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

[stickty111]

Agreed, Nylander was buzzing all over. Wonder if they think about putting him at 2C and maybe bringing up Galchenyuk as 1 of his wingers.

Surprised to see so much Campbell love from people. He definitely made some good saves including that nice glove however he let in a backbreaking goal on the PP while making a bad pokecheck. I can't imagine the flack Andy would have gotten on that exact same goal

Thats not a back breaking goal though. Andy's was way worse.

 

[Stonehands1990]

Clifford sucks.

Thornton sucks. For a fourth liner I’d rather someone who can hit and recover pucks

 

[Gallagbi]

Thats not a back breaking goal though. Andy's was way worse.

This GWG was similar to the Dubois Gm3 winner for me. Good chance, likely a stop you want your goalie to make.

 

[CanadasTeam]

Wtf was up with all the delay of game flying pucks over the glass?

 

[stickty111]

This GWG was similar to the Dubois Gm3 winner for me. Good chance, likely a stop you want your goalie to make.

Agreed but nowhere close to the game 5 against CBJ or game 7 vs Boston.

 

[Stephen]

Thornton sucks. For a fourth liner I’d rather someone who can hit and recover pucks

Not understanding how he managed to bully and dominate Ehlers the way he did in a regular season game, goading him into retaliation penalties, intimidating him physically, but didn't have anything to show in an emotional game like this. Like pick a Hab, any Hab.

 

[CourtneyDagger50]

The GDTs here move a lot faster than over on the Chicago board lol. I tried to keep up. This was just a bad game for every reason. Hoping for better on Saturday.
I'm just glad we got a positive update about Tavares after the game.

 

[TopChedder]

Not understanding how he managed to bully and dominate Ehlers the way he did in a regular season game, goading him into retaliation penalties, intimidating him physically, but didn't have anything to show in an emotional game like this. Like pick a Hab, any Hab.

I think his old bones take a while to get going. I think the rest didn't help him, and I would revisit Brooks on that 4th line again.

 

[Kurtz]

You don’t even have concrete proof this is true, yet you’re angry at the GM?

The only concrete thing here is that Boston got Hall for a 2nd and we did not. I'm upset at the GM for that. Now there's also a rumour about where he wanted to go - and the places I've heard/read were Boston and Toronto. That doesn't really make me anymore or less angry.

 

[IPS]

Wtf was up with all the delay of game flying pucks over the glass?

Willy's was straight up because he didn't want to get hit. Completely and utterly pathetic.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Wtf was up with all the delay of game flying pucks over the glass?

Holl's was clearly unintended, but both Marner and Nylander made desperation chips to avoid getting hit. Embarassing really.

 

[Lauro]

Just finished watching. Right at the moment when I thought we might be a little bit vulnerable with Sandin as PP QB the Habs score their shorthander .... f***

 

[Dave92]

Marner has 0 goals, 4 assists -2 in 6 playoff games since signing as the second highest paid winger in the entire league. That's what you call a player's GM for having the faith to hand out that contract based on 1 good regular season.

 

[hobarth]

I think Palmieri was already gone to NYI and Hall according to rumours would not waive is NTC for anyone else except Boston so Foligno was the only one left.

Also, Leafs had to keep delaying the trade as late as possible due to cap issues to accumulate LTIR.

Cap flexibility was just not there

There was also Mantha and how many others, don't be so fixated on just the names I've mentioned, Detroit, SJ and other teams that didn't make the playoffs might have been willing to part with players that might have been worth a first, a possible addition that might enable TO to have the depth to overcome injuries but mostly score which is essential for winning.

Kessel was a pariah in TO, to Leaf fans because he was 1 dimensional, Foligno and Nash are also 1 dimensional.

 

[Bluebear]

it has nothing to do with being soft. a possession team giving up possession just doesnt make sense. its no different than the boston series, when we play our game and dictate we win more than we lose, when we try to adapt to a different style we dont play as well.

It does when it doesn't work. Leafs need to be able to shake it up and crash the net to generate offence. That was missing Vs Columbus last year and same thing tonight. Habs were in Campbell's face after every shot, getting dragged out, the Leafs didn't do the same thing to Price once. Most often they had no one near the net to do it after a Price save. Need to be able to adapt to other teams, players are capable, just need the will and the green light.

