Post-Game Talk: Leafs down Lightning 4-1

[Gary Nylund]

Just imagine how much Toronto would have won by if it traded one of the expensive core for a couple of plugs that will guarantee a cup.
All kidding aside, I am thankful to witness such great hockey in the dead of winter. Great entertainment.
Not grateful that tomorrow's game is at 2 o'clock.

Yeah that was a fun game to watch, I too am grateful.

Also grateful for the 2PM reminder! Thank you sir, I had completely forgotten about that. I will be out and about at that but now I will make sure I remember to record it so I can watch when I get home. Need to enjoy this one as it will be the last game for a bit, damn it would have been sick to miss it, thanks again!

I might not even need to trade even one prospect nor a First or even.Second Rounder depending on the other teams ask. There are a couple of.players I can.think of where I might entertain such a trade, but it's rare.

Leafs don't need all stars, they need the right types in and the more regular season heroes out. They need to fill in the cracks and balance a playoff lineup.

Yes, all that matters in the playoffs. You can almost sense it with the key players in the post game interviews. It's their focus...process to playoffs. I admire their commitment to the process, they have to be chomping at the bit, one step at a time of course

Such a team is not one any opponent would want to meet in the ffirst round. This team might be even more formidable by then.. Roll four lines in which the opponent can't sit back even more a moment.

Cool, then we're on the same page. I think we want to add the same types - bottom 6 forwards who might not score often, but who are tough to play against and play playoff type hockey. But yeah, no trading top prospects for top end rentals is where I'm at.

 

[as Pure as Evil]

Tucker had that ability. Has anyone ever seen Bunting fight?

Tucker also went toe to toe with the beasts of the nhl not the kucherovs even if bunting just starts a raucous and grabs him and chucks him to the ice its something of a deterent. A few rabid punches is not out of possiblity. Or who knows maybe he can scrap and just hasnt shown that side

 

[ACC1224]

Tucker also went toe to toe with the beasts of the nhl not the kucherovs even if bunting just starts a raucous and grabs him and chucks him to the ice its something of a deterent. A few rabid punches is not out of possiblity. Or who knows maybe he can scrap and just hasnt shown that side

Yeah, I really don't know. I would think by now we would have seen him fight if he had that in him.
Bunting is nothing like Tucker, IMO.

 

[SprDaVE]

Please explain what happened !!!

 

[DarkKnight]

Why is Jarnkrok?

 

[Fogelhund]

Why is Jarnkrok?

Of course.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

I cant recall but has Holmberg been given a chance in the top 6? Wouldnt mind seeing him get a shot there. Good 2 way player that is actually a solid playmaker.

Bunting Matthews Nylander
Holmberg Tavares Marner
Engvall Kampf Kerfoot
ZAR Jarnkrok Anderson

 

[notDatsyuk]

I cant recall but has Holmberg been given a chance in the top 6? Wouldnt mind seeing him get a shot there. Good 2 way player that is actually a solid playmaker.

Bunting Matthews Nylander
Holmberg Tavares Marner
Engvall Kampf Kerfoot
ZAR Jarnkrok Anderson

He'll probably get a chance there as we continue to try to find someone who fits with Tavares.

Marner and JT worked that one year, but don't seem to be doing it now. Nylander and JT were ok, but it was not so much fitting together as playing well separately on the same line.

Maybe two wingers more his speed, like he had on the Island, would work? Anyone remember who was on LW his first year here?

 

[supermann_98]

Fantastic game played by the boys.

As much as I'd hate to see us play Tampa again in the first round (the NHL playoffs alignment is a f***in joke) ... it looks like it's gonna happen again this year.

They gotta exercise their demons against this battle tested group in Tampa, so hopefully having a multiple Cup winner goalie in Matt Murray is the difference between last year and this year. We gotta keep him fresh and healthy.

 

[supermann_98]

Dan Kelly getting suspended or what?

Imagine Bunts tripped on the edging and fell back and got hurt? Possible injury

Imagine Bunts retaliated by shoving the linesman back just a LITTLE bit? 10 games

Imagine a linesman did that to Crosby or McDavid? No chance

How does this league let a frickin linesman do that crap and not get punished for it? That was a goddam joke

 

[horner]

We can beat TB , I have never been worried about them except for Vali.

I still think we need a tough top six forwards that will got to the net and and get vasi of his game. If Vasi see the puck he will make the save

I would still like a tough dman to clear the net.

Perry and Maroon play a dirty game especially when they are losing .

Great game by all.

