Post-Game Talk: Leafs Lose 5-1

CabanaBoy5

Registered User
Feb 17, 2013
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Woodbridge
Ive never seen Stolarz look so uncomfortable in the net. In hindsight, I think it was a long layoff for him and he should have played the Utah game. Goalies are a creature of habit, when they're hot, you have to go with the flow. Not a coincidence he looked great when he had a steady stream of games.
 

Jimmy Firecracker

Backcheck, Forecheck, Paycheque.
Mar 30, 2010
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Leafs also had a softer forward lineup than is optimal in this type of game. No Knies and McMann going down midway left us without our two powerforwards. Matthews isn’t Lindros or Ovechkin but he does now use his size to win physical battles. Reaves, Domi, and Pacioretty all bring their own brand of physicality and grit and were missing. Grebenkin will be a force but he's not acclimated enough to assert himself. Holmberg and Robertson are soft AF and both were in the top six. Alex Nylander is also soft and Minten is too young to be expected to do much.
 

Fogelhund

Registered User
Sep 15, 2007
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Meh... sooner or later all of the injuries were going to catch up to us... also, pre game I mentioned the game likely was going to be about Goaltending... ours wasn't good enough, Bob showed up for once. No shade on Stolarz, he's been excellent this year, but it wasn't his night. On the other hand, Bob has been terrible of late... but won it last night.
 

Stephen

Moderator
Feb 28, 2002
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Stolarz looked human, first line shadowed by the selke winner all night and Robertson doesn't pass to our leading scorer on a 2 on 1 where Willy had a completely open net for a tap in.

Doesn’t surprise me that Robertson made that play. A lot of the way he carries himself comes across as being a me first guy. I read that play unfolding as a guy looking to make a snipe on his own, for his own reasons because he was so snakebit the last game. Florida reads it clean, closed the passing lane on him forcing him into the worst shot imaginable with no runway left.
 

Stephen

Moderator
Feb 28, 2002
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Leafs also had a softer forward lineup than is optimal in this type of game. No Knies and McMann going down midway left us without our two powerforwards. Matthews isn’t Lindros or Ovechkin but he does now use his size to win physical battles. Reaves, Domi, and Pacioretty all bring their own brand of physicality and grit and were missing. Grebenkin will be a force but he's not acclimated enough to assert himself. Holmberg and Robertson are soft AF and both were in the top six. Alex Nylander is also soft and Minten is too young to be expected to do much.

Holmberg wasn’t even that soft when he came up and had a few good spurts. But this player seems so hell bent on getting put on waivers by just being the least inspired version of himself on a nightly basis. I don’t like his bland compete mentality and think having guys like this skews the team culture a certain way. He would have no role on a team like Florida.
 

Hellcat

Registered User
Jul 13, 2022
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This one was over after the 1st, sadly. Good stretch lately but bound to be some bumps, on to Tampa.

We were kinda living on borrowed time the last few games... I'm not surprised that we lost. Considering how poorly Fla has played lately , it is really disappointing that we didn't have a better effort but you could really see the difference between an AHLer and a NHLer, the AHLer's were a few seconds slower making decisions. End of the day we are 7 and 2 in our last 9.

Yeah it was covered well because Robertson has no separation speed and was hell bent on carrying it, while telegraphing shot the whole time. And shot he did.

I feel bad for Nik, he is fighting the game big time. He goes left the puck goes right... time to set Nik free.
 

Leafs98

Registered User
Sep 26, 2007
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Any word on McMann ? I Imagine TO media is working today. Only hits I see is recycled "articles" bases on Berube's one liner post game.
 

mikeyz

Registered User
Dec 3, 2013
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Didn't watch the game. I left for the Dominican for a week. But it sounds like a typical Leafs performance in a big game. They not only lost. But, got their shit pushed in
 

mikeyz

Registered User
Dec 3, 2013
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Predictable chedule loss. Panthers on a 4 game losing streak, giving up 4+ goals in three of those games. Leafs were on a good stretch. Incoming hot takes.
Saying that the Leafs always get their shit pushed in in big games isn't "A hot take".

It's been par for the course with what we've seen from this core for the last 8 years.
 

Leafs98

Registered User
Sep 26, 2007
488
335
That game could have ended very different had they not given up the shorthanded goal.
They needed the opening PP goal too. But so much needed to go right to win 2-1 or 3-2. Need 34 back with the multi goals every few games.
 

Stephen

Moderator
Feb 28, 2002
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What conclusions can we draw from this?

For me the roster is so watered down you can’t draw any conclusions. But we’ve also seen the Leafs lose in that fashion to a team like Florida with all hands on deck in the past. So you worry that’s the dynamic.
 

Stephen

Moderator
Feb 28, 2002
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One thing I notice about Sam Reinhart and his game every time I see him play is how simple his game is. North South, throw it on net. No frills, keeps it a lot simpler than his natural skill level. We need a guy with that mentality entrenched in the top 6. Like the reliable meat and potatoes style guy who just funnels it all to the net.
 

Fogelhund

Registered User
Sep 15, 2007
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What conclusions can we draw from this?
One game samples don't mean much really.

Saying that the Leafs always get their shit pushed in in big games isn't "A hot take".

It's been par for the course with what we've seen from this core for the last 8 years.
and on cue, a bad hot take.... Did you even look at the roster we iced. Bad games happen.
 

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