Post-Game Talk: Leafs Lose 3-2 In OT

[ToneDog]

I’ve said it before but the biggest issue with this team is coaching, they need a veteran coach who can get it done and get the most out of this team. Bruce Beaudreau, Gerard Gallant, one of those types of coaches who are hardasses but still players coaches

Lots to be written yet but Dubas has his coach, corrected his mistakes this off-season and went all in at the TDL. I blame the players if they make a quick exit but how many kicks at the can should this core and management team get?

 

[Bomber0104]

No its not. Its something that happens

Was David Ayers "hot" too?

Yes or no.

 

[wingman75]

Will Foligno and Hutton be available on Tuesday?

The team has stated that Foligno will be good to go for the Jets series (previously Wed now Thu). No word on Hutton that I have seen.

 

[egd27]

Good teams find ways to get it done.

And bad teams find a way to get it done against the Leafs.

 

[Cynical]

It's 2021. You can't have Spezza, Thornton and Simmons playing in the same NHL game for the same team. They need to start substituting at least one these guys out.

When Foligno can play, it needs to be at least two of them.

 

[cupcrazyman]

I love Jack but he doesn’t strike me as a goalie that will take you all the way.

Not with that shit show in front of him.

 

[francis246]

You're missing the point. You develop habits and they manifest into success, or a lack there of... They are things you can fall back on in the playoffs.

Far too often this team outplays its opponent, controls possession, and creates tons of scoring chances (as a team spending that much money on forwards should), but coughs up games to far inferior opponents on the back of poor finishing or untimely soft goals let in... Those are the type of habits that lead to your scoring drying up in the playoffs, more untimely goals surrendered and yet another 1st round exit in which fans we'll say "don't worry, next year is our year. We just got goalied and hit too many posts, but don't worry, we out-possessed them and made some highlight reel plays".

Every team in the league does that, but you know what the best teams in the league have? An elite goaltender who will bail them out. The leafs problem for years has been that one turnover always results in a goal against. That simply can’t happen. Your goalie has to make a save for you and keep you in it when you do make that one mistake.

also I would have to disagree with your theory of creating a bad habit of not finishing. I don’t think they are creating a bad habit of that. It really is a combination of not getting the right bounces and not being in the correct position. As much as you don’t want to accept it, a lot of it comes down to luck and the right bounces.

The last Matthews shot for example, he could not have shot that any better, that is an A Level Shot, however in the replay they showed that Holtby somehow got a piece of his pad and it changed the trajectory of the puck. That is just bad luck, there is nothing else Matthews could have done in that situation to increase the odds of the puck going in. Shot speed, angle of release all looked solid, but an outside variable (holtby moving his pad) affected the outcome

 

[socko]

This is the question we all want to know about our goaltending.

 

[Cynical]

He was trying to up it to Matthews but didn’t realize that Matthews stick broke.

Had his stick not broken it would have been a 2 on 1 the other way.

Except Matthews had broken his stick before Reilly even had possession. Reilly missed that or made a terrible play hoping Matthews would get a new stick on time.

 

[LaPlante94]

Our top paid guys scored goals tonight and had tons of chances, did they not?

They did, but they were also the ones on the ice when Vancouver scored every goal. I think the entire team looked very good tonight to be honest which is confusing me why people are blaming our depth guys. Horvat got 2 goals that probably should have been saved. The Hoglander goal I missed so I can't comment on that one. Holtby was just better but this is becoming a common theme.

 

[Confucius]

People complaining about Foligno, I still think he is exactly what we need. Someone to get in the ear of some of the lesser workers perhaps and convince (encourage) them to bear down and not worry about the fancy pass, make the hard play, the one that is not an effing turnover.

Lets see what he can bring before we roast him. And even if the team doesn't have playoff success, that will ultimately fall on 5 players (in no order):
- Matthwes
- Tavares
- Marner
- Nylander
- Rielly

These other players are there to create space for them, keep the game even and let them find a way to win it. Sure, bottom 6 will pitch in there and there, but we will go as far as those 5 take us. You can throw in Freddy too I guess.

I'm saving some of these posts, this is the alltime best, fans dumping on the guy saying we are winless since his acquisition and he hasn't played a game yet. This is definitely alltime priceless.

 

[123offtheglass]

Goal

 

[cupcrazyman]

This is the question we all want to know about our goaltending.

Should have signed that zamboni guy at the deadline.

 

[PromisedLand]

4. I love the fancy stuff because creativity is strong in this team, lots of talent, but sometimes i wish they would work like Crosby, all that talent and he's always had a grinder way about himself, an oldschool type game with his skill, we need that.

It would be a glorious day if any of the forwards (especially the high AAV forwards) developed the work ethic that Crosby has

MacKinnon's game and outlook completely changed after he started training with Crosby same with Marchand.

 

[Stephen]

This doesnt even make sense and its lazy as f***. You're not going to score 3+ every night. You're gonna run into a goalie that stands on his head. Doesnt matter the quality of the team.

