Series Talk: Leafs vs Lightning Pre-Playoff Thread

[saltming]

I’d say the Leafs are heavily favoured this year.

The only three things that could make a difference are:

(1) Murray losing every game he plays. I’d say this has a 40% chance.

(2) The referee union has lots of money on Tampa.

(3) We get goalied.

I think the Leafs should play Woll.

Murray isn’t playing as well as he can and blindly supporting a goalie that isn’t at his best is pretending.

Our starter is samsonov

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Our starter is samsonov

Every game ?

 

[saltming]

Every game ?

Why not? Are there any b2b games?

 

[TMLAM34]

Maroon should be back for the playoffs, not so sure about Jeannot though. That injury looked really bad. Would be a pretty big loss for Tampa’s bottom six.

 

[Leafs87]

Jeannot looks like he’ll miss some serious time. That’s a bad blow for Tampa and could be a huge upper hand for the Leafs. If there’s one player the Leafs would have a hard time handling, it’s him.

 

[Enniskillen]

Maroon should be back for the playoffs, not so sure about Jeannot though. That injury looked really bad. Would be a pretty big loss for Tampa’s bottom six.

That’s addition by subtraction, he was bad for them. Jeannot thread on TB board is hilarious.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Why not? Are there any b2b games?

None

 

[Zur En Arrh]

Went over and lurked their thread..they're worried. They have their chests all puffed out and are full of jokes but you can tell they're worried. They know the only way they win is if we f*** ourselves. If they win they ain't getting past round two.

 

[Rob Brown]

Apparently there are events in Tampa's arena on the 21st and 23rd which is when game 3 and 4 would be if series starts on Monday according to a user who posted it, so if thats the case, the series likely starts on Tuesday.

Did you read what I said? Haha.

It could still be:

Monday, April 17 - Toronto
Wednesday, April 19 - Toronto
Saturday, April 22 - Tampa
Monday, April 24 - Tampa

Or Tuesday/Thursday in Toronto and still Saturday/Monday in Tampa.

 

[saltming]

None

So unless he really has a bad game imho he should have the net. He's earned it

 

[Mess]

Welp the last series they won they had home ice advantage!

But leave it to Mess to try and put a negative spin on literally anything.

If the leafs had not gotten home ice i'm sure you would be posting the mountain of evidence that shows home ice is an advantage to have.

Home ice is an advantage but Leafs had it against Columbus, Montreal and Tampa Bay the last 3 years and not only did they squander it away but lost all 3 series. to boot.

That's not spin that is reality!!!

I'm predicting the teams split the first 2 games of the series this year at which point TB will have home ice advantage.

 

[crump]

Jeannot looks like he’ll miss some serious time. That’s a bad blow for Tampa and could be a huge upper hand for the Leafs. If there’s one player the Leafs would have a hard time handling, it’s him.

You know our narrative has an AHL scrub replacing him and having a monster series against us. The leafs have to block out all that noise and just play their best regardless of who is injured for TB.

Im liking the 4th line these past few games..ramping it up and contributing. Keefe has to fix the top two lines now.

Bunting. Matthews. Nylander
Jarnkrok. Tavares. Marner

 

[Cleetus]

 

[leafsfan5]

Matthews got 2 games for a crosscheck to the neck, wonder what Hedman will be getting?

 

[PROUD PAPA]

Maroon should be back for the playoffs, not so sure about Jeannot though. That injury looked really bad. Would be a pretty big loss for Tampa’s bottom six.

He's played like garbage since he got to TB. The way he skates it might have been beneficial to us if he played.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Went over and lurked their thread..they're worried. They have their chests all puffed out and are full of jokes but you can tell they're worried. They know the only way they win is if we f*** ourselves. If they win they ain't getting past round two.

Which, you know, we are fully capable of doing.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Home ice is an advantage but Leafs had it against Columbus, Montreal and Tampa Bay the last 3 years and not only did they squander it away but lost all 3 series. to boot.

That's not spin that is reality!!!

I'm predicting the teams split the first 2 games of the series this year at which point TB will have home ice advantage.

And if the Leafs split in Tampa they have home ice right back! Imagine. Funny how that works.

