Pre-Game Talk: Leafs @ Bruins game 2.

[ZEBROA]

It is when u are more afraid to loose then you love to win shit hits the fan. Your brain focus on the wrong thing, even if it almost seems the same.

But isnt Leafs supposed to step up when a core player is hurt. Maby they dont see Nylander as a core player.

Just win this game!

 

[Lightsol]

Another good one. Like sure the guy is scared but scores 60 goals in his sleep every year. As if when playoffs come, only then do team play him hard lol

Well, there IS a difference. The difference is during the regular season, a guy repeatedly cross-checks Matthews as the puck comes near and they generally take a penalty. In the playoffs they generally don't.

Want a great example from last game? When Matthews' line is in the O-zone, count the number of times Bertuzzi is on the ice before anyone is even in a scoring position, much less shooting. Is Bertuzzi the biggest klutz in hockey or are the defenders pulling him down before anyone gets set up to prevent screens? Hint: It's the latter. On one offensive drive I saw Bertuzzi go to the front while Matthews carried, get pulled down by McAvoy in front, get back up, and the second he was back on his skates McAvoy hooked up back down again. The only way I can think of to play through THAT would be for Bertuzzi to floor McAvoy first, but would that lead to an interference penalty? With these refs, who the hell knows?

 

[rumman]

Good teams should be able to step up and not miss a beat when a player goes down. We won playoffs without Sundin. We beat the heavily favored Isles in game #7 in their barn without Salming. Time for Marner and Matthews to impose their will and win this game. Otherwise WTF are we paying them millions for?

jersey sales..........

 

[Lightsol]

Who can pinch? Liljegren and Rielly?

We signed a bunch of D who aren't mobile.

We'd just have to change our entire system and play a trap most likely.

EXACTLY. We have a bunch of non-mobile D and a coach who wants 6 puck movers, but rather than realize he doesn't have 6 puck movers and has to adjust the defensive strategy according, chooses to play as if the non-mobile D ARE puck movers... Which means they give up a f***ton of odd-man rushes as guys get repeatedly caught pinching.

In short, YES, only Reilly and Lilj should really be pinching.

 

[notbias]

EXACTLY. We have a bunch of non-mobile D and a coach who wants 6 puck movers, but rather than realize he doesn't have 6 puck movers and has to adjust the defensive strategy according, chooses to play as if the non-mobile D ARE puck movers... Which means they give up a f***ton of odd-man rushes as guys get repeatedly caught pinching.

In short, YES, only Reilly and Lilj should really be pinching.

So we just ignore our forwards? If our plan is to not give them the puck and just focus on defensive coverage, not sure that'll work out for us either.

 

[ToneDog]

I still believe in this team. Last year they started the playoffs with a blowout loss to Tampa, and ended up winning that series. So I don't think the sky is falling just yet. And I also subscribe to the old theory that you're never in trouble until you lose at home. So even going down by 2 and I wouldn't be in a panic.

Everyone said it would be a close series. So why does it feel like everyone thinks it's all over after one game?

Leafs win tonight. Going home with a split is pretty good. Then it'll be a stranglehold after winning games 3 and 4 at home just in time for Nylander to return and put Boston out of their misery in game 5.

Can't lose a game 7 if you win the series in 5. *taps smart brain*

Were we missing Nylander? Did somebody knock one of the Bruins top dmen out of the last game like Bunts knocked Cernak out? Is Swayman playing poorly like Vasi was. Is MacAvoy playing injured like Hedman was? Are we playing this game at SBA?

This is a much higher mountain to climb IMO.

 

[Lightsol]

So we just ignore our forwards? If our plan is to not give them the puck and just focus on defensive coverage, not sure that'll work out for us either.

The only way you know to move the puck to the forwards is via pinching?

Were we missing Nylander? Did somebody knock one of the Bruins top dmen out of the last game like Bunts knocked Cernak out? Is Swayman playing poorly like Vasi was. Is MacAvoy playing injured like Hedman was? Are we playing this game at SBA?

This is a much higher mountain to climb IMO.

Considering you're one of the first posters to scream about Leaf excuses, man that's a HUGE list of excuses for Tampa falling on their faces last year...

 

[notbias]

The only way you know to move the puck to the forwards is via pinching?

That's how you generally keep offensive pressure inside the offensive zone, not by retreating.

We also need better puck movers, but we are built to take a bunch of shots, hopefully box out our guys or block them, not transition up ice.

 

[NJG]

Who can pinch? Liljegren and Rielly?

We signed a bunch of D who aren't mobile.

We'd just have to change our entire system and play a trap most likely.

I mean the original post is still kind of right… if your team is flawed defensively and mobility wise you have to make up for it in other ways, even if that means playing more defensively and boring. You can’t be making mistakes and giving up chances in the playoffs, especially if your goaltending is an issue as well. If it was me I’d even go to the extreme and not allow any defenders to pinch at all unless it’s 100% you’re getting there first with seconds to spare. You have to make up for your flaws in other ways, I’d much rather have someone playing back and in position then giving up odd man rushes all game. It’s easier to win games down by one than it is being down by 3 or 4.

 

[notbias]

I mean the original post is still kind of right… if your team is flawed defensively and mobility wise you have to make up for it in other ways, even if that means playing more defensively and boring. You can’t be making mistakes and giving up chances in the playoffs, especially if your goaltending is an issue as well. If it was me I’d even go to the extreme and not allow any defenders pinch at all unless it’s 100% you’re getting there first with seconds to spare. You have to make up for your flaws in other ways, I’d much rather have someone playing back and in position then giving up odd man rushes all game. It’s easier to win games down by one than it is being down by 3 or 4.

Pinching requires F3 to cover, not the D to be super quick, it is timing more than quickness.

