therealkoho
Him/Leaf/fan
Leafs took turns crushing the Sabres and in turn getting crushed, but they were the crushers a little more often than they ended up being the crushee.
I really don't remember a game where the Leafs had so much control in the offensive zone that they actually had to make line changes on at least three separate occasions!
It was really tough trying to evaluate Wolls performance as 3 of the 4 Sabre goals came directly off of really soft Ozone turnovers and that one weird carom off of the end boards, but for the most part it looked like he tracked the play well, the fourth goal is the one he'd like back as it basically leaked through him.
Ritchie shows as having 1 shot on goal, but in reality he had the open net on at least 2 separate occasions and fired wide after great set-ups from Mitch and JT. Once Mikheyev is back in game shape maybe Nick will have to sit, or head down to the Coca-Cola centre and get his game together. He did look like he had a little more jump last night, so maybe that's a good sign.
Matthews is getting his chances he's credited with 3 shots, but had at least 4 chances that missed the net entirely. He needs a couple of flukey ones to light the red light and then maybe he finally gets on track, he might have to work a lot harder though for that to happen I think. Willie is convincing me that he has become a complete 2 way 200 foot dominant forward and will stay that way throughout his career. Kase settled in pretty well, took advantage of who he was playing with and was pretty much always where his linemates expected him to be. He's a smart player and I think will end up being a very important player down the stretch, no matter what job he's asked to do.
Kerfoot - Kampf - Engvall gave the Leafs all kind of speed and created a few scoring chances with it. They rarely got caught on transitions and were never really hemmed into their own zone and even produced a goal even if it looked like a curling rock settling into the back of the house.
Semyonov looks like he has some special skills, as I was saying last night he's an excellent puckhandler and sees the ice really well. I think that getting settled in and used to the guys he's playing with he'll be a good part time performer and will be able to play anywhere in the bottom 6. Spezza made an uncharacteristic giveaway off of a Muzzin giveaway that led to a goal and was the lines only blemish on the night
Derms you cannot make those type of ticky-tacky-hinky plays especially the ones that result in goals and expect to stay in the lineup! Liljegren play was pretty low key but you could see he didn't have much if any chemistry with Dermott, it's kind of weird because they spent a lot of time together with the Marlies. I can't say for sure but I know Dermott was the top dog when they were together and Liljegren deferred to him back then. Things have changed because Liljegren is blossoming and starting to exert his dominant position actually becoming the 5 to Dermotts 6 and maybe Travis doesn't like that change.
Reilly looked good last night his skating is back to exceptional, his decisions without the puck are good, his decisions with the puck are pretty smart but could be a lot better. Brodie did what a good number 2 is supposed to do get the puck to the #1 and be the first guy back.
Muzzin is looking better but still not all there yet, his puckhandling maybe even cost the Leafs a goal on a nice set up from Mitch. Holl looked like he doesn't want to go back to press box and played a little more physically behind the redline, but really needs to plant a flag in his goal crease and make life difficult for the opposition that wants to hang around in there. Both those guys have to stop giving away free passes and make the opposition want to play on the perimeter.
I really don't remember a game where the Leafs had so much control in the offensive zone that they actually had to make line changes on at least three separate occasions!
It was really tough trying to evaluate Wolls performance as 3 of the 4 Sabre goals came directly off of really soft Ozone turnovers and that one weird carom off of the end boards, but for the most part it looked like he tracked the play well, the fourth goal is the one he'd like back as it basically leaked through him.
Ritchie shows as having 1 shot on goal, but in reality he had the open net on at least 2 separate occasions and fired wide after great set-ups from Mitch and JT. Once Mikheyev is back in game shape maybe Nick will have to sit, or head down to the Coca-Cola centre and get his game together. He did look like he had a little more jump last night, so maybe that's a good sign.
Matthews is getting his chances he's credited with 3 shots, but had at least 4 chances that missed the net entirely. He needs a couple of flukey ones to light the red light and then maybe he finally gets on track, he might have to work a lot harder though for that to happen I think. Willie is convincing me that he has become a complete 2 way 200 foot dominant forward and will stay that way throughout his career. Kase settled in pretty well, took advantage of who he was playing with and was pretty much always where his linemates expected him to be. He's a smart player and I think will end up being a very important player down the stretch, no matter what job he's asked to do.
Kerfoot - Kampf - Engvall gave the Leafs all kind of speed and created a few scoring chances with it. They rarely got caught on transitions and were never really hemmed into their own zone and even produced a goal even if it looked like a curling rock settling into the back of the house.
Semyonov looks like he has some special skills, as I was saying last night he's an excellent puckhandler and sees the ice really well. I think that getting settled in and used to the guys he's playing with he'll be a good part time performer and will be able to play anywhere in the bottom 6. Spezza made an uncharacteristic giveaway off of a Muzzin giveaway that led to a goal and was the lines only blemish on the night
Derms you cannot make those type of ticky-tacky-hinky plays especially the ones that result in goals and expect to stay in the lineup! Liljegren play was pretty low key but you could see he didn't have much if any chemistry with Dermott, it's kind of weird because they spent a lot of time together with the Marlies. I can't say for sure but I know Dermott was the top dog when they were together and Liljegren deferred to him back then. Things have changed because Liljegren is blossoming and starting to exert his dominant position actually becoming the 5 to Dermotts 6 and maybe Travis doesn't like that change.
Reilly looked good last night his skating is back to exceptional, his decisions without the puck are good, his decisions with the puck are pretty smart but could be a lot better. Brodie did what a good number 2 is supposed to do get the puck to the #1 and be the first guy back.
Muzzin is looking better but still not all there yet, his puckhandling maybe even cost the Leafs a goal on a nice set up from Mitch. Holl looked like he doesn't want to go back to press box and played a little more physically behind the redline, but really needs to plant a flag in his goal crease and make life difficult for the opposition that wants to hang around in there. Both those guys have to stop giving away free passes and make the opposition want to play on the perimeter.
As for "getting facts right", not only was your previous description completely off, you are incorrect again. Marner has taken 14 hits this season so far. He has made 5 hits. He has blocked 10 shots. And that's with our building generally being very conservative in the recording of those stats. Very odd things to be evaluating Marner by in the first place.
