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

[Gary Nylund]

In the playoffs the Leafs have the best player, but Boston has the number 2,3,4,5 rounding out the top 5, with of one them being the goalie.

Good point!

 

[D00bis]

Leafs got away with some shit too, like Tavares high sticking McAvoy. the only thing that makes this shit is Boston scored immediately after.

doesnt change the fact we had 5 powerplays to their three- one of ours being a dum ass play from Benoit, and we scored on none of them while Boston scored on 1 of their three (not counting the empty net).

Cant blame the refs in this game. Our team just needs an entirely new coaching staff


Screw that, if were gonna let him walk at least trade him for an asset or two in the off season.

no trade clause. he would have to ok a trade

 

[Pinkcat]

Leafs got away with some shit too, like Tavares high sticking McAvoy. the only thing that makes this shit is Boston scored immediately after.

doesnt change the fact we had 5 powerplays to their three- one of ours being a dum ass play from Benoit, and we scored on none of them while Boston scored on 1 of their three (not counting the empty net).

Cant blame the refs in this game. Our team just needs an entirely new coaching staff


Screw that, if were gonna let him walk at least trade him for an asset or two in the off season.

Also doesn't help when the one powerplay they had something going Swayman's mask mysteriously broke and needed 3 minutes to fix. When the powerplay resumed all momentum was gone.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Wondering if @Evilhomer is still confident that we're winning this thing.

 

[BallardEra]

Wondering if @Evilhomer is still confident that we're winning this thing.

Yes, he said Leafs pull this off in 7.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Yes, he said Leafs pull this off in 7.

LMAO seriously? I guess I'm not completely shocked considering what a homer he's been but still, you'd think that eventually even he would break.

 

[Clark4Ever]

There's no excuses at this time of year, but I do wonder where we would be right now if Matthews, Marner and Nylander were healthy throughout this series.

I guess we'll see if it makes any difference on Tuesday.

 

[Bomber0104]

There's no excuses at this time of year, but I do wonder where we would be right now if Matthews, Marner and Nylander were healthy throughout this series.

I guess we'll see if it makes any difference on Tuesday.

When you have guys like Patrice Bergeron who play with collapsed lungs and ripped shoulders and still drag their team deep into playoffs, these things ring very very hallow.

Our guys are just soft delicate little flowers who think they're entitled to success.

 

[MSZ]

Wondering if @Evilhomer is still confident that we're winning this thing.

As of this morning he is still saying the Leafs are going play the Canes this year, that means eastern final.

 

[Evilhomer]

As of this morning he is still saying the Leafs are going play the Canes this year, that means eastern final.

And I still believe they will.

 

[Gallagbi]

And I still believe they will.

Feels like you should predict against them for the good of the team at this point

 

[wingman75]

And I still believe they will.

I hope you are right, but I haven't seen much that makes me believe they will.

It's not like they are dominating and being goalied... they are being outplayed in every area of the game! Special teams being the most significant.

I feel like I might already know the script for game 5. Leafs come out hot, B's goalie makes a couple great saves. Leafs get the first PP of the game, generate nothing and lose momentum. Somewhere near the end of the first, Boston get a PP and scores.

 

[Evilhomer]

I hope you are right, but I haven't seen much that makes me believe they will.

It's not like they are dominating and being goalied... they are being outplayed in every area of the game! Special teams being the most significant.

I feel like I might already know the script for game 5. Leafs come out hot, B's goalie makes a couple great saves. Leafs get the first PP of the game, generate nothing and lose momentum. Somewhere near the end of the first, Boston get a PP and scores.

I would like to see Keefe end the Reaves experiment in game 5, which I think is what will happen. His impact is minimal at this point, and I think it's clear that trying to outhit Boston isn't producing the desired outcome.

 

[Stephen]

Shouldn’t the talent advantage the Leafs have somewhat negate the goalie advantage Boston has? Instead they are making Swayman look like the best goalie in the league right now.

The supposed talent advantage the Leafs have had over the years has never paid off. In fact, all the talent talk ever managed to do was make Leafs players crumble under the weight of their supposed superiority while putting a target on their backs for every Tom, Danault and Harry to knock them down a peg or two.

In a league of 31 other teams and superstars, who all bring talent, sacrifice and hard work in greater measures, that talent talking point has always been a disgracefully shallow self proclamation. No wonder this team is both so bizarrely fragile and seemingly resilient as well. To quote Bob Dylan, they’re better than no one and no one is better than them.

I don’t know if I want to see a comeback. Just seems like a waste of time if we’re going to pump Toronto up for another Game 6 shit the bed fest at home, or a Boston Game 7 song and dance.

 

[Gary Nylund]

And I still believe they will.

Feels like you should predict against them for the good of the team at this point

Yup. Been thinking this for a while now. Come on @Evilhomer , say that you're now convinced that the Leafs are toast. Take one for the team buddy, I know you can do it.

 

[wingman75]

I would like to see Keefe end the Reaves experiment in game 5, which I think is what will happen. His impact is minimal at this point, and I think it's clear that trying to outhit Boston isn't producing the desired outcome.

