Series Talk: Leafs Vs Lightning- Thunderstruck

[TheGoldenJet]

Healthy Nylander and Bunting in would be really nice boosts for the Leafs.

 

[ErnieLeafs]

Daisy’s back, and the board feels like home, like it used to. Get that old clown TWS back in here, I’m feeling spicy, and I got time today

 

[Daisy Jane]

It’s nice to see you back around these parts, daisy.

thank you. that is nice of you to say

 

[ACC1224]

thank you. that is nice of you to say

 

[TorMapleJays]

We will be loud as possible .. kinda of harder to do with my grown up daughter beside me and with my mask on from 2nd deck but I could feel it rumbling in game 1 .. hope game 2 is similar vibe

You need noise clappers. Dollarramma.

Also it allows you to drink beer.

 

[wingman75]

Have to win one in Tampa. Prefer it to be game 3 to put pressure on the Lightning.

Need a little more from a few, but even if we get the same as tonight and simply cut down the dumb penalties we'll be in good shape.

 

[BayStBullies]

Have to win one in Tampa. Prefer it to be game 3 to put pressure on the Lightning.

Need a little more from a few, but even if we get the same as tonight and simply cut down the dumb penalties we'll be in good shape.

Positive outlook: it's best of 5 now
Negative outlook: home ice is gone

 

[ryno23]

So we dress grit and the grit cost us the game tonight and almost game 1. What is the point of grit if they hurt your team.

Time to unleash Spezza who was arguably their 2nd best player in the playoffs last year. Stop coaching to stop something else and make their team adjust to us.

We dress Clifford and Simmonds cause we are worried about Perry and Maroon going crazy? Both play less than 10 mins a night. So they run around and go nuts vs our 4th line. Blackwell, Kase, and Spezza can handle them. If they go up against the top line? Then Matthews and Marner make them pay as they can't check them.

So they run around....well each player has to stand up for themselves they are grown ass men.

Enough of not putting our best line up out there. Boy that 2nd PP unit could have used Spezza last night.

 

[Burnie97]

Leafs just have to take 1 in Tampa. No reason they can't take both to be honest.

Cooper said after game 1 it was more like Tampa playing bad than Leafs playing well. Not exact quote but that's what was implied.

Well then last night I'll say the same thing for the Leafs. That was a self inflicted wound. Too many stupid penalties. Simmonds is useful but you can't take 2 stupid penalties and he knows it. Time to switch up the 4th line. Also put Kerfoot and Nylander together.

If Tampa thinks that was one of their better games then no reason Leafs can't win this series.

The effort for the most part has been there. Some guys need to really step it up especially Tavares.

We'll see what Leafs are really made of the next couple of games. Until then it's just turned into a best of 5.

 

[danron1376]

need to change up the lines to get the captain going. put him back with nylander instead of the black hole that is mikheyev. put mikheyev on a 3rd line and make it more a defensive line. he and engvall aren't scoring anytime soon (combined 0 goals in their last 26 playoff games). put in spezza and only play one of simmonds/clifford as tampa will have the last change.

 

[Rob Brown]

If we were told the series would be 1-1 after two games we'd all take that. Just need to learn from the mistakes from last night and grab a win in Tampa.

 

[All Mod Cons]

need to change up the lines to get the captain going. put him back with nylander instead of the black hole that is mikheyev. put mikheyev on a 3rd line and make it more a defensive line. he and engvall aren't scoring anytime soon (combined 0 goals in their last 26 playoff games). put in spezza and only play one of simmonds/clifford as tampa will have the last change.

For 11mil a year, he has to get himself going. Honestly, I think you worry about putting 3 lines together that can play well and just sacrifice whatever line Tavares is on.

Kerfoot Matthews Marner
Bunting Blackwell Nylander
Engvall Kampf Mikheyev
Clifford Tavares Simmonds or Spezza on the line

 

[HellasLEAF]

Guys I'm having a change of heart on the 4th line. The way this series is being officiated there is no room for tough guys.

Simmonds and Clifford have shown they cannot control themselves on the ice and it's costing the team big time. Had the Leafs pk not put on an all world display in GM 1 could be down 0-2 not entirely on penalties but mostly. Tampa is just too good to be this sloppy I cannot believe the number of penalties the Leafs have taken.

Sorry can't be trusted. What the Leafs really need is more guys like Blackwell on the 4th. Smart, high energy, up and down the ice with a bit of edge.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

I would go back to Kerfoot on L1.

Kerfoot - Matthews - Marner
Mikheyev - Tavares - Kase
Nylander - Kampf - Engvall
Bunting - Blackwell - Spezza

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

Bunting - - Matthews - - Marner
Engvall - - Kerfoot - - Nylander
Mikheyev - Tavares - Blackwell
Clifford - - Spezza - - Simmonds

Rielly - - - - Boosh
Muzzin - - - Brodie
Giordano - Liljigren

Campbell​

 

[ToneDog]

For 11mil a year, he has to get himself going. Honestly, I think you worry about putting 3 lines together that can play well and just sacrifice whatever line Tavares is on.

Kerfoot Matthews Marner
Bunting Blackwell Nylander
Engvall Kampf Mikheyev
Clifford Tavares Simmonds or Spezza on the line

Never in a million years.

 

[Rude Dog]

Mornings feel so much better after a Leaf win.

 

[zeke]

So how many penalty-taking goons is Brind'Amour dressing as his Canes embarass the big bad Bruins?

 

[authentic]

Mornings feel so much better after a Leaf win.

Honestly cheer up because we're still going to win.

 

[KPower]

I have very low expectations after last nights game.

Vasilevsky is just so much better than Campbell that the leafs will have to outplay Tampa significantly to win this series.

It’s doable but highly unlikely. I hope I’m wrong though.

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Engvall - Kerfoot - Nylander
Tavares - Kampf - Mikheyev
Clifford - Blackwell - Simmonds/Spezza​

 

[AuraSphere]

If spezza isn't in the next game for simmonds - I'm going to be pissed lol

 

[Rob Brown]

I have very low expectations after last nights game.

Vasilevsky is just so much better than Campbell that the leafs will have to outplay Tampa significantly to win this series.

It’s doable but highly unlikely. I hope I’m wrong though.

Vasi has still let in 8 goals in 2 games. We can clearly beat him. We just need to stop talking dumb penalties and button up our special teams.

 

[zeke]

So looking at the nerd stats so far.....


Defense

- Muzzin-Brodie has been a beastly matchup pair, at 69.5xgf% against their best and allowed no goals against
- Rielly-Boosh has been very solid at 55.4xgf%, but they were at fault on the Perry breakaway goal and haven't been on the ice for a goal for yet
- Gio-Lilly has unfortunately been poor at 33.4xgf%, but at least have managed to outscore them 2-1, though that's against their bottom lines
- Rielly-Brodie is the "4th pair", used when we need offense, have only played a few minutes together but have killed it at 80xgf% and 1-0 in goals


Forwards

- Kampf has been an utter beast at 80xgf% against top matchups so far, and he's played with about 10 different winger combos and they've all been great as long as he's there
- Kerfoot-Matthews-Marner was dominant (83xgf%) and scored, Bunting-Matthews-Marner was poor (34%) but still scored
- individually the stars: Marner very good (55%), Tavares (50%) and Matthews (48%) not good enough, and Willy (42%) definitely not good enough
- Mikky and Engvall and Kerfoot all good and in the mid 50s
- Every 4th line combo has been not just bad but useless. Not only are they taking penalties everywhere but they;re getting crushed overall.

 

[ShaneFalco]