GDT: Leafs @ Lightning 7 PM - the Grand Finale, 70 or bust.

[Evilhomer]

I'm sure Tampa will sit as many guys as they can.

 

[ACC1224]

Wonder who sits?

 

[1specter]

If Matthews can't score against this guy I don't know what to say. This is a gimme from Cooper.

 

[SprDaVE]

3.19 GAA and .891% in 5 games... just over .900 in the AHL.

Smells like a shutout, which would be very Leaf like.

 

[ThrowDemTongs]

If Matthews can't score against this guy I don't know what to say. This is a gimme from Cooper.

Incoming 15-0 shutout loss

 

[MSZ]

Incoming 15-0 shutout loss

I won't go that far. 6-0 sounds more realistic and reasonable.

 

[wingman75]

 

[DarkKnight]

Tampa Bay: whatever goals
Leafs: 0 injuries

 

[mydnyte]

If Matthews can't score against this guy I don't know what to say. This is a gimme from Cooper.

I think Cooper wouldnt mind coaching the Leafs to be honest.

 

[1specter]

I think Cooper wouldnt mind coaching the Leafs to be honest.

If there was any chance to get him to come here, the Leafs should be backing up endless amounts of Brinks trucks to his house yesterday.

Jon Cooper may have grown up in Prince George, British Columbia, but while his hometown is more than 2,500 miles from Toronto, the Tampa Bay Lightning coach is familiar with the passion of Toronto Maple Leafs fans.
"My dad grew up being a major Leafs fan," Cooper said on Sunday after practice. "I had to ask him last night who he was cheering for in the series. Thankfully he had the right answer."
The Lightning face the Maple Leafs in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Scotiabank Arena on Monday (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN2, CBC, TVAS, SN, BSSUN). Cooper said he is looking forward to the opportunity to coach against his dad's favorite team.

Cooper was somewhat nostalgic after the Lightning held practice at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto. It is the same arena in which he, along with Lightning forwards Alex Killorn and Ondrej Palat, won the 2012 Calder Cup with Norfolk, then part of the American Hockey League, against the Toronto Marlies.
"I love being here," Cooper said.
On Monday, he said he will love being behind the Lightning bench at Scotiabank Arena facing the Maple Leafs even more.
"To play teams like that, Original Six, there's just something unique about it in such a special way," Cooper said. "Growing up watching from Wendel Clark to Daryl Sittler to (now) Auston Matthews. It's a city that's proud of their hockey, passionate about their hockey, maybe almost over the top but when you are in this game, coaching at the highest level, there's no better place to play in the spot that everybody cares the most and that's why it's great to play Toronto."

This was from 2022. His contract is up in 2025....

 

[ACC1224]

No roster update? Did they not skate this morning?

 

[wingman75]

No roster update? Did they not skate this morning?

They must not have, nothing posted on socials.

 

[BayStBullies]

Pretty sure Willie would easily get his 100 points playing in the women's hockey league and he wouldn't even have to change his physicality. He could work the perimeter play better than anyone in that league has done before and he might even achieve a +/- better than his +3 2023-24 NHL numbers over the course of the season. Can't stand players like that who shy away from contact. Send him a message and let him watch Game 82 from the stands. Same with the slow and soft John Tavares and Meek Marner. Let them all watch and learn! In the playoffs the players who have the most ice time need to play like grown men for team success.

I didn't know Don Cherry had an account here!

 

[wingman75]

 

[mydnyte]

lol, cooper is a star

With Auston Matthews and Nikita Kucherov both a goal and an assist away from significant milestones tonight, Lightning head coach jon Cooper joked both teams should pull their goalies and get them over with in the first five minutes of the game.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

I think Cooper wouldnt mind coaching the Leafs to be honest.

Pretty sure he likes the Sun.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

cOOL tOMkin's 6th NHL game.
shutout all but a lock.

Matt Tomkins Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Statistics of Matt Tomkins, a hockey player from Edmonton, ALTA born Jun 19 1994 who was active from 2011 to 2025.

www.hockeydb.com

 

[myleafs]

That's the difference between good and great. Great defencemen don't always make flashy plays, they just don't turn the puck over or make nonsensical plays... a play that leads to nothing either way is often a positive play in the big picture.

Guys who poop down their leg when they have to make a play under constant pressure are probably more common than not, you just need enough guys who can make those plays to keep things even - i.e. not give momentum to the opponent.

I think Timmy can do it, but cannot argue that he is inconsistent right now. He is too often injured and seemingly kills any positive momentum he builds.

The bolded is what Brodie was when he arrived. He was so steady. I want that Brodie back.

 

[myleafs]

I think Cooper wouldnt mind coaching the Leafs to be honest.

Id be very curious to see what that would look like. Or what Q would do. How different would things look I wonder.

 

[1specter]

No roster update? Did they not skate this morning?

It appears some guys did, but they did not have media availability after. Mark Masters said Gio, Timmins and Brodie are expected to draw in on defense, while Domi and Jarnkrok skated (but won't be playing). Masters also said Keefe will give an update at 4:45PM

 

[Magic Man]

I'd play Giordano and Timmins tonight to keep them fresh and rest Rielly and McCabe. Brodie can sit as well.

Benoit - Liljegren
Giordano - Lyubushkin
Edmundson - Timmins

I'd keep Gregor in up front also to rest Domi or someone else.

 

[SprDaVE]

I'd play Giordano and Timmins tonight to keep them fresh and rest Rielly and McCabe. Brodie can sit as well.

Benoit - Liljegren
Giordano - Lyubushkin
Edmundson - Timmins

I'd keep Gregor in up front also to rest Domi or someone else.

I'd sit Lyubushkin to be honest and put in Brodie or something... but about what I would do as well.

 

[fahad203]

I'd definitely give Rielly the night off regardless. Lyubushkin could use the reset as well, he's been completely awful lately... can barely lift a puck and his physicality has been non-existant, I wonder if his shoulder is bothering him? He's at the point where I don't even think he's playable game 1.



Liljegren needs to play. He's missed a lot of time in the last month. Rielly definitely needs to sit out.

Boosh is an awful player. No rest is going to change that

 

[Aashir Mallik]

I honestly would love for this game to be treated as a scrimmage from both teams

They let Matthews get 70, we let kucherov get 100 assists

Winner who gives af

 

[ACC1224]

Feels like this could be a high scoring game.