 

[Oscar Peterson]

He'll probably get a chance there as we continue to try to find someone who fits with Tavares.

Marner and JT worked that one year, but don't seem to be doing it now. Nylander and JT were ok, but it was not so much fitting together as playing well separately on the same line.

Maybe two wingers more his speed, like he had on the Island, would work? Anyone remember who was on LW his first year here?

Hyman

 

[Ashdown2]

I cant recall but has Holmberg been given a chance in the top 6? Wouldnt mind seeing him get a shot there. Good 2 way player that is actually a solid playmaker.

Bunting Matthews Nylander
Holmberg Tavares Marner
Engvall Kampf Kerfoot
ZAR Jarnkrok Anderson

i love Holmberg but realistically steeves needs to be given a shot there.

 

[AvroArrow]

Dog shit team gets dominated, these guys are a legitimate bottom 5 team in the East without Vasi. This guy is unreal, game could've and probably should've been 5-0 after the 1st period.

Can't stand these classless dirty little f***ers, Kucherov and Sergachev especially. They'll never go after a guy head to head, always some shit from behind. Glad the boys showed up and beat the shit out of these clowns, on to the next one.

PS Dan Kelly is a clown and has no business being an NHL official.

 

[Twine Tickler]

I thought we played fantastic last night. Really dictated play and realistically should have won with a lot more ease if not for the play of Vasy. He really was the only Bolt to show up.

Listening to Coop's post game presser, he was visibly upset with how his team played. Not to detract from what our boys did, they played a hell of a game against a very good squad on a 5 game heater. But a couple quotes of Coop's stood out to me:

"Note to self, don't come to Toronto three days before the game. That was painfully evident because we definitely did not show up tonight."

"that was a complete game. Complete game of you know what from us"

This just feels like it was a TB team that either had a bit too much fun during their 2 day/3 night stay in Toronto, or a team that was just counting down the days to the break. I really don't think TB looked good at all.

That said, we played that game without Mo in the lineup and without Sandy for the 3rd period. So it's hardly like the opportunity to get pts was not there for the taking, which is also something Coop alluded to. As great as I feel like we played, I am going to choose to look at this game with a grain of salt just because I really don't think we got anywhere close to what TB is capable of.

great win all n all though! couple notes:

-I actually liked the 5F look on PP1. Marner walking the blue is a look that 100% will work if we give it more time. He is such a deceptive skater and he can make those T2T passes to anyone on the ice from that spot. Not to mention his easiest outlets are to Auston and Willy on the flanks. Having our 3 best options at the top of the offensive zone is only going to draw the PK'ers higher then they should be. If they don't, Mitch can really make them pay. I also think he's defensively sound enough to mitigate some of that risk of running a forward at the point. Sure we scored on the PP where Sandy manned the PP, but that was only because Bunts was in the bin and 5F was no longer an option. Also that goal wasn't really the result of dynamic/unpredictable puck movement. It was a poor attempt to clear the house by TB, and a great shot by the best shooter in the game. Our 2nd PP where we ran 5F was far more effective despite not scoring. We had something like 6 SOG I believe. Much of them being high danger. I want to see more of this 5F PP

-Timmons had a gaff on the lone GA, but he really looks like a steal so far. 6'2 RH defenseman that has a strong 1st pass. Hard to believe he is on his 3rd NHL team. Obviously injury has played a huge role in that, but he looks like he belongs IMO.

-Auston is so close to going on a typical Auston heater. Only a couple multi goal games on the year. Could have had a hatty last night if not for Vasy. This is going to change soon.

 

[AvroArrow]

I only saw the 3rd. What did he do or didn't do?

 

[Mess]

That was a real solid game for the Leafs.

Kept TB in check all night.

Had a playoff like feel to it.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Hyman

Right. Thanks.

That's what he still needs - someone to battle in the corners and get the puck, plus someone to set him up. So short of dropping Bunting down or swapping Nylander and Marner, we have to hope someone, either internally (Jarnkrok, Holmberg) or via trade, can get him going.

 

[Stephen]

Missed the game but it was pretty great to see them nurse a 2-1 lead late and expand it to a 4-1 win.

 

[leafs in five]

I know it probably wouldn't have been wise to start a big fight with the way they were dominating but man I wish someone would have tried to lay a hit on Kucherov. Anderson had a chance on a backcheck and just turned away. Anyway literally nothing else negative to say!

 

[Stephen]

I thought we played fantastic last night. Really dictated play and realistically should have won with a lot more ease if not for the play of Vasy. He really was the only Bolt to show up.