If you're saying the Leafs tried their best and couldn't muster 3 goals against a "hot goalie" coming off of Covid, you are actually making a very strong statement about their lack of abilities as a group.

Either they have the ability but don't have the mental focus and work ethic to get basic results, or they are basically a subpar team with a couple of guys with flashy moves.

 

[Byron Bitz]

Well as long as they're facing goalies that don't play well, they should be fine. Unfortunately, it seems that generally the further you go in the playoffs, the better the goalies get. So that could be an issue for these guys.

Yep you can definitely run into some hot goalies in the playoffs that can steal a series. It happens all the time. Hopefully Campbell will be one of them.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Can't say I'm surprised, it was the Leafiest result possible.

 

[wingman75]

Not with that shit show in front of him.

Goal 1 and 3 were very stoppable. 3 went through him. He wasn't good enough tonight or in this last three starts.

Agree though that the team defensively was not good either, giving up some decent changes from nothing plays. They look lazy and out of position often.

 

[The Apologist]

I’ve played hockey all my life and when a stick breaks you also know it because of the unique sound it makes. Reilly has zero awareness and zero IQ. A complete moron on the ice. He’s gonna cost us in the playoffs I just know it!

And you knew the distinct sound of every single different players stick right?
My god, of all the things to go wrong tonight, this is the hill you're dying on?

 

[francis246]

The biggest issue with this team, IMO, is that everything has to be done with flare, dramatics and style. It has to look like they're playing the live version of the NHL video game. They don't score on point shots. They don't tip the puck all that well in front of the net. They pass up on grade A scoring chances, trying to create even better chances, then flub those opportunities far too often... And every time they get themselves into one of those games where they can't / won't finish, they seem to give up 1-2 bad goals, to rub salt in the wound.

That's why the Jets play them so tough. Toronto has more top end skill, but Winnipeg isn't worried about scoring pretty. They just what it takes (even if it's ugly) and Hellebyuck gives them excellent goaltending... Despite all that, the Leafs still beat them as much (or more) than they lose to them. The difference, However, is the Jets style isn't one that is going to be altered in the playoffs. Toronto, on the other hand...

that style that you don’t like is being supported by the coach. I’ve said it from day one after Keefe’s first game, I couldn’t tell you what type of system keefe plays. Besides regrouping and keeping possession he doesn’t really seem to have implemented any true systems since coming.

At least with Babcock a system of play was evident, the players have too much leeway with Keefe

 

[IrishInOntario]

Every team in the league does that, but you know what the best teams in the league have? An elite goaltender who will bail them out. The leafs problem for years has been that one turnover always results in a goal against. That simply can’t happen. Your goalie has to make a save for you and keep you in it when you do make that one mistake.

also I would have to disagree with your theory of creating a bad habit of not finishing. I don’t think they are creating a bad habit of that. It really is a combination of not getting the right bounces and not being in the correct position. As much as you don’t want to accept it, a lot of it comes down to luck and the right bounces.

The last Matthews shot for example, he could not have shot that any better, that is an A Level Shot, however in the replay they showed that Holtby somehow got a piece of his pad and it changed the trajectory of the puck. That is just bad luck, there is nothing else Matthews could have done in that situation to increase the odds of the puck going in. Shot speed, angle of release all looked solid, but an outside variable (holtby moving his pad) affected the outcome

I don't think you're putting enough emphasis on poor decision making. They turn to down so many high danger chances, with the puck settled on somebody's stick, in a position to shoot, and instead make a pass to a "more open" player, and create those bouncing pucks and bad passes. There is no reason for a Marner, Matthews, Nylander, Kerfoot, Galchenyuk, etc to routinely turn down high danger chances to produce an even more dangerous one... Because a lot can go wrong as you try to thread that needle.

 

[wingman75]

Goal

That first one is the view that tells me it was in. Skilletor right behind the net in perfect position to see the puck, emphatically saying no no no.

I mean, I don't feel comfortable saying its the reason we lost but it kinda is lol.

 

[fahad203]

Taking spots from who? Please name these saviors who can help our PP who are on the taxi squad or the Marlies who can bring more in the 5-10 mins of ice time they'd get? Also, that 2nd unit that Simmonds and Thornton is on has looked way better than our 1st unit who has all our top talent on it. So please make this make sense.

Simmonds played 15 minutes today and Joe played 13

You should really do some research. They played in everyline, they have been given every opportunity
Both have played with Matthews, Tavares, Hyman you name it

Spot from who? I don't know, Robertsson? Engvall will at least skate
Did you see Saboruin? He fought Lucic, he threw a hit that game. He knows his role

There's a guy name Anderson in AHL looks like a decent 4th liner. You let go of Boyd for SImmonds?
Boyd was a better skater and overall better player

 

[AllDay28]

Rumor is if the Leafs win the Stanley cup it won’t count cause of this loss.

 

[tokyoite]

is campbell slumping ?