Post-Game Talk: Leafs Lose 7-3

[thewave]

View attachment 691687
Best I could find.

I know I saw that one. It looks like its over but its not, it's the snow. The line goes the entire width or diameter of the post. The zoomed out shows how much snow is on the other post as well, you can't see red.

Least of our worries, refs totally carried it for Tampa making optimal use of the box.

 

[stats1]

I imagine after that first period Keefe put the lockerrom on blast. He looked livid. But I don't know if I'd go that route ahead of the next game. This looks like a mentally fragile group and they need to get in a different headspace if they have any hope in this series.

Time for a hard reset, get back to their game, stop thinking and just play hockey.

How about Keefe stop screaming at the players and start coaching better. I get that the players need to be better but once again Keefe is getting out coached in the playoffs. Keefe will he the hill Dubas dies on. Wish we really took a run at Trotz when we had the chance

 

[Leafshater67]

I don’t think Matthews and Marner are getting blank cheques. They just aren’t this time around.

They have 100% of the power in their hands because they’re unrestricted free agents. The leafs fumbled their contracts so badly and now Marner and Matthews have then by the balls. You’re supposed to get either term or a decent rate from your guys when they’re RFA’s but they got neither. Very poor management of the cap and contract negotiations .

If the team offers them anything they don’t like, they walk for nothing. They basically have blank cheques because you can’t let your 2 best players walk for noting in their prime and they’re not worth a ton without extensions in place. Certainly not enough to even consider moving them.

 

[stats1]

Keefe just seems as rattled and un prepared as the players are. Shocking Eh

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Every home team lost last night.

Devils - by 4 goals
Avs - by 2 goals
Golden Knights - by 4 goals
Leafs - by 4 goals

One Canadian team has won a game so far, the Winnipeg Jets. Dubois 2 points and game winner.

Knights almost as unprepared as the Leafs, getting scored on before the game was 2 minutes old.

Although this maybe true, the other teams you mentioned have won a playoff series in the last 17 years...

 

[Twine Tickler]

reffing aside, we got exactly what we deserved. Sure, I don't like how the game was officiated once the score was 3-2. It really felt like Wes and crew smothered any possibility of a comeback with some of those calls. But at the end of the day we put ourselves in that spot.

The refs did not lose us that game. They were not great, but we were worse.

Accountability is key in losses like this. We need to understand that a start like the one we had is unacceptable any time of the year, let alone playoffs. Top to bottom we were outplayed, outcoached and out prepared.

That said, it is only 1 game. Lets not sound the fire alarm quite yet. they still need to win 3 more. If anyone thought this was going to be an easy series, let game 1 serve as a reminder that we are playing the B2B2B cup finalists. This is far from over lady's & gents.

I say it often on here, but it is kind of funny how we expect complete composure from our players on a nightly basis, yet the second we stumble and have a showing like the one last night, this forum is predominantly in melt down mode. Lets do exactly what we want our players to do, regroup, learn from it, and move on. Plenty of hockey left

Go Leafs Go!

 

[ryno23]

That was Bunting's last game as a Leaf. If you traded Kadri for his playoff transgressions you have to do the same with Bunting. He is not worth the trouble he has caused for himself or the team. Unless he wants 2 mil a year move on.

 

[geo25]

I know it’s only 1 game. But if the Leafs do end up losing this series, you gotta go to Matthews and ask him if he’s willing to talk about an extension, if not then you gotta move him before July 1 (before his NTC kicks in) you can’t go into another year with the same question marks and also possibly losing Matthews for nothing the following summer. That would be disaster of epic proportions

Wrong....you wake up & trade him to the highest bidder because you'll never win with him ...& throw in Holl & Reilly as a bonus.

.

 

[egd27]

Screwed around playing 11/7 and mixing the lines and then come out disorganized. They might be saved by Tampa injuries but Keefe is not taking this team much further.

Jarnkrok shows great chemistry and touch with Matthews - split them up
Bunting getting the short end of the stick from the refs for weeks - elevate him to the 1st line
TDL acquisitions provide you with arguably the best Centre line up in the league - move your PPG centre to the wing
Tavares and Nylander don't seem to mesh well at 5v5 - keep them together
Justin Holl - no further comments needed
1st game of playoffs at HOME, perfect opportunity to set the tone by putting TBL on their heels - start your "shutdown" line
Hanging on by an absolute thread - call an unsuccessful challenge on a goal that has already been reviewed and put the team 2 men short

Admittedly, the calls on Schenn and Kampf were weak, but they led to 1 GA out of 7.

Can we just assume “it’s only one game”. Like we all get it, this isn’t our first sporting event. We are left to comment on what we saw, and the alarming lack of composure, it happened, it’s real, it deserves digestion. I expect the Leafs to come out like dogs on a bone next game, our season is on the line.

I expected them to do that this game. Though I wasn't the least bit surprised when they didn't.

 

[Smif]

He did.
It was a hail mary that soared over the end zone and into the stands.

I actually thought it was a good call because I thought for sure it was goalie interference. The only reason the puck went in is because a stick pushed his pad, there's no other reason a goalies pad would move backwards like that. I thought the call would be reversed 100%.

 

[notbias]

82 games to earn home ice advantage in round #1 and only 2 periods to toss it away giving up 6 goals.

