heard the top five picks this year are all named Julia, Alexia, Quinn, Phoebe and Sarah - hope they get one.

 

[Torontonian]

Game 1 of the season still looked like the pre season, optional goaltending, playing defense was optional, players couldn't control the puck

Entertaining game nonetheless.

 

[Stephen]

I know he had a hat trick but I wouldn’t say Matthews is “back”. Don’t get me wrong it’s great that he can adapt his game to still be a threat without the big shot, but he’ll be “back” when he’s wiring unstoppable shots through the defender’s feet from the circles again. The threat of that shot opens up so much space for everyone else.

He's "back" if the goals go in every which way every night...

 

[Martin Skoula]

He's "back" if the goals go in every which way every night...

A competent team boxes him out on at least that last goal in a playoff scenario, his healthy peak shot does not have a consistent way to defend against it and changes our offensive dynamic at ES and completely changes the look of our powerplay.

It’s great that his plan B game is still a top-10 forward threat as an elite net front presence but the healthy shot gives us a completely different dynamic in a tight game and forces the other team into bad choices.

Ovi could probably score 50 without a single slap shot but the slap shot makes Carlson Oshie and Backstrom twice the threats they’d be without him getting double teamed in his office.

 

[stickty111]

Okay @Guided by Veseys and @Cleetus, apologies for my overreactions on the GDT. This is why I want to avoid GDT's when it's going bad. I get emotional

Anyways thats why you pay guys like Auston. I don't care about the AAV. You keep him at whatever number.
Lots to clean up but better in a win.

Steve Simmons is an idiot, I’m not sure why he is still able to ask questions to the players.



That shot isn’t available anymore not because Matthews isn’t back. But because teams are completely taking away time and space. We’re going to see Matthews have that shot clean anymore.

What did he ask?

 

[stickty111]

Man, just watching the highlights again and ive never seen a player flub as many routine plays as Lilj does.

It happens at random times. Is it a stick issue or holding the stick issue? Its too bad because he was having a nice game otherwise.

if anyone wants a good laugh; oilers board is pure comedy

They have the same issues like last year yet media wants to crown them. At least we tried to improve our main problem which was depth scoring.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Only home game against Montreal this year. Don't play them again till March. Schedule is stupid.

 

[Stephen]

A competent team boxes him out on at least that last goal in a playoff scenario, his healthy peak shot does not have a consistent way to defend against it and changes our offensive dynamic at ES and completely changes the look of our powerplay.

It’s great that his plan B game is still a top-10 forward threat as an elite net front presence but the healthy shot gives us a completely different dynamic in a tight game and forces the other team into bad choices.

Ovi could probably score 50 without a single slap shot but the slap shot makes Carlson Oshie and Backstrom twice the threats they’d be without him getting double teamed in his office.

I don't know if I would subscribe to the idea that Matthews' goal scoring is based on the "peak shot". Just go back to the game tape from his rookie debut and those 4 goals were representative of what we've seen throughout his career: net front scramble plays, catching a goalie napping, mix in a snipe, etc. He's never been as mechanical as a Stamkos or Ovechkin with the signature rip from the same mark. Obviously having the healthy shot will contribute to totals. But for me, his goal scoring is back when... he's scoring goals.

 

[Antropovsky]

Ya that line only generated 15 shots and he was plus 2.

Lol... What do those stats have to do with the individual play of Marner? He had 1 secondary assist on the powerplay and 1 even strength shot on net. And overall wasn't making anything happen, especially for an 11 million dollar player.

"That line" didn't produce a single 5vs5 goal. The plus two was a result of the goalie being pulled and them outnumbering their opponent and having Nylander, Tavares, Matthews and Marner on the ice. All Matthews goals were due to excellent plays by Nylander and Tavares... Not Marner.

It's only one game, but it was the same result as last year... Marner and Matthews not producing together 5vs5.

 

[RunItBackAgain]

Not going to be too critical of anyone because it was game 1 for a lot of new players and we got the win

but...

Gio looked gassed before the game even started skating out for the intros..
Brodie scares me..
Klingberg scares me more, especially wearing that #3..
The kids maybe shouldn't be on a line together to start? I think Knies and Tavares are just too good together sylistically..
Marner didn't do sweet f all before the SO..
And the refs absolutely hosed us in OT after the Habs took like half a dozen penalties on our guys.

Sammy let in a bunch but honestly hard to fault him on many. He also had some really big and really timely saves when the game could've been put out of reach.

Obviously kudos to Auston, the carry god. And Rielly for playing a fantastic first game! Very clean from those two!

Absolutely LOVED Tuzzi poking at the goalie and then going for it instantly! He's going to be amazing for us! I just hope him and Reaves keep it up and don't let the refs deter them because it seemed like they were already trying. Everyone needs to buy in to that style and bully this baby soft league straight into a cup!

GO LEAFS GO!!!!!!

 

[ktownhockey]

Pretty ugly win.

Samsonov was awful. #1 goaltenders need to make tough saves through traffic and he couldn't do anything tonight. Leafs didn't give him a lot of shots and a lot of them went in. Leafs gave the Habs 2 breakways due to Brodie blowing a tire and Liljegren whiffing on a pass, Samsonov needed to bail out his team on at least one of these.

Klingberg was pretty good and exactly what the Leafs needed. McCabe was pretty good too.

AM, MM and Bert started the game pretty badly but turned it up in the 2nd and 3rd. They were great. Bertuzzi could have scored 2-3 goals himself.

Nylander was fantastic. Domi was a ghost... barely involved.

I thought the fourth line played with purpose and the 3rd line of Minten, Knies and Jarnkrok was ok but definitely not as good as they were in pre-season.

Agree with all except McCabe, he had good moments and continues to be physical. He did make a poor read, fell and it led to an early goal against (Like many of our D tonight).

