Pre-Game Talk: Leafs vs Habs- game 2

[Cpt Maple Leaf]

We go down to the ducking Habs and I am out. Pitiful franchise.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

He played great! Going to need him to bring that every night, especially with the absence of JT.

Yes except for a scared sh*tless dump over glass for a penalty when someone was gonna reem him .. you can't be scared in da playoffs ever .. you gotta take one for da team here and there

 

[BayStBullies]

Campbell with a maintenance day today. What are we all thinking here? Fred plays 1 game of the back to back Monday-Tuesday?

They could be resting Jack in a anticipation of running him through both of those games.

 

[Azail]

Point skates twice as fast as Mitch .. you are comparing apples and oranges .. height does not mean fast

I am really not. I simply stated maybe Point is better than Marner and they are around the same size. Point somehow manages the increased physicality of the playoffs. If Marner can't skate as fast as Point he better god damn do something else to be effective. He is paid to do so.

 

[Torontonian]

I hope the team can rally around the Captain, understandable they seem/looked shook after the incident game 1. If the team can't manage to get up and win the game / series for Tavares we are in trouble and changes need to be made.

I wouldn't say going down 0-2 as the series being over, but we will seriously be in trouble if it happens. Lastly for the love of god, play the body more.. Get in the way slow them down, far to easy for Montreal in game 1.

 

[Gallagbi]

He just isn’t good enough.

To bat the puck out of the air on a dump in so it doesn't go over the glass?

 

[JT AM da real deal]

I am really not. I simply stated maybe Point is better than Marner and they are around the same size. Point somehow manages the increased physicality of the playoffs. If Marner can't skate as fast as Point he better god damn do something else to be effective. He is paid to do so.

I mean i hear you but what else can he do .. he has always been relatively slow .. but he is a magician with da puck and highly creative .. but if he can't break through da Habs trap what can he do??????? .. think about it????? he can't overpower guys and he can't outskate guys ..

 

[Rude Dog]

Id be interested to see Engvall and Spezza flipped, but I don't expect that 4th line to play much

I say this over and over. Engvall and Mikey are only good when they play together to take advantage of their crazy speed. Backs opposition defence off fearing they will blow by them. Create havoc even if they don’t score. They are useless playing with guys like Simmonds, Nash, Thornton etc. Also Spezza is awesome playing with younger guys. Thornton kills every line he is on.

felt horrible last night. Feeling more positive that this team will rebound and win this series.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I mean i hear you but what else can he do .. he has always been relatively slow .. but he is a magician with da puck and highly creative .. but if he can't break through da Habs trap what can he do??????? .. think about it????? he can't overpower guys and he can't outskate guys ..

Maybe less is more with him? Dial back his ice time. I know it's a big temptation to play your top guys all the time, but more minutes doesn't equal more production. Maybe 20-22 minutes is good, not freaking 27.

 

[Gallagbi]

I mean i hear you but what else can he do .. he has always been relatively slow .. but he is a magician with da puck and highly creative .. but if he can't break through da Habs trap what can he do??????? .. think about it????? he can't overpower guys and he can't outskate guys ..

Play to his strengths is the easy answer.

Not needlessly turn the puck over without pressure. Execute on basic PP passes

It's not a matter of getting him skating, it's a matter of getting him to make basic plays with little to no pressure. There's no reason for him to botch zone entries because he doesn't read the wingers speed properly. There's no reason for him to turnover high-low passes on the PP because he's forcing it through a player instead of putting it to open ice. Clearing the puck on the half wall with 2 attempts and a D backing off

You'll always want more if you want Marner to be a speedy high intensity player. He should be capable of executing on the basics

 

[Suntouchable13]

I say this over and over. Engvall and Mikey are only good when they play together to take advantage of their crazy speed. Backs opposition defence off fearing they will blow by them. Create havoc even if they don’t score. They are useless playing with guys like Simmonds, Nash, Thornton etc. Also Soezza is awesome playing with younger guys. Thornton kills every line he is on.

felt horrible last night. Feeling more positive that the will rebound and win this series.

I really think they need to take out Joe and put someone younger in. I think we'll be a better team for it. He shouldn't be playing pp1, or with our top players. Not sure what Keefe is thinking.