You had an essay about how home ice was not really an advantage 2 weeks ago.

 

[ULF_55]

Although this maybe true, the other teams you mentioned have won a playoff series in the last 17 years...

No debate there.

Although, those wins didn't help any of them last night.

But speaking of VGK, ... should we expect Muzzin to be in the line-up on Thursday

 

[leafers]

Bench ZAR and play McMann or Knies.
ZAR is just useless

 

[The Management]

How about Keefe stop screaming at the players and start coaching better. I get that the players need to be better but once again Keefe is getting out coached in the playoffs. Keefe will he the hill Dubas dies on. Wish we really took a run at Trotz when we had the chance

I don't disagree with you at all, in that I'm not a big fan of his decisions either.

I was worried the minute he started short shifting guys to try and get the ideal matchup. I get that's part of the process, but it's game one, play your best guys and let them settle in. Don't worry about playing tic tac toe with Cooper just yet. All that line matching, just to get clowned on by a line with Corey Perry and Pat Maroon.

I still think this is mostly on the players, but there weren't many positives to take away from last night.

 

[notbias]

That was Bunting's last game as a Leaf. If you traded Kadri for his playoff transgressions you have to do the same with Bunting. He is not worth the trouble he has caused for himself or the team. Unless he wants 2 mil a year move on.

Kadri had 2... and then one the following year in Colorado... if we are using the Kadri standard, he gets one more.

But I'd not re-sign him (unless it is dirt cheap), because he has lost part of his effectiveness since they won't call any of the abuse he takes.

 

[Lexicon]

I didn't watch one regular season game this year on television (went to a few games with friends just while visiting their city though).

After last year, the 6th time not getting passed first round, I was just done.

Last night, I didn't watch. Scrolling through the comments, it always amazes me the amount of excuses people will actually make to defend this organization.

 

[BallardEra]

How about Keefe stop screaming at the players and start coaching better. I get that the players need to be better but once again Keefe is getting out coached in the playoffs. Keefe will he the hill Dubas dies on. Wish we really took a run at Trotz when we had the chance

Maybe this is the best that Keefe can coach?

 

[Jojalu]

Imagine being on the ice for 6 goals against in a playoff game

And better yet. You start the game cause the coach thinks your so good

f*** Keefe and f*** Holl

I am not a guy who bashes players but Holl was flat out awful last night.

I certainly don't believe you can bench players for making mistakes or each team would end up with no one left by the end of the game.

You do however have to consider taking out someone who has struggled more often than not over the course of the year. I will grant that he was playing better the past few weeks but he was not even good on the PK last night and that is supposed to be his strength

 

[Notsince67]

Bench ZAR and play McMann or Knies.
ZAR is just useless

You can't bench ZAR if Bunting is suspended.
Knies needs to get in but ZAR is just better than Mccann and even though ZAR had an awful game, I would stick with him.

 

[notbias]

How about Keefe stop screaming at the players and start coaching better. I get that the players need to be better but once again Keefe is getting out coached in the playoffs. Keefe will he the hill Dubas dies on. Wish we really took a run at Trotz when we had the chance

Do you think that was Keefe getting outcoached? That was the players not putting any effort in for the first 20.

What did he do to get outcoached?

Why can no one ever blame the players?

 

[KaberLeaf]

He’s gonna go 11-7 and not play knies isn’t he

For the life of me, I have no idea why Keefe was going 11 and 7 for so many games only to revert back to 12 and 6 during game 1. In that process, he seems to have thrown any opportunity to build chemistry in the garbage. His mental gymnastics have me completely baffled.

 

[Notsince67]

I am not a guy who bashes players but Holl was flat out awful last night.

I certainly don't believe you can bench players for making mistakes or each team would end up with no one left by the end of the game.

You do however have to consider taking out someone who has struggled more often than not over the course of the year. I will grant that he was playing better the past few weeks but he was not even good on the PK last night and that is supposed to be his strength

It would be a mistake to allow Holl to play next game given the defensive depth. A message needs to be sent

 

[mikeyz]

I didn't watch one regular season game this year on television (went to a few games with friends just while visiting their city though).

After last year, the 6th time not getting passed first round, I was just done.

Last night, I didn't watch. Scrolling through the comments, it always amazes me the amount of excuses people will actually make to defend this organization.

I'm very quickly getting to this point with this team.

 

[yubbers]

I didn't watch one regular season game this year on television (went to a few games with friends just while visiting their city though).

After last year, the 6th time not getting passed first round, I was just done.

Last night, I didn't watch. Scrolling through the comments, it always amazes me the amount of excuses people will actually make to defend this organization.

I'm on year 2 of not giving a shit. I've maybe watched a couple games while hanging out with friends that were watching.

It's too painful to watch our AM years get wasted. Call me when our weak management team is gone. No point until Dubas is out. Shanny needs to go too.

 

[Notsince67]

Do you think that was Keefe getting outcoached? That was the players not putting any effort in for the first 20.

What did he do to get outcoached?

Why can no one ever blame the players?

It was natural for the players to be nervous. The solution was to hit hard and frequently in the beginning of the game to get the adrenal glands flowing. Keefe opted for a ballerina approach. It was a fatal mistake.