Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose. 6-4

[MilkofthePoppy]

Which they did a fairly poor job of. Matthews had 12 shots on goal tonight, including multiple incredibly close calls.

Luck/the hockey gods had more to do with keeping that milestone from happening than anything else

Did Matthews score his 70th against them? No. Mission accomplished for the Cats and Bolts.

Luck/hockey gods had nothing to do with the entire roster predictably trying to force the issue.

 

[Antropovsky]

I knew when they announced domi out for the last 2 games it was a bad omen. Marner is the biggest forcer of passes and we all saw that the last 2 games. Just blind pass after blind pass killing their ozone cycle.

It won’t be any different on Saturday.

I mean Marner had 0 shots on goal today lol. Pretty clear he wanted to share the spotlight on another Matthews accomplishment as he's done on past one's. On Matthews 60th goal he was asked about the accomplishment by Matthews and Marner led with.... "I mean I was trying to get him the puck all game, I'm sure I'm going to get in trouble for passing up some of those.."

Something to that effect.

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

HOLY SHIT

I just realized the playoffs are beginning on... wait for it.....

4/20

The birthday of a certain failed painter and Rob Van Dam's favorite day of the year.

 

[theTTC]

SN590 Bourne and Bunkus gushing man-crushes over Kucherov is sickening. No other city's post-game guys shower accolades like that on any Leaf player. lol

 

[Fonzieleaf]

Very very disappointed that Matty didn't get to 70. It's gut wrenching.

But at the same time, I'm kind of glad it's over because the last few games and the sole focus of getting him number 70 was a HUGE distraction for the whole team. Everyone trying trying to feed him led to very sloppy and disorganized play.

Now we can focus on Saturday and the series against Boston. One step at a time because the Stanley Cup is ultimately the goal.

And besides, the last time someone scored 69 was Lemieux in 95-96. Last time someone scored 70 was Mogilny and Selanne in 92-93. Only a three year difference if that makes anyone feel a little bit better.

On to the playoffs!

GO LEAFS GO!!

 

[Al14]

almost like there isn't a consistent pattern with this team that appears to repeat unlike with Boston. It's good to be optimistic I guess?

Boston lost two key players to retirement before this season. They still managed to get more points than our Leafs.

It's hard to be optimistic with what our Leafs have done in the past against Boston. Also, don't forget we were swept in the regular season series against them too,

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Boston just lost two games to f***ing Washington and Ottawa. Were their games meaningless? If you think their's were meaningless and ours weren't then there is nothing to say to you.

Nothing against you, I'm just tired of people acting like the sky is falling cause we lost to two great teams and then acting like Boston also limping into the playoffs is totally normal.

To be fair, they were tanking to play the Leafs.

 

[Dreakmur]

Matthews with 69 goals, I guess that’s still a nice number if you know what I’m sayin!

It matches his mustache.

 

[Rob Brown]

To be fair, they were tanking to play the Leafs.

No they weren't. They didn't go out and deliberately lose two games. They've been pretty average for the last while.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

Matthews with 69 goals, I guess that’s still a nice number if you know what I’m sayin!

I can't make heads nor tails about what your sayin'....

 

[Stephen]

Imo Tampa was pretty sloppy tonight. A couple guys battled for pucks that made for good clip fodder during intermission. But they were hardley dominant, gave up three goals in a period, ect

I get what you're saying about meaning, and that's fair, but if this was the NBA or NFL most of their starters would have been sat for a final game with equal (non-existent stakes).

IMO, other sports shouldn't necessarily be referenced when we're talking about Stanley Cup Playoffs culture and what leads up to it. NBA load management, baseball innings limits, those things shouldn't be carelessly applied to a sport with a different emotional temperature, where fatigue isn't really the factor it is, when guys aren't even hurt, etc. A plane doesn't slow down on the runway before going into flight.

Also, as a fan, I don't enjoy wasting hours of scheduled no-try mediocrity, and even worse when attending a game live.

