Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose again to poverty franchise

[ER89]

Morgan Rielly just came back from injury, give him a break.

Surely you mean give him three breaks.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

All 46 Arizona fans got their money's worth!

47. I actually came by to say that I sat in the handicap overflow, in the corner, upper level with the Leaf scouts and execs on my left. Really nice, friendly, decent people. But jeez, some of you have a lot to live up to. For them, I wish the team a world of success.

 

[ChurchOfMatthews]

Matthew, Tavares and Marner are getting paid a boat load of money to put in this kind of effort? I wonder how many of Matthews friends and relatives wasted their night to go watch mediocrity in his home town. Embarrassing effort tonight by pretty much the whole team against a shit franchise that can't even pay their bills. I'm a huge Matthews fan but come the f*** on, at least pretend you give a f*** out there.

 

[Pebble live]

Mo gets a pass tonight. First game back, on the road. But he needs to adapt a new style of play clearly. It became obvious during his absence this team does not need a D-man rushing up the ice as often as he likes to, or take the risks he does. He plays run and gun hockey, it's what he was brought in for as a young gun. But thats not what this team needs now...


He needs to adapt to a quieter role asap. If he doesn't I'm worried the fan base will turn on him after the success the team just had without him.

 

[Magic Man]

I love Mo. He's a Leaf legend. But, is a safer defensive minded defensive approach without him and a tighter forward group a better game plan? They played so good defensively without him, but you could notice his benefits offensively with him involved.

 

[Antropovsky]

Surely you mean give him three breaks.

All we needed was one goal from one of the 28 million dollars worth of forwards we had to gain a point in this game. But yeah let's focus on Rielly, who just came back from lengthy injury.

Marner was completely invisible against one of the worst NHL teams. He gets to collect his $135000ish and go home and probably didn't even need to shower.

I love Mo. He's a Leaf legend. But, is a safer defensive minded defensive approach without him and a tighter forward group a better game plan? They played so good defensively without him, but you could notice his benefits offensively with him involved.

He was one of the leafs best players vs Tampa... Check advanced stats.

 

[mikeyz]

I cannot emphasize this enough.

Watching this game, from that camera view, with one team consistently gaining the zone by skating around the outside of a much slower D, felt like watching a Bantam House League game from the 12th row of the stands at Forest Hill Arena.

Imagine if the Coyotes were somehow contenders and there was the potential of at least 2 Stanley cup final games being played in that arena??

 

[napoleon in rags]

Delete

 

[ZEBROA]

Nylander had most shots on goal, it should always be Matthews and Nylander 2nd. We needed more from the 11mills this game.

 

[Leafs87]

Impressed the coyotes could afford to keep the lights on till the end

 

[centipede2233]

Whoever leafs gm is when it’s time to offer matthews a contract they will have to go the stamkos route,heres our number 12.5 mil x 8, take it or leave it like yzerman did with stamkos. Offering more then that to matthews would be assuring the cup drought continues….

 

[Martin Skoula]

Fourth goal was caused by Rielly’s poor play. He’s just not a very good defender who gambles way too much and is caught out of position as a result. For someone who gambles so much you’d think he’d have a goal after 20 games played.

It was a terrible gamble at that, in what world does that puck get through on the boards when there's two Coyotes on the wall? Even if they both fail to block the pass, the guy receiving it now has two Coyotes forwards within 5 feet of him and a defenseman coming to close him off, there's nowhere good to go with that puck.

0 upside big downside gamble at a crucial time.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

It was a terrible gamble at that, in what world does that puck get through on the boards when there's two Coyotes on the wall? Even if they both fail to block the pass, the guy receiving it now has two Coyotes forwards within 5 feet of him and a defenseman coming to close him off, there's nowhere good to go with that puck.

0 upside big downside gamble at a crucial time.

What does he do instead?

 

[Leaf4Life79]

0-1 with Reilly

trade him!, the team was way better off without him.. hell he was the cause of one of those goals tonight, but Murray had a bad night tonight..