Listening to Coop's post game presser, he was visibly upset with how his team played. Not to detract from what our boys did, they played a hell of a game against a very good squad on a 5 game heater. But a couple quotes of Coop's stood out to me:

"Note to self, don't come to Toronto three days before the game. That was painfully evident because we definitely did not show up tonight."

"that was a complete game. Complete game of you know what from us"

This just feels like it was a TB team that either had a bit too much fun during their 2 day/3 night stay in Toronto, or a team that was just counting down the days to the break. I really don't think TB looked good at all.

Tampa is a bit like Toronto having that off-switch as well. Think the Leafs beat the wheels off them in a late regular season game last year and Game 1 and they just flipped the switch on next time.

One trend I'm watching out for is if the older Bruins and Lightning will slow down and get banged up over the next 75% of the season. The Leafs have been decimated by injuries in the early going.

 

[notDatsyuk]

I thought we played fantastic last night. Really dictated play and realistically should have won with a lot more ease if not for the play of Vasy. He really was the only Bolt to show up.

Listening to Coop's post game presser, he was visibly upset with how his team played. Not to detract from what our boys did, they played a hell of a game against a very good squad on a 5 game heater. But a couple quotes of Coop's stood out to me:

"Note to self, don't come to Toronto three days before the game. That was painfully evident because we definitely did not show up tonight."

"that was a complete game. Complete game of you know what from us"

This just feels like it was a TB team that either had a bit too much fun during their 2 day/3 night stay in Toronto, or a team that was just counting down the days to the break. I really don't think TB looked good at all.

That said, we played that game without Mo in the lineup and without Sandy for the 3rd period. So it's hardly like the opportunity to get pts was not there for the taking, which is also something Coop alluded to. As great as I feel like we played, I am going to choose to look at this game with a grain of salt just because I really don't think we got anywhere close to what TB is capable of.

great win all n all though! couple notes:

-I actually liked the 5F look on PP1. Marner walking the blue is a look that 100% will work if we give it more time. He is such a deceptive skater and he can make those T2T passes to anyone on the ice from that spot. Not to mention his easiest outlets are to Auston and Willy on the flanks. Having our 3 best options at the top of the offensive zone is only going to draw the PK'ers higher then they should be. If they don't, Mitch can really make them pay. I also think he's defensively sound enough to mitigate some of that risk of running a forward at the point. Sure we scored on the PP where Sandy manned the PP, but that was only because Bunts was in the bin and 5F was no longer an option. Also that goal wasn't really the result of dynamic/unpredictable puck movement. It was a poor attempt to clear the house by TB, and a great shot by the best shooter in the game. Our 2nd PP where we ran 5F was far more effective despite not scoring. We had something like 6 SOG I believe. Much of them being high danger. I want to see more of this 5F PP

-Timmons had a gaff on the lone GA, but he really looks like a steal so far. 6'2 RH defenseman that has a strong 1st pass. Hard to believe he is on his 3rd NHL team. Obviously injury has played a huge role in that, but he looks like he belongs IMO.

-Auston is so close to going on a typical Auston heater. Only a couple multi goal games on the year. Could have had a hatty last night if not for Vasy. This is going to change soon.

Our PP goal was a direct result of Marner screening Vasi, which I think we need more of. But Mitch is too small to be taking the abuse that usually happens there, and JT, while he stands in the slot, tends to look for passes and rebounds rather than screening.

I'd be tempted to try Bunting in there sometimes, maybe in place of Tavares or Marner. With him screening and Matthews and Nylander with their great shooting from the dots, we may see even more PP goals.

Forgot to mention earlier that I loved watching Willy just blow by Hedman!

 

[Stephen]

I know it probably wouldn't have been wise to start a big fight with the way they were dominating but man I wish someone would have tried to lay a hit on Kucherov. Anderson had a chance on a backcheck and just turned away. Anyway literally nothing else negative to say!

Kucherov is a guy who has earned dummying over the years. He's already crying, may as well give him a legit reason.

 

[supermann_98]

Murray such a nice guy

Great stuff. The negative cynical part of me says "the kid is sitting front row, he doesn't need that stick", but it is what it is. I don't expect Murray to toss the stick to a kid in the nose bleed section

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Kucherov is a guy who has earned dummying over the years. He's already crying, may as well give him a legit reason.

He also seems like a guy who will fly off the handle if he's upset, even to the detriment of his team. Like his suspension in the Columbus series. The Leafs really should target him physically as much as possible