We got scored on because Reaves missed his assignment for a hit, not because Edmundson went for the pinch.

The system doesn't work if everyone isn't buying in, that's the issue.

 

[banks]

Were we missing Nylander? Did somebody knock one of the Bruins top dmen out of the last game like Bunts knocked Cernak out? Is Swayman playing poorly like Vasi was. Is MacAvoy playing injured like Hedman was? Are we playing this game at SBA?

This is a much higher mountain to climb IMO.

Does Boston have C depth like Tampa had? Was our blueline better last year? Are we totally relying on stacking 2 lines like last year?

Maybe this is a tougher series. But not an impossible one.

I expect Boston's depth won't be able to convert like they did in game 1. And their PP won't convert as much, they're terrible with the man advantage. DeBrusk de-blows, and Coyle is a joke as a #1C.

Toronto is taking game 2.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Well, there IS a difference. The difference is during the regular season, a guy repeatedly cross-checks Matthews as the puck comes near and they generally take a penalty. In the playoffs they generally don't.

Want a great example from last game? When Matthews' line is in the O-zone, count the number of times Bertuzzi is on the ice before anyone is even in a scoring position, much less shooting. Is Bertuzzi the biggest klutz in hockey or are the defenders pulling him down before anyone gets set up to prevent screens? Hint: It's the latter. On one offensive drive I saw Bertuzzi go to the front while Matthews carried, get pulled down by McAvoy in front, get back up, and the second he was back on his skates McAvoy hooked up back down again. The only way I can think of to play through THAT would be for Bertuzzi to floor McAvoy first, but would that lead to an interference penalty? With these refs, who the hell knows?

Again, nonsense. Penalty calls go up in the first round of the playoffs traditionally

 

[egd27]

This is the kind of take I am talking about. You can fault them for never getting it done but laughable to suggest the problem is lack of playing the right way or caring.

You think that's a laughable take? They beat themselves constantly by not taking care of the little details necessary to win consistently. (i.e. playing the right way)

 

[BTP]

Good teams should be able to step up and not miss a beat when a player goes down. We won playoffs without Sundin. We beat the heavily favored Isles in game #7 in their barn without Salming. Time for Marner and Matthews to impose their will and win this game. Otherwise WTF are we paying them millions for?

Its 2 good teams. One is fully healthy the other isnt. The one with good health has the advantage

 

[sxvnert]

Good teams should be able to step up and not miss a beat when a player goes down. We won playoffs without Sundin. We beat the heavily favored Isles in game #7 in their barn without Salming. Time for Marner and Matthews to impose their will and win this game. Otherwise WTF are we paying them millions for?

The emergence of the Roberts-McCauley-Mogilny line was legendary.

 

[egd27]

Hope Nylander is in.

The real issue is Samsonov and what version comes out to play here otherwise the rest won't matter.

Second goal was weak........which of the other three were ?

 

[McSnypsky]

what's weird is why are the Bruin's so secretive on who they start in net? We all know it's Swayman

 

[HockeyVirus]

You think that's a laughable take? They beat themselves constantly by not taking care of the little details necessary to win consistently. (i.e. playing the right way)

Who does? Basically any time a major mistake happens that you can claim this, it is not the core 4 who do it. We are blaming Matthews and Marner for Gardiner coughing up pucks 6 years ago? For Galchenyuk and Dermott against the Habs? For Holl picking against the Bolts? For Reaves misreading the play last game?

 

[NJG]

Pinching requires F3 to cover, not the D to be super quick, it is timing more than quickness.

We got scored on because Reaves missed his assignment for a hit, not because Edmundson went for the pinch.

The system doesn't work if everyone isn't buying in, that's the issue.

So if no one’s buying into the system and it’s not working out and we don’t have what’s required to do it then why keep doing it?

 

[AuraSphere]

Because he is...

You know this now. You did not know this yesterday

 

[NJG]

You know this now. You did not know this yesterday

I know it because I have common sense… You don’t crucify your goalie after one game especially when majority of the goals aren’t really his fault.

 

[Torontonian]

what's weird is why are the Bruin's so secretive on who they start in net? We all know it's Swayman

Mind games, keep the teams guessing. It's just like Nylander being in a top 6 jersey for the morning skate, to not taking line rushes, to then taking line rushes in a drill afterwards for Robertson place. No one wants to tip their hand.

 

[ToneDog]

Does Boston have C depth like Tampa had? Was our blueline better last year? Are we totally relying on stacking 2 lines like last year?

Maybe this is a tougher series. But not an impossible one.

I expect Boston's depth won't be able to convert like they did in game 1. And their PP won't convert as much, they're terrible with the man advantage. DeBrusk de-blows, and Coyle is a joke as a #1C.

Toronto is taking game 2.

Leafs can take game #2 but I would not bank on it.

 

[Torontonian]

So I guess it isn't a little tweak. Nylander has rarely missed a game due to injury, and this being the playoffs I am 100% positive he would play if he could.

Why would anyone think otherwise?

I am not disputing that he has something ailing him. I am disputing the fact that players play through things all the time, and ours in this situation is not.

 

[Gallagbi]

EXACTLY. We have a bunch of non-mobile D and a coach who wants 6 puck movers, but rather than realize he doesn't have 6 puck movers and has to adjust the defensive strategy according, chooses to play as if the non-mobile D ARE puck movers... Which means they give up a f***ton of odd-man rushes as guys get repeatedly caught pinching.

In short, YES, only Reilly and Lilj should really be pinching.

They've adapted their breakouts pretty noticeably with less movement, less activation, fewer options and less skating. It's rare to see this D do anything beyond a reverse and up or throw it immediately back the direction it came.

The D responsibilities are largely stripped from where they were the past few years