 

[leafsfan5]

Which, you know, we are fully capable of doing.

It's our speciality lol

 

[grapes55]

I think if the Leafs can find the nice balance of standing up to Tampa BS but not being undisciplined then we have a really good chance. Love him but those 2 penalties by Simmonds in game 2 were killer. Guys like a Acciari and Lafferty will really help in that regard.

 

[TheDoldrums]

I think if the Leafs can find the nice balance of standing up to Tampa BS but not being undisciplined then we have a really good chance. Love him but those 2 penalties by Simmonds in game 2 were killer. Guys like a Acciari and Lafferty will really help in that regard.

Bunting is the wild card there. Looks like he knows he has to tone things down because the league is unfairly targeting him, but he needs to not get baited by Tampa into hurting the team.

 

[kevsh]

You are aware of this thing called score effects right? The leafs spend a ton of time leading the game, so naturally they will have a worse goal differential in the third. It’s like that for every team. No need to try and spin everything into a dumb narrative.

Oh really?
Care to check on other top teams goal differential in the 3rd? I'll help you: The best in the league are, in order, Boston, New Jersey, Dallas. (Btw, Boston is in the top 3 in the first two periods as well but are even better in the 3rd, when they are leading most games as well)

So no, it's not like that for every team.

Maybe have a clue next time before calling out someone's fact-based narrative? Or at least come with facts so you don't embarrass yourself.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Jonas’ article today had some good insight into Cooper’s strategy from last playoffs (and likely this one).

Where does Ryan O’Reilly belong with the Maple Leafs: Top six or bottom six?

Sheldon Keefe said O'Reilly has "done really well" with every assignment, but where will he most benefit the Leafs in the playoffs?

theathletic.com

Basically that when Tampa was at home Cooper targeted Tavares’ line and the results resoundingly favoured the Lightning against him. With that in mind, it may be prudent to have two lineups in the playoffs, one for home and on the road. O’Reilly could centre his own line at home to matchup against Tampa and let Matthews’ and Tavares’ lines go up against weaker competition, and on the road Keefe could move O’Reilly up to centre Tavares and protect him and the Leafs from matchup problems.

Home:
Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Jarnkrok-Tavares-Nylander
Kerfoot-O’Reilly-Acciari
ZAR-Kampf-Lafferty

Road:
Jarnkrok-Matthews-Nylander
Tavares-O’Reilly-Marner
Bunting-Acciari-Kerfoot
ZAR-Kampf-Lafferty

 

[HolyCrap]

And if the Leafs split in Tampa they have home ice right back! Imagine. Funny how that works.

It’s hilarious how obvious that posters agenda is. And I’m not a homer at all but its borderline sad that he keeps this schtick up. Prob best we all use a certain function on here and forget about him.

 

[TorMapleJays]

If the Leafs win 3 and Tampa wins 3 who has the home game 7?

That’s all that matters

 

[TopCheese]

Jonas’ article today had some good insight into Cooper’s strategy from last playoffs (and likely this one).

Where does Ryan O’Reilly belong with the Maple Leafs: Top six or bottom six?

Sheldon Keefe said O'Reilly has "done really well" with every assignment, but where will he most benefit the Leafs in the playoffs?

theathletic.com

Basically that when Tampa was at home Cooper targeted Tavares’ line and the results resoundingly favoured the Lightning against him. With that in mind, it may be prudent to have two lineups in the playoffs, one for home and on the road. O’Reilly could centre his own line at home to matchup against Tampa and let Matthews’ and Tavares’ lines go up against weaker competition, and on the road Keefe could move O’Reilly up to centre Tavares and protect him and the Leafs from matchup problems.

Home:
Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Jarnkrok-Tavares-Nylander
Kerfoot-O’Reilly-Acciari
ZAR-Kampf-Lafferty

Road:
Jarnkrok-Matthews-Nylander
Tavares-O’Reilly-Marner
Bunting-Acciari-Kerfoot
ZAR-Kampf-Lafferty

I say keep O'Reilly at 3C. If they want to target the JT line, then fine, O'Reilly and Kerfoot or Bunting / Lafferty would destroy Tampas bottom 6