I don't mind Reaves, and I think any team looking to the fourth line to be the difference maker has no chance anyway.

The hitting I think is good, when paired with other aspects of the game. I felt in games 1 through 3 we softened them up, but the big guns were not able to take advantage. Similar story to past playoffs.

One of the guys on one of the post game shows commented about taping things onto the core in hopes it makes a difference. It has never worked. We have added skill, defence, physicality and leadership over the years and the core is still hapless. Imo Ryan O'Reilly willed this team to that first round win last season...

I believe that until the core is changed, nothing will change. And that this regime has not done that to this point is quite frankly shameful.

I don't feel there are lineup changes to be made that will alter the path of this series... strategy changes, probably, but feels like we are beyond that at this point.

 

[Evilhomer]

Yup. Been thinking this for a while now. Come on @Evilhomer , say that you're now convinced that the Leafs are toast. Take one for the team buddy, I know you can do it.

Ha, if I had that kind of power I can promise I wouldn't be using it on a hockey team.

 

[Gary Nylund]

The supposed talent advantage the Leafs have had over the years has never paid off. In fact, all the talent talk ever managed to do was make Leafs players crumble under the weight of their supposed superiority while putting a target on their backs for every Tom, Danault and Harry to knock them down a peg or two.

In a league of 31 other teams and superstars, who all bring talent, sacrifice and hard work in greater measures, that talent talking point has always been a disgracefully shallow self proclamation. No wonder this team is both so bizarrely fragile and seemingly resilient as well. To quote Bob Dylan, they’re better than no one and no one is better than them.

I don’t know if I want to see a comeback. Just seems like a waste of time if we’re going to pump Toronto up for another Game 6 shit the bed fest at home, or a Boston Game 7 song and dance.

I'm not sure we have a talent advantage over Boston, how do you even measure talent? Doesn't matter anyway though, talent means nothing. What matters is how good the players are at playing hockey. Best player in the series is Matthews but after that, it gets murky. You could argue that Boston has the next 5 best players with McAvoy, Pasta, Marchand and both their goalies.

Ha, if I had that kind of power I can promise I wouldn't be using it on a hockey team.

You may have powers that you're not even aware of so why not give it a shot?

 

[Tuna99]

I’m sure Leafs fans are frustrated but I can tell You as a Sens fan watching from afar when Matthews gets a playoff warrior on his line your team is going to be scary. Leafs feel like Florida before the Matthew trade - you need to get #34 some dudes who can be with him in the big moments - Matthews is ready but the guys around him aren’t. When he has that guy, your team will take the next step. (Braydon Pointe, Justin Williams)

 

[Stephen]

I'm not sure we have a talent advantage over Boston, how do you even measure talent? Doesn't matter anyway though, talent means nothing. What matters is how good the players are at playing hockey. Best player in the series is Matthews but after that, it gets murky. You could argue that Boston has the next 5 best players with McAvoy, Pasta, Marchand and both their goalies.

You may have powers that you're not even aware of so why not give it a shot?

I don’t know if the Leafs ever had a talent advantage over anyone but that was the management talking point over this era which only ever brought trouble.

Talent in some pure abstract form still relies on effort and structure to be properly utilized and this organization has always struggled to deliver on those other two. Never starting on time, culture of meaningless games, low motivation, horrible AHL level coaching.

 

[skacore]

I’m sure Leafs fans are frustrated but I can tell You as a Sens fan watching from afar when Matthews gets a playoff warrior on his line your team is going to be scary. Leafs feel like Florida before the Matthew trade - you need to get #34 some dudes who can be with him in the big moments - Matthews is ready but the guys around him aren’t. When he has that guy, your team will take the next step. (Braydon Pointe, Justin Williams)

That was the idea with Bertuzzi/Domi, given the cap situation I don’t think we could’ve dreamt of 2 better fits (on paper)

 

[MapleLeafs77]

I see three possibilities here:

1. Leafs lose in game 5 = similar to game 4
2. Leafs win in game 7 = team snaps out of it and goes on a run and saves the team
3. Leafs lose in game 7 = bring hope to the fan base but then kills us again

I think the third option is most likely cause its very leaf like.

 

[robertmac43]

3. Leafs lose in game 7 = bring hope to the fan base but then kills us again

If this is the case and management wants to run it back again I will be beyond mad.

 

[JamieG19]

For a change, how about a few words about players who have impressed you in the series? Or even just last night!

Lyubushkin had a very strong game. He battles, when the Leafs were pressing he had some timely pinches and good rushes that almost resulted in a goal.

I've been happy with Benoit in the series and Knies was dangerous when the Leafs were pressing

 

[Buds17]

There's no excuses at this time of year, but I do wonder where we would be right now if Matthews, Marner and Nylander were healthy throughout this series.

I guess we'll see if it makes any difference on Tuesday.

Matthews, Bertuzzi, Domi, Marner and Lyubushkin are the only players to have more than one point over these first four games. That's a lot of production lacking in too many places.