Feels bad man

Rielly puckin sucks and ruins the team chemistry, man! Make a blockbuster at the deadline for a solid foward... puck this clown, he sucks, the team was SO GOOD when he wasn't in the lineup.

 

[Leaf4Life79]

So, I have some bad news...

close your mouth!

exactly.

Murray didnt give up any stinkers.

Rielly caused 2 goals.

no, he had a bad game, Murray that is...and yes, Rielly puckin sucks and I hope Dumbass has the balls to trade him before or at trade deadline. we don't need him, the team was firing on all cylinders before he came back.

 

[glue]

Given our defence has been great without Reilly, would it really be that crazy to try Reilly on the JT-Marner line as a winger? He may thrive with his speed and offsensive skills

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

It's not the losses, it's the type of game opponents play that the Leafs top talent have trouble.with.

They have as much talent as any team in the league but noone would compare this teams talent as driven as that of Boston or Tampa.

Matthews has played a smart two way game this year but something is up with him. My guess is he is playing through an injury like a good soldier, wanting to will himself to assure the team makes the playoffs. Sundin, Clark and Gilmour all did the same at times.

They've played well all season, not with this defensive effort though. Defense and goaltending has been their strength. Not tonight.

Matthews offensive game really shan't been there all season though. I know him and Nylander / JT and Marner have led to wins but maybe you see if Mitch can get Matthews going again and Nylander can try and get JT out of this slump.

 

[GreytWun]

Matthews peaked last year and he is only going to ask for more money.

 

[supermann_98]

Did mathews marner Nylander and tavares play?

They were noticeable,don't even know how many shots they rang off the post or missed the net, but yeah looking at the boxscore you wouldn't believe none of them put up a single point with3 goals scored.

This one I blame on shoddy goaltending, Reilly with the neutral zone turnover, and $40m skating around doing everything but score.

Pulling the goalie WAY to early didn't exactly help

 

[Arzak]

I think its great we are playing well against good teams.

I might be wrong but it feels like at time we are playing play off hockey against good teams during the regular season, but once playoff starts and everyone is in play off mode and we lack that extra gear.

 

[Niagara Bill]

I love Mo. He's a Leaf legend. But, is a safer defensive minded defensive approach without him and a tighter forward group a better game plan? They played so good defensively without him, but you could notice his benefits offensively with him involved.

A legend?? Don't diminish history of Salming, Sittler, Baun, Kennedy, Conacher, Bower etc by calling this guy a legend just yet. Maybe he will be, not now.

 

[geo25]

He can be the top 6 LW we are looking for

We will NEVER win anything of note with him as our supposed #1 D. I have been saying it for years now and always get lambasted. The guy just Cannot play DEFENSE period. He's very low IQ, muffin shot, dosent block shots etc etc....He skates like the wind is tantamount to saying he's all dressed up with no where to go....clueless....this team and the mgmt DISGUST ME....and I've been following them for more than 50 years...oh, how I miss the good old days when players had heart, played with heart & HATED TO LOSE....these prima donnas are going no where....I hope everyone gets canned!

 

[NarcoPolo]

I mean Liljegren didn't help matters. What was he doing there?

How you can even begin to think about pointing the finger at Liljegren amazes me. Rielly laid out pizza to the other team, made an ill advised, half ass pinch along the boards, leaving Liljegren to defend an ensuing 2 on 1. If Rielly is going to keep playing the most minutes every night, this team will continue to go nowhere.

 

[Deuce Awesome]

The curse of Arizona is catching up with the curse of Buffalo

Yup, I remember when I was younger thinking that Ryan Miller was the best goalie in the NHL. We could never beat Buffalo, same deal as the Yotes now.


"Rahh trade Morgan for a backup goalie on a hot streak"

I wonder how many posters were around when Nik Antropov our #1 center

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Did mathews marner Nylander and tavares play?

3rd and 4th lines were all I noticed. Maybe the top guys went by Matthews' parent's house before the game and had too much home cookin'.