Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose. Thornton on the first PP unit. Weak. Nice work keefe. Do better.

[Clark4Ever]

The only positive to take from tonight is that despite all the bad luck, we were still in the position to win but we beat ourselves.

Keefe needs to make the necessary adjustments and the boys have to dig in.

 

[yubbers]

They gave up like 10 goals in 5 games to columbus and 2 tonight.

thats pretty good

If you consider losing good... sure I guess.
If we can play half decent D at the expense of our forwards being neutered that's not a good thing. We're a skill-heavy team that can't score in the playoffs.

 

[authentic]

I didn’t think Matthews and Marner were very good at all. Yeah they got a few looks but the growth factor we need is for them to be hard to play against and battle. When you compare them to benchmarks I’m looking at like Mackinnon for Matthews and someone like Point for Marner, they don’t fight to make their skill plays. They elect to curl back and avoid going into traffic. They don’t stick up for their teammates like Hyman when they get thrown around. Other stars are doing that. They just don’t get it.

They're a far, far cry from those players in the playoffs. It's not even close.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

agree with this post, Sandin isn’t ready. Dermott is more stable. Is anyone else against Bogosian playing with Muzzin? I just feel like he should be the match up defenseman

Holl did not have a good game today, but I think you run with Dermott-Bogosian and there won't be too many issues. Use Muzzin on the PP again. He can do as much as Sandin did today.

 

[Dreakmur]

Yeah our grit certainly gave us heart today.
I get it when the movement fails, blame the skill still.
Time for this grit to step up.

Even if you're right, you're really confusing the blame. You really think a faction of the fanbase is to blame?

Yeah, I wanted them to add grit. Yeah, I really like this team on paper. The additions of Simmonds, Bogosian, and Foligno are the kinds of guys I think we needed. I would have made a lot of similar moves.... but Dubas made the deals. If you think this team went the wrong direction, that means Dubas made the mistakes, not fans like me.

 

[Kurtz]

Love your confidence. I have none. Serious question: What did you see tonight that makes you think we will win the series?

Habs were never dangerous tonight - they capitalized on two bad mistakes. Other than that, they had nothing going for them.

We were pretty much horrid up and down the lineup tonight. Shell-shocked for that first period, understandably. I've never seen a team take 3 over the glass penalties. Nylander missed a wide open corner from 3 feet away. We hit a post and a cross bar.

Basically, it's almost impossible for us to be this bad for the rest of the series, whereas I think the Habs played as well as could be expected.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Do we go Campbell tomorrow again?

Saturday

 

[Aashir]

My point is TB won the cup without their captain....... so can toronto

Misunderstood whoops
On what your point really was, I see a situation where it can happen but we need marner and Matthews to step up BIG time, on that team kucherov had the most points in the playoffs and point was just clutch monster. Also, our secondary/depth need to be better, pieces such as Hyman, kerfoot, simmonds, nylander, galch, etc need to be able to play like Tampa’s Coleman,Palat,Johnson,Cirelli,Goodrow all did. I can see it happening but these guys need to step up, waiting for the response in game 2

 

[Menzinger]

No doubt in my mind we don’t

He was great

 

[hockeyfan2k18]

Toronto in 7.

And it really shouldn't come to that... Leafs should have skated circles around the Habs but they didn't.

 

[IPS]

Matthews had the effort tonight IMO.. Marner just buckled.

Shades of game 1 vs Columbus.

People can compare Marner to Rantanen, Aho and Point all they want for the regular season. In the playoffs, he is a very distant 4th in that group...

 

[Kiwi]

Sandin also looked exposed tonight with that pace.

I’d go back to Dermott

The problem is he was the new #1PP QB, this isn't good

 

[Cleetus]

Of course

thought they are not playing till Saturday?

 

[jaric1862]

These guys better be on fire on Saturday. Hits, fights, emotion. Get into the middle of the ice and get into Price’s kitchen. Enough of this perimeter garbage and letting guys skate right through Campbell’s crease after the whistle. This is the playoffs, play like it matters.

 

[Not My Tempo]

Matthews, Nylander, Rielly, Brodie, Muzzin and Hyman were the only skaters I felt were a net positive tonight.

 

[wingman75]

I am the first to rag on Marner, not sure I get most of the comments tonight. I thought he, Matthews and Nylander were all excellent tonight. Price made a couple good saves, and Marner toned down the fancy pants plays.

The lack of execution on the PP is just ridiculous at this point. At what point do you just roll the lines and ensure you do not give up anything aginst.

Imagine a PP that has been running at less than 10% for the 2nd half of a season enters the playoffs with generally no adjustments (Sandin got the same results as Rielly)... and that PP costs you the 1st game in a playoff series. How could anyone be surprised?

Habs are a shit team, literally every other playoff team would beat them in a series. This team needs to pull their f***ing pants up and will themselves to a win... they cannot skill a series win... until they learn that, its going to be the same story every spring.

I guess its up to Campbell to pitch a shutout now? Lame.

 

[Aashir]

My point is TB won the cup without their captain....... so can toronto

Misunderstood whoops
On what your point really was, I see a situation where it can happen but we need marner and Matthews to step up BIG time, on that team kucherov had the most points in the playoffs and point was just clutch monster. Also, our secondary/depth need to be better, pieces such as Hyman, kerfoot, simmonds, nylander, galch, etc need to be able to play like Tampa’s Coleman,Palat,Johnson,Cirelli,Goodrow all did. I can see it happening but these guys need to step up, waiting for the response in game 2

 

[socko]

Anyone trying to make the argument Matthews was bad tonight is to put it bluntly terrible at evaluating hockey. He was all over the puck, had like 8 shots, credited with 5 hits but I think it was more, hit 2 posts. He played very well. Obviously we need production, but his effort level is without question and he had his chances

Matthews was really good in the first half of the game, cooled down in the 2nd half. We have the bar high for him because he's the teams best player.

 

[Cecithepylon]

God I hope Tavares is ok let’s bounce back

 

[sxvnert]

 

[BertCorbeau]

The problem is he was the new #1PP QB, this isn't good

A Pp that didn’t work

 

[Cynical]

The Engval, Hyman, Micheyev line is probably the most playoff ready line they have. The Matthews, and Marner combo can play with anybody. Put Foligno with others who can hit with speed. The guy is useless with the top two lines.

 

[Cleetus]

Matthews, Nylander, Rielly, Brodie, Muzzin and Hyman were the only skaters I felt were a net positive tonight.

thought Jack also played good....

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

Win it for Johnny. Sure ... Bunch of f***ing bums.

You mean the team that got embarrassed by NY when Johnny went back for his first game against them? Yeah you might be expecting a bit too much.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Lets be honest, this grit movement made us worse. Skill helps you score, not grit.

Let's be honest, our skilled players don't score when it matters (the playoffs) anyways.

3x 2 on 1 tonight, without registering a shot and being caught by the backchecker each time.

4 powerplay opportunities and nothing to show for it.

Matthews and Nylander hitting posts and crossbars on high danger opportunities, on plays they finished all year.

Let's just call a spade a spade. This core has shown ZERO ability to carry their team offensively in the playoffs. Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina, etc are scoring at will, yet our offense turns to dust when the games get important and we're not built to win any other way.