Series Talk: Leafs vs Bruins - 'ah shit here we go again' edition -- Full schedule post #933

[Mess]

 

[wingman75]

It's a funny team our Leafs. When we show up, play hard the full game, and play the way that we can, we can be competitive with anyone. When we forget the details, or give less than a whole effort, games like the last few happen.

Which team shows up against Boston... who knows?

I don't feel there is any doubt the effort is going to be there from the puck drop. My concern is focus and execution. For whatever reason, these guys sometimes seemingly forget what they are doing, and give up egregious chances against. If we can limit those, and have our goalie stop the odd one, we might be in good shape.

 

[authentic]

Of course, and Boston won the last three last year too.. but it's the playoffs, and what happened in the regular season, is often not that important.

2017/18 we won 3 of 4 matches against Boston, and then lost in the playoffs.
We had a 7-2-1 record against the Habs in 2020/21 and then lost in the playoffs.
We won 3 of 4 against Florida last year....

I think the only thing we can draw from this is that the Leafs lose in the playoffs no matter what...

 

[BraveCanadian]

I don't feel there is any doubt the effort is going to be there from the puck drop.

Really? I think that effort is the thing that is always most in doubt about this team for years.. which is really what leads to many of the breakdowns.

Never willing to make the simple plays, take hits to make the play, dish out punishment to the opposition, go to the dirty areas and.. just get it done.

 

[authentic]

Really? I think that effort is the thing that is always most in doubt about this team for years.. which is really what leads to many of the breakdowns.

Never willing to make the simple plays, take hits to make the play, dish out punishment to the opposition, go to the dirty areas and.. just get it done.

Really we've done all these things and even outplayed our opponent overall in a few of the series we've lost, specifically the first one against Tampa and atleast 2 games against Florida with all the other games being close. Last year I remember we had trouble starting games for whatever reason but always ramped it up and largely outplayed teams in the 2nd and 3rd periods.

 

[BertCorbeau]

I don't feel there is any doubt the effort is going to be there from the puck drop. My concern is focus and execution. For whatever reason, these guys sometimes seemingly forget what they are doing, and give up egregious chances against. If we can limit those, and have our goalie stop the odd one, we might be in good shape.

Hopefully this last sloppy stretch because of Matthews trying for 70 means nothing and they are able to flip a switch for Saturday.

Problem with this team is when things are going well they lack the mental focus to deal the job easily.

Either the offense will get shut down by Boston’s superior game planning, or the Leafs’ tendency to blow leads in the third will rear its ugly head.

Too many red flags as to how they played this year.

 

[AvroArrow]

Spreading our offense as in spliting up Matthews and Marner should help here. Bruins are stacking their top pair. I could see an arguement for Marner and Nylander with JT or seperating them. Whether it's the top line or the other stars, we need to go after the bottom 2 pairs.

They're loading up for Domi - Matthews - Bertuzzi obviously, our depth guys will have to show up. Marner and Nylander "Should" feast here, they're gonna need to step up big time. I liked Nylander on the 3rd line, it really spread out the offence and created a lot of mismatches.

 

[Commander Clueless]

On paper, our defense is atrocious. Can they flip a switch and get back to solid basics? Not sure.

Edmundson, do your thing where you hit people with your stick and get away with it somehow. Everyone else, copy Benoit.

 

[Gary Nylund]

The Leafs.

OK fair enough. For me, it's been a mediocre season, not one I'd call a success. Win a round, then maybe. Win two rounds, then yes.

It's a funny team our Leafs. When we show up, play hard the full game, and play the way that we can, we can be competitive with anyone. When we forget the details, or give less than a whole effort, games like the last few happen.

Which team shows up against Boston... who knows?

Exactly!

I am concerned the lack of 100 pts for Willy and 70 goals for Matthews is going to affect their mental game. Also concerned with the injuries.

In any case, here... we... go.

I'm not worried about 100 pts and 70 goals, IMO that's a non issue. Injuries are something, not sure how close Marner is to 100% but other than that not a major concern either. My top concerns are that our D core is nowhere near as good as it was a year ago, the sharp downswing in our goaltending the last few games, the sharp downswing of our PP over a much larger period of time and most of all, like the above post said - which team is going to show up? Usually the team that's really good shows up for no more than a couple of games in a series and that ends up being not quite enough, maybe this year will be different, we'll see.