If he can keep his play with the puck average or above, he's my guy haha.

 

[RunItBackAgain]

Samsonov was awful. #1 goaltenders need to make tough saves through traffic and he couldn't do anything tonight. Leafs didn't give him a lot of shots and a lot of them went in. Leafs gave the Habs 2 breakways due to Brodie blowing a tire and Liljegren whiffing on a pass, Samsonov needed to bail out his team on at least one of these.

First goal: Clean breakaway after Brodie forgets how to skate. Could've been stopped but it was a clean bloody breakaway.
Second goal: 3 on 1 break, well executed. McCabe horrid pinch and Klingberg may as well have been a pylon.
Denied offside goal: Powerplay, pass from behind the net across the mouth of the net put straight up into the blocker side corner. Well executed.
Third goal: Powerplay, 100% screened (by his own player), absolutely deft deflection (by his own player) right into the top corner.
Fourth goal: 100% screened (by his own player, again), another perfect deflection.
Fifth goal: Partial breakaway after Liljegren forgets how to hockey. Cut down the angle and got froze by the fake shot. Probably the one he could've had if any.

2 well tipped screened goals, 1 full blown breakaway, 1 partial breakaway, and a 3 on 1.

But lets go blame the goalie after that pitiful performance from our Dmen. Watch the highlights please and tell me which ones he should've had and remember the highlights also don't show a few huge saves he had in clutch moments.

Imo the 1st and 5th were stoppable but they were both basically clean breaks due to the D completely fumbling. To blame a goalie for those idk man... I bet if it was Woll we'd be singing a different tune.

 

[TIGERCOOL]

Mitch had a lot to say about the ice at the ACC... not just tonight, but that it's always bad. Something I'm sure a lot of us have always suspected but you never really hear players mention.

What a disservice to a team built on skill to play half their games on a surface like that. Super lame. With all that money in pocket you'd think something would be done by now.

 

[Sniper99]

if anyone wants a good laugh; oilers board is pure comedy

unlike you, I get to hear all about it from friends/family and local radio even Gregor's Uncle will be whining up a storm tomorrow, i'll pass.

btw what in the blue hell was that "goal song" tonight?

Not gonna lie when I heard Pursuit of Happiness, I thought that was the name of this band. and thought "Jesus, not them!"

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

I liked his cherry-picking set play and how scrappy he is on every play. He’s like a bad kid from the wrong side of the tracks. In a good way!

He literally looks like Jesus with his helmet off.

 

[DopeyFish]

nylander is so good

 

[Divine]

Mitch had a lot to say about the ice at the ACC... not just tonight, but that it's always bad. Something I'm sure a lot of us have always suspected but you never really hear players mention.

What a disservice to a team built on skill to play half their games on a surface like that. Super lame. With all that money in pocket you'd think something would be done by now.

Sounds like an excuse for the team tripping over their own feet.

I'm sure the ice wasn't great, as it's been reported that SB doesn't have the best ice - there was an article about it on the Athletic:

Inside the NHL’s battle to maintain Toronto’s ‘sloppy’ ice for 3 games a day

Like so many elements of life in the NHL’s bubble, the ice isn't perfect. A look at how the ice makers are handling this unique situation.

theathletic.com

However, I don't think I saw one Habs player trip on the exact same ice - so it seems to be an excuse.

 

[Dreakmur]

Mitch had a lot to say about the ice at the ACC... not just tonight, but that it's always bad. Something I'm sure a lot of us have always suspected but you never really hear players mention.

What a disservice to a team built on skill to play half their games on a surface like that. Super lame. With all that money in pocket you'd think something would be done by now.

MLSE should have hired me as their chief operator when they had the chance!

 

[Alamo Leafer]

But do u guys remember when Xhekaj pusheded Reaves into the net ?

Yeh, after a quick glance on Twitter, that translates to "Reaves being manhandled", according to most on the other side lol
Oh well...

 

[13pacheco31]

Very rarely do you win a game with your goalie posting a save percentage under .800

Luckily, the Leafs got to play the lowly Habs where goalies are optional

Season opener against the Habs always seems to turn into a high scoring game

 

[ACC1224]

Ya that line only generated 15 shots and he was plus 2.

I thought they were great after a bit of a slow start.
Not a lot of fault anywhere last night other than the goalie. Better effort there and that game isn’t very close.

 

[TIGERCOOL]

Sounds like an excuse for the team tripping over their own feet.

I'm sure the ice wasn't great, as it's been reported that SB doesn't have the best ice - there was an article about it on the Athletic:

Inside the NHL’s battle to maintain Toronto’s ‘sloppy’ ice for 3 games a day

Like so many elements of life in the NHL’s bubble, the ice isn't perfect. A look at how the ice makers are handling this unique situation.

theathletic.com

However, I don't think I saw one Habs player trip on the exact same ice - so it seems to be an excuse.

He was as actually referring in this instance to why Suzuki fumbled the puck in the shootout and why he decided to shoot instead of deke... so definitely not an excuse.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Leafs squeak out win in coin toss game against pathetic Montreal losers.

The Good

Bertuzzi throwing more punches in one scrum than Nylander has the entire time he's been here.

The special teams, particularly an aggressive pk that saw forecheckers in deep to disrupt the dbp.

The Bad

Return of the stretch pass is lazy.

McCabe/Klingberg taking turns making bad pinches.

Liljegren - his numbers were good, his play was not.

The Ugly

Minten & Knies - The third line got filled and that's on Keefe.

Ilya Samsonov delivered a stinker I could smell over 200km away.

When all is said and done the Leafs got two points. Against a team they should have gotten two points against. But I wouldn't bet on them winning the cup until they beat a contending team or two first.

Preferably in more convincing fashion than what we just saw.