Post-Game Talk: Leafs Book Their Tickets for Game 7 [MOD WARNING in OP]

[sunstersun]

Edmonton isn't scared to go to a league min. goalie down 2-0. We're scared to play the goalie we just signed to a 3 year, 10M contract.

We're not scared, Stolarz has literally been top 5 this season.

I don't want to talk goalies, it's an embarrassment the goal support.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Edmonton isn't scared to go to a league min. goalie down 2-0. We're scared to play the goalie we just signed to a 3 year, 10M contract.

Have you seen how bad their #1G has been? Let's not get too silly here.

 

[Brown Dog]

Reading this you wouldn’t think we were up 3-2, and I completely get it. This is a tough one. Ottawa played a good game and the seed of doubt is firmly planted. This series isn’t over, but I think they can grab game 6. Teams won’t lay down for us and I’m optimistic they can get it done with this group.

May I ask why?

 

[TheGreenTBer]

It’s definitely the weirdest phenomenon here.

I agree and I don't like it.

 

[Nineteen67]

If we could somehow find out if Willy has already purchased his plane ticket to the Worlds it would make betting on games 6 and 7easier.

 

[Evilhomer]

The Leafs can easily win next game. If anything they probably will too.

But with the history the way it is, the pessimism and frustration until then remains more than justified

People like to be negative. When the Leafs win this series, those same knuckleheads will be hanging out of their car windows driving up Yonge St.

 

[Stephen]

The Leafs are NOT losing this. The Senators do not have the horses to come back from 3-0.

All this worry will be for not.

For me, I think the possibility of losing to the Senators has gone up, and is possible to probable depending on how much you hate their psychology. But having this low floor mental state just means they have zero chance against the next tier of competition in an upcoming round. These guys have no fight in them.

 

[Suntouchable13]

The Leafs are NOT losing this. The Senators do not have the horses to come back from 3-0.

All this worry will be for not.

They probably don't, but the Leafs can beat themselves. Ottawa doesn't need to have the horses.

 

[Rob Brown]

At this point I think our "core 4" are complacent to this.

All the stats surrounding "series clinching games" has for some time now been more than a bad luck outlier. There is CLEARLY more to this than just bad luck.

The core 4 just don't have that "it" factor when the going gets tough. And I think they were in denial of that at first. I think they honestly thought they were just unlucky, or were still learning. But not anymore. And where it hurts the most is.... I don't think they really mind any longer. They're still super crazy rich and adored city wide. They've accepted they won't be playoff stalwarts, yet they'll still live a life that all of us can only ever DREAM of approaching. They don't care. They are in the acceptance phase.

Yes, I think there's reasonable odds they still win this series. But even if they do, it will just be second round Florida series from 2 years ago. A top to bottom no show from all of our "star" players.

The adoration from casual bandwagon fans who don’t know any better will end eventually.

 

[koyvoo]

I will admit, Stolarz has not been very good these two games.

Very shaky when the shot count is pretty low.

Problem is that with a game like tonight’s as an example, even a prime Hasek wouldn’t make a difference…unless he scored a goal or two himself.

All these little tinkering type changes -suggesting Robertson in, Patches out. Goaltending changes- are a drop in the bucket if your best players don’t play their best hockey. It’s very simple, and always has been. Matthews, Marner et all have to make it happen, or it won’t.

 

[CincoHolio]

He bailed on the Leafs in the Boston series. No explanation ever given.

Right on-brand

 

[Divine]

Or, you know, the core 4 could just try and score a goal or two. Stolarz has been average, but its not like he is the one losing the games for us. You cant win hockey games when you score 0 goals.

Sure, but Ottawa has an easier time scoring goals with less chances than us. This should have been a 0-0 game going to OT. Ottawa only started getting chances after they scored on their 5th shot and we had to cheat for offensive.

Stolarz is currently ranked 17th in GSAA among goalies who played in the playoffs. There's 16 teams in the playoffs.

 

[Suntouchable13]

People like to be negative. When the Leafs win this series, those same knuckleheads will be hanging out of their car windows driving up Yonge St.

You were probably saying that when the Leafs were playing MTL in 2021.

 

[Stephen]

Not only we don't crash the net to bang in a garbage goal; we don't even work the points and crowd in the middle of the ice

its so f***ing frustrating watching these jackasses play perimeter hockey every single playoffs and kill time on the clock especially when trailing

Failing to work the point always results in their messed up spacing problems. Same as it was in 2020. Everyone jammed up no one open anywhere to do anything.

 

[Divine]

Have you seen how bad their #1G has been? Let's not get too silly here.

Stolarz is ranked #17 among playoff goalies right now in GSAA

 

[PromisedLand]

This just pisses me off

 

[howlman]

“Over the last two decades, the Maple Leafs are now 1-14 in potential series-clinching playoff games, with their only win coming on the road in Game 6 of the first round in 2023.”

It keeps getting better and better the comedy. Been easy money ever since the Montreal choke. 2 more chances to close this out, but this could go down as one of the all time chokes of chokes. The demons are lurking…

 

[ACC1224]

Brother they could not make a single play the entire game. Ottawa wasn't great tonight but even they mustered up more than nothing. Their only chance is fluke pucks going in.

Fluke puck going in for Ottawa was pretty much the game

 

[Donnie740]

 

[Nineteen67]

The Leafs are NOT losing this. The Senators do not have the horses to come back from 3-0.

All this worry will be for not.

I don’t think so either, but a game 7 would be fun.

 

[KaN19]

Only thing generational about Matthews is his all-time bad cap hit to playoff performance ratio.

It's the elephant in the room no one wants to touch because they're afraid they might scare him off to LA. Let him leave, his body is breaking down and his best years are behind him anyway.

Can't believe jokers really tried to compare him to actual tier 1 players like Mack, McD, Drai, and Kuch. This team isn't winning anything until he steps up.

 

[wingman75]

Reading this you wouldn’t think we were up 3-2, and I completely get it. This is a tough one. Ottawa played a good game and the seed of doubt is firmly planted. This series isn’t over, but I think they can grab game 6. Teams won’t lay down for us and I’m optimistic they can get it done with this group.

I think this is more a commentary about the long history in series clinching games.

Sure they had some chances, but as in years past didn't look like a winning team.

Hopefully they get it done Thursday.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Stole's been great all season and solid in these playoffs but Woll was also good in the regular season and has done well in the playoffs in the past.

I dislike throwing Woll right into high stakes game but if I do, I'd roll him in game 6. Stolie hasn't played this many consecutive games all season. The team is playing solid defense. Get Woll in there for a change. You can have a rested Stolie in for game 7 at home.

 

[PromisedLand]

Failing to work the point always results in their messed up spacing problems. Same as it was in 2020. Everyone jammed up no one open anywhere to do anything.

especially when Leafs were getting goals off of point shots

they continue with their fancy bullshit and get double teamed or outworked and puck goes the other way

look at ottawa working the points to maintain zone time especially in the 3rd period. PISSED ME OFF watching ottawa do it and leafs were one and done every f***ing shift except for the 4th line

 

[Stephen]

We're not scared, Stolarz has literally been top 5 this season.

I don't want to talk goalies, it's an embarrassment the goal support.

Stolarz has been beatable since Game 3 especially with bad timing softies. I think they waste too much defensive effort on trying to prevent all shots on net but also has a cooling effect on the goalie while neutering the team offensively. I don't blame him but the Team D and G is not cohesively functioning as one unbeatable recipe anymore.