Post-Game Talk: Leafs Lose in OT Again to Devils.

[The Hanging Jowl]

I thought the Leafs played well but the Devs deserved it. Both teams played a tight game but the Devils capitalized on a couple of turnovers and that was that. If I have one complaint it's why are the Leafs playing riverboat gambler with crazy desperation passes in OT this season? Just f***ing hold it and wait for a chance like we used to fellas. Has to be a coaching thing because it's clearly a pattern now.

 

[Gilmour1996]

Not sure what kind of identity we have right now.

Mistaken identity.

 

[saltming]

Welp. Leafs got a point against a superior team. We’re fortunate both Florida teams are playing not so great hockey. So far.

I think if Brodie was in the line up and if there was a healthy Muzzin, it would have been a different game.
Holl is in over his head and Sandin needs to figure it out.
Devils are hot right now but I wouldn't say they are a superior team

 

[keonsbitterness]

Lol quite the analogy.

Got me excited.

 

[htpwn]

We are now through 1/5 of the season and this team continues to look plainly mediocre on most nights. Glass half-full is that it hasn't really hurt us, as we are still second in the division; glass half-empty is that it is hard to see how this team becomes better as is. Matthews finding his game will be part of it, but not sure that alone will be enough to turn this group into a Cup contender, which should be our goal.

Also, no idea why Nylander, who was flying all night, didn't get the start in OT. Poor decision by Keefe, IMO.

 

[Tak7]

We’ve lost our transition ability. Breakouts are messy. Rushes involve very little drive to the net. There’s no bite. Very little sense of urgency. NJ was absolutely relentless tonight. We aren’t seeing that from this team.

It's alarming that the blue line, even with Muzzin out, are so bad at breaking the puck out of their own end.

They aren't particularly big, bruising, or heavy. Their strength is supposed to be puck moving, yet it's caused them so many problems this year.

 

[Leafsfan74]

I wanted to watch this game to ascertain where this team is relative to a tenacious hungry team with something on the line (their streak). They were clearly outmatched and outhustled, at home no less. Murray stole them a point they had no business earning.

Matthews showed a bit of edge but overall the Leafs illustrated again that they do horribly against strong, defensive structures. It wasn't a blow out, but it could easily have been, while the Leafs didn't sniff the net much at all (I really wanted Hamilton in blue and white).

Ultimately, I'm just going to say that looking ahead to any potential playoff series Dubas has to be honest and remove the dead wood. If it isn't replaced, he is wasting everyones time. That is as blunt, undiplomatic and honest as I can be.

 

[Magic Man]

A couple nice body checks in the 3rd period one by Matthews the other by JT.

 

[Blanche Blanche]

I thought the Leafs played well but the Devs deserved it. Both teams played a tight game but the Devils capitalized on a couple of turnovers and that was that. If I have one complaint it's why are the Leafs playing riverboat gambler with crazy desperation passes in OT this season? Just f***ing hold it and wait for a chance like we used to fellas. Has to be a coaching thing because it's clearly a pattern now.

WE HAVE AN AHL COACH.

DUBAS WTF ARE YOU DOING MAN

 

[Gilmour1996]

Players have a bad habit of dishing the puck off to team mates on worse shooting angles and a coach not brave enough to correct the problem.

 

[djdev]

90% of the time our defensive play is great, the other 10%(in important moments) is where we lose big games. i just dont trust anyone on this team to not make a mistake in a big moment.

 

[Blanche Blanche]

I'm gaining some faith in the goaltender duo. When healthy they've been better than average.

Its out only bright spot this season thus far

 

[Enniskillen]

There is hope for Murray. And Benn smashing Hughes was awesome, nobody does that on this team, including pathetic Holl.

 

[Leaffan1991]

Sandin has been a huge liability all season, hopefully we can replace both Holl and Sandin.
Brodie will take one of the spots but we need to grab A Murphy or Gavrikov and probably Schenn too if possible.
We have too many holes in this lineup though.
We need a top 6 LW a 3C a top 4 D and a number 5 or 6 D with bite.

 

[Stephen]

Kind of hard to play keep away when your team is slow.

Not sure what kind of identity we have right now.

Incoming.......

Leafs also tend to play slower than they are from a personnel POV. When you're emphasizing a possession game and look for different east west lateral passes, reversals and little area plays, curl backs, etc. you aren't necessarily going anywhere, tracking up ice or moving with any kind of momentum. They also blow the zone to look for the stretch but the guys skating hard don't have the puck. Like just simplify what you're doing and execute crisply. Their design is just so fussy.

 

[andora]

I still cannot believw how slow this team is playing. Slow passes, decisions, stickhandles, everything is slow

 

[Nineteen67]

Your favorite team getting a favorable powerplay differential doesn't change the fact that the refs were horrible.

Leafs got away with a couple that prevented scoring chances.

 

[Stephen]

There is hope for Murray. And Benn smashing Hughes was awesome, nobody does that on this team, including pathetic Holl.

Murray looked pretty solid and Benn was good except when he went on his ill timed rush and that resulted in the 2-1 goal.

 

[CelticDruid]

Got me excited.

No National Geographic mags left?

 

[Hockey 4 Life]

I'd love to add ROR as 3c and when we're down late pop him up with JT and Marner or Matthews and Nylander.

 

[Gabriel426]

Teams are limiting him and suffocating the Leafs top 6. There have been almost no adjustments to the Leafs approach from a coaching perspective. Simply swapping Marner and Nylander does not count.

that’s an excuse. Teams been trying to do that to AM pretty much since his first year and he always find ways to score.

 

[egd27]

5 on 5 ES woes continue while we scratch robertson and have kerfoot on the 2nd line. If this isn't resolved after the TD, just fast forward to next season, with a new Gm.

what's he gonna do at the TDL? give up another first or our best prospects for another 7 game run?

 

[theTTC]

Better team won. Offense is still a concern, so I agree about getting help up front

"Help" for Matthews, Marner, Tavares, and Nylander? No other team has, on paper, this offensive talent. Get them some "help"?

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Take the point everytime when trailing after 2 especially in last 3 mins.
We are bad in OT
Murray was good again

Marner is not really good at OT for some reason. You would think he would be, but he is not.

Last 3 seasons:
Matthews: 9 GF, 10 GA
Marner: 4 GF, 9 GA
Nylander: 4 GF, 4 GA
Tavares: 4 GF, 8 GA
Rielly: 6 GF, 11 GA (although he is the main defenseman used)

I think you start Matthews + Nylander + Rielly no matter what (unless they are tired). If there is a draw, then you trust Tavares. Otherwise, I think you go Malgin + Marner with Liljegren (I like him better than Sandin). If there is not, you use Malgin instead of Tavares. If you still need another pair of forwards + defensemen, then you turn to a pair of Bunting/Holmberg/Kerfoot/Jarnkrok/Engvall/Kampf/ZAR + Sandin.

 

[Tak7]

Murray - "they were all over us. all over the ice".

Oof.