 

[TMLisSRYinGerman]

I only saw the 3rd and what I saw was the same thing I got angry about last season. We don't take enough shots especially in the last few minutes. We look for the perfect opportunity instead of just get in on the net.

 

[DutchHockeyGuy]

I just finished watching the game. Have not got the energy to read the 31 pages of responses. But this team keeps taking stabs at my heart.

There is no doubt in my mind that Perry intentionally made contact with John Tavares. He probably did not set out to potentially end his career, but making contact at every possibility does fit his modus operandi. I hope he by accident gets blinded at some point so he will have to spent his millions earned during a dirty, but successful career paying for guide dogs.

Hopefully Tavares will recover. What a sad start to what should be a fun time of the year. Hopefully the boys will recompose themselves and fight back into the series.

 

[ZEBROA]

Holl's was clearly unintended, but both Marner and Nylander made desperation chips to avoid getting hit. Embarassing really.

You dont avoid getting hit doing desperation chips. You avoid getting pinned. If they want to hit you they hit anyway, so it is a bad escape plan.

 

[djdev]

It does when it doesn't work. Leafs need to be able to shake it up and crash the net to generate offence. That was missing Vs Columbus last year and same thing tonight. Habs were in Campbell's face after every shot, getting dragged out, the Leafs didn't do the same thing to Price once. Most often they had no one near the net to do it after a Price save. Need to be able to adapt to other teams, players are capable, just need the will and the green light.

look at the end of the day this game was filled with some things we likely wont see again, including what could have been and still could end up being a verrrrry bad injury to one of most important players and cptn. for me they get a pass given the circumstances, who wins next game wins the series imo.

 

[Bluebear]

I just finished watching the game. Have not got the energy to read the 31 pages of responses. But this team keeps taking stabs at my heart.

There is no doubt in my mind that Perry intentionally made contact with John Tavares. He probably did not set out to potentially end his career, but making contact at every possibility does fit his modus operandi. I hope he by accident gets blinded at some point so he will have to spent his millions earned during a dirty, but successful career paying for guide dogs.

Hopefully Tavares will recover. What a sad start to what should be a fun time of the year. Hopefully the boys will recompose themselves and fight back into the series.

Shit happens, he definitely wasn't trying to deliver a flying knee with his shin pad to JT's face. I thought it was good, Foligno fought him, Parry manned up. Shouldn't go overboard, but the boys should be on him for the rest of the series.

The fake crowd needs to be booing him every puck touch....The NHL is lucky I'm not an owner, I would have all kinds of fun things planned for the fake crowd and my finger would personally be on the button....

 

[Kiwi]

To me Matthews looked like a man possessed. Just. A matter of time until he does what need stonshppen.

Don't disagree about the bottom six though

The problem is even if we get great contributions from that Matthews line where's the rest of the help scoring coming from?

Nylander was awesome but without Tavares he's got limited talent to work with, the bottom 6 is pretty anemic and the PP is an abomination

I think Chucky needs to come into the lineup, Spezza needs to get more minutes and offensive opportunities and somebody needs to work out WTF is going on with the PP, it's a god damned disgrace

 

[slozo]

I just want to point out - respectfully, I might add - That teams that are looked upon as true Stanley Cup contenders, battle-hardened, cup ready, Stanley Cup winners on the team, etc etc, have all lost game number ones just like we did.

and the only issue we are dealing with is the history of our losses from the past, from teams that had very little or nothing to do with this team.

No, I don’t like this loss; it sucks, we didn’t play our best, and the other team played well.

But in the end, a real championship level team - which many of us called this team? - rises above such pitfalls and hardens their resolve.

Don’t cry over spilt milk.

 

[BlueSeal]

Teams are too evenly matched. Play your best players, Jumbo isn’t one of them and with your Captain out you don’t want to leave anything to chance.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

If the Leafs won 2-1 in OT would there be a thread complaining that they only scored 1 goal in regulation. Or a thread praising their team defense and ability to win multiple ways?

Obviously when a team like Toronto squeaks out a win against Montreal you're more relieved than anything. Is it disappointing that we have we have 4 guys making more money than any of their forwards but we can only muster up two goals against a cleary inferior team? Definitely. However the feeling of relief that we aren't down 1-0 in the series probably overcomes that disappointment.

 

[Cpt Maple Leaf]

Who the hell is Troll STOMPER?