Post-Game Talk: Leafs win 5-3 against the Stars

[Sypher04]

I didn't rhink Nylander did anything worth mentioning tbh. Below average performance for him imo.

I agree. It was a pretty flat game from all 3 on the top line imo.

 

[weems]

Looking at some of the advanced stats and the one that jumps out is High danger goals for %.

We rank #1 in the NHL in this statistic 5v5.

We've scored 38 and only given up 23 against.

 

[Nineteen67]

Just got back. Dominance in big D continues. Fantastic second period , particularly their zone exits. Good enough rest of the way. Awesome pk, not so great 6 on 5.

WHat a slug getting to and from. The north dallas highway shutdown due to