 

[Dayjobdave]

To be fair, they were tanking to play the Leafs.

If they were, let’s see how that works out for them.

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

I am going to go play some Xbox, dwelling on these guy isn't good for my mental health. Have a great night boys, I will see you Saturday evening.

 

[OddyOh]

JT didnt even look at matthews after he scored. Just skated away bumping fists with everyone else.

Now that’s a captain!

 

[Eternal Leaf]

No they weren't. They didn't go out and deliberately lose two games. They've been pretty average for the last while.

Obviously I can't prove it but in a game with a division win on the line, Marchand played 14 minutes and Pastrnak played 17 minutes.

Matthews just played 21 minutes to get a 70th goal.

 

[ClarkSittler]

Would've loved seeing Matthews getting his 70th, but 69 is still an amazing year.

We've waited long enough, time these guys went on a deep run, the window is starting to close.

 

[Maxmann]

Folks Matthews is beast. The difference between 69 and 70 is meaniless. Who cares Papi is a baller and nobody can be disappointed.

Now Nylander on the on hand. This dude few games back took a little body check and was never the same. Nylander was and is a bad contract. Anyone ever comparing Nylander random puck luck playoffs to Matthew needs to give head a shake. The truth is Matthews is the leafs. The best there is the best there ever was and the best there ever will be. Leafs and papi team and the guy does it all. Any leaf fan every talking smack on papi is nuts. Papi should be captain.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

They are talking about how the Leafs haven’t beat the Bruins in the post season since 1959……. Ya that’s 1959

I wasn't alive then. I'm 62.

 

[Gabriel426]

Can we all just save the, ‘I told you so’ or ‘Leafs can’t win stuff’ till after the first two games of the playoffs.

We know this team can switch on or off at any given time. Maybe they will be switch on come Sat and win 16 games

 

[Evilhomer]

IMO, other sports shouldn't necessarily be referenced when we're talking about Stanley Cup Playoffs culture and what leads up to it. NBA load management, baseball innings limits, those things shouldn't be carelessly applied to a sport with a different emotional temperature, where fatigue isn't really the factor it is, when guys aren't even hurt, etc. A plane doesn't slow down on the runway before going into flight.

Also, as a fan, I don't enjoy wasting hours of scheduled no-try mediocrity, and even worse when attending a game live.

By this logic, the Leafs should have a pretty easy time with Boston because they looked downright dreadful in their last couple of games, and those games actually did mean something to them.

 

[authentic]

I wasn't alive then. I'm 62.

So you were always alive then

 

[Divine]

I have 0 confidence in any of our goalie going into the playoffs.

Matt Murray might need to play hero.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Give me prime Grabo (and to a lesser extent, Kulemin)

From that list I'd take Grabo, Kulemin, Kubina and possibly Ponikarovsky

 

[57 Years No Cup]

Where are all you stats guys? Ya'll should be shouting the good news from the rooftops. Matty hitting goalposts and getting umpteen shots on net without scoring means the law of averages predicts he is due to light it up next week. Seriously.

I'm sure Matthews had 24 Expected Goals today.

 

[Stephen]

Sick of hearing how these games are meaningless. Tampa and Florida did everything they could to prevent a milestone from being recorded against them. They have pride.

Maybe I am old school but I don't care if it is preseason or game 81, I want to win everything. There are men's league recreational teams with more heart than these bozos. Losing Nylander as a free agent at the end of this season would have been addition by subtraction.

Love this.

If the Leafs had any pride or awareness of others, they would have made it a mission to ruin Kucherov's 100 assist season.

Me too, as a fan I want to win everything all the time. It's easy for me to want it. I don't contribute an ounce of physical energy or discomfort that would ever contribute to a win, but I put in my free time when there's a game and invest my energy in this team. What a garbage deal that I have to sit there once or twice a week for when it's a scheduled loss or a meaningless game.