 

[Torontonian]

On paper, our defense is atrocious. Can they flip a switch and get back to solid basics? Not sure.

Edmundson, do your thing where you hit people with your stick and get away with it somehow. Everyone else, copy Benoit.

Just need to limit turnovers and block shots, they can't have Boosh / Edmonsson / Beniot trying to make breakout passes and skilled plays, flip the puck out and let the forwards skate on to it.

 

[wingman75]

Aside from the obvious part of our stars coming through, we need our PP to come up huge, and our PK to be at least respectable.

I would argue it is the opposite. We need the PK to come up huge, and the PP to be respectable. Your suggestion works as well... maybe it is semantics.

 

[ACC1224]

I would argue it is the opposite. We need the PK to come up huge, and the PP to be respectable. Your suggestion works as well... maybe it is semantics.

You got it right because you know they will be on the PK more than they will be on the PP.

 

[Gallagbi]

Really? I think that effort is the thing that is always most in doubt about this team for years.. which is really what leads to many of the breakdowns.

Never willing to make the simple plays, take hits to make the play, dish out punishment to the opposition, go to the dirty areas and.. just get it done.

Feels like many posters confuse effort with results, especially in playoffs.

 

[Notsince67]

best you'll get out of Marner is a bitch slap.

and to be honest, that should be his finishing move.

it would fit him perfectly.

Marner would wrestle but if he slaps, a good one to the jaw can be enough to knock anyone out. Don't knock a well placed slap.

 

[CapspaceKiller]

What's the over/under of the refs blowing a call in Boston's favour?

8-10 minutes?

 

[1specter]

On paper, our defense is atrocious. Can they flip a switch and get back to solid basics? Not sure.

Edmundson, do your thing where you hit people with your stick and get away with it somehow. Everyone else, copy Benoit.

The defense does well when they stick to man-to-man coverage. When teams force them into a zone, that's when they struggle and get exploited at times.

Tactical Matchup: BOS vs. TOR

A battle of zone defenses

jhanhky.substack.com

This article covers it well.

 

[Suntouchable13]

What's the over/under of the refs blowing a call in Boston's favour?

8-10 minutes?

Yea, the refs are so much in their favour that I see so many cups they won last 20 years. Other fanbases think that the reffing is biased for Toronto, that should show you there is no bias and all fans think reffing is biased against them.

 

[Racer88]

Feels like many posters confuse effort with results, especially in playoffs.

That’s even worse because if they are putting out maximum effort and still not getting the results it shows they just are not that good.

 

[Notsince67]

the best kind of leaf fan right here.

The Leafs have not failed. They have found 10000 ways that won't work.

 

[Evilhomer]

View attachment 854541

But I thought Boston's goalies are elite compared to Toronto's trash?

 

[BraveCanadian]

Feels like many posters confuse effort with results, especially in playoffs.

Funny how often effort can produce results.

Not really many excuses left with the talent we have.

 

[bax]

Don't forget that goalies are voodoo and you never know where the next surprise playoff performance will be comng from. Remember Murray winning cups with Pittsburgh? I'm pretty sure nobody saw that coming. Maybe Samsonov wins the Conn Smythe, stranger things have happened. Well OK maybe not, but maybe you get my point.


I suppose that as they're subjective terms, success/failure is in the eye of the beholder. If for you 10th overall is a success already no matter what happens in the playoffs that's fine, but is sure as hell isn't my POV.

Oops, you meant Boston I guess, my bad, sorry. Or did you? I'm confused, time to go for a walk and get some air. Cheers!

Maybe Murray does it again.

 

[TorMapleJays]

Bostons centres are terrible. If Keefe does t Keefe and we try to have three scoring lines I think we put match them.

 

[BallardEra]

I have Leafs in 5.

Just don’t think Boston will have the depth to score enough in this series.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Bostons centres are terrible. If Keefe does t Keefe and we try to have three scoring lines I think we put match them.

If Keefe was EVER going to smarten up and stop trying to hide Matthews and instead make other teams hide from Matthews' line... this would be the time to do it.

Sooo tired of seeing Keefe through out Kampf in dumb situations trying to linematch.. Keefe is horrible at it and the Leafs only strength is at forward so I say let the horses run!