 

[Azail]

I mean i hear you but what else can he do .. he has always been relatively slow .. but he is a magician with da puck and highly creative .. but if he can't break through da Habs trap what can he do??????? .. think about it????? he can't overpower guys and he can't outskate guys ..

Sounds like he can't play in the NHL for 10mil a year then. If that is ALL it takes to stop him. WOW we messed up.

 

[Gallagbi]

I say this over and over. Engvall and Mikey are only good when they play together to take advantage of their crazy speed. Backs opposition defence off fearing they will blow by them. Create havoc even if they don’t score. They are useless playing with guys like Simmonds, Nash, Thornton etc. Also Spezza is awesome playing with younger guys. Thornton kills every line he is on.

felt horrible last night. Feeling more positive that this team will rebound and win this series.

I agree in the Engvall/Mik comments, but that 4th line needs some speed. I figure this is Thornton's do or die game, if he isn't a positive influence he's out for Nash and/or Brooks next game IMO, but they'll give him a chance to redeem himself

 

[Gallagbi]

I really think they need to take out Joe and put someone younger in. I think we'll be a better team for it. He shouldn't be playing pp1, or with our top players. Not sure what Keefe is thinking.

We were a better team without him and Simmonds IMO. Our speed increases and allows us to swarm teams throughout our lineup.

Interestingly enough, a guy like Thornton is supposed to be the safe option who knows how to play in tight/big games and won't make careless plays at the Blueline. We needed him to be that last night

 

[ToneDog]

I mean i hear you but what else can he do .. he has always been relatively slow .. but he is a magician with da puck and highly creative .. but if he can't break through da Habs trap what can he do??????? .. think about it????? he can't overpower guys and he can't outskate guys ..

Had a couple of 2 on 1s. If he had a good wrist shot he could have roofed it instead of allowing Price to make the save of the game. The first 2 on 1 he was caught from behind by Anderson who was in beast mode.

 

[Advanced stats]

Nash is terrible. Another dumbass move by dubas.

Harsh. Hopefully you don't make all your evaluations on 1 game.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Sounds like he can't play in the NHL for 10mil a year then. If that is ALL it takes to stop him. WOW we messed up.

This is very true .. and it is stupidity of NHL contracts really in days of a CAP .. guys who get points get rewarded with $$$$ .. but you don't pay a guy BIG until he has won you da Cup .. a great GM will look at goals, assists, speed, shot, health, size, strength before giving out contracts .. Mitch is ok scoring in games which are slower and teams do not play trap hockey .. Habs are following CLB formula/playbook on us .. rely on tending and trap and score on weakness like Sandin's lack of foot speed

 

[Guided by Veseys]

Hmmm, keeping Thornton and Sandin in after two costly plays leading to goals and then taking out Nash when the pk looked dominant. Interesting choice by Keefe. I pray to the hockey gods that these choices don’t backfire. Give the leafs a break for once.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Had a couple of 2 on 1s. If he had a good wrist shot he could have roofed it instead of allowing Price to make the save of the game. The first 2 on 1 he was caught from behind by Anderson who was in beast mode.

Yep those are 2 weaknesses shot strength and foot speed on display in playoffs

 

[Cpt Maple Leaf]

Harsh. Hopefully you don't make all your evaluations on 1 game.

Not one game, forty years of frustration. Sorry if I seem to over reacting, I can't stand watching us getting pushed around all. the. time.

 

[Racer88]

Also I'm fine with the lines. The 4th isn't good but when the organization got these veterans, you know they were playing them.

If they lose then the organization should be held accountable

 

[Rude Dog]

We were a better team without him and Simmonds IMO. Our speed increases and allows us to swarm teams throughout our lineup.

Interestingly enough, a guy like Thornton is supposed to be the safe option who knows how to play in tight/big games and won't make careless plays at the Blueline. We needed him to be that last night

I miss Boyd on the fourth line.

 

[Gallagbi]

huh? settle down, Beavis

Maybe we could make another thread? That Simmonds one you made last night looked like a fun ride.

 

[Cpt Maple Leaf]

If they lose then the organization should be held accountable

Dubas has to go, Shanahan as well. Not capable of building a contender. Fancy pants players, overpaid for the most part. What a waste. Matthews is the real deal though.

 

[Cpt Maple Leaf]

Maybe we could make another thread? That Simmonds one you made last night looked like a fun ride.

So he is not terrible and a waste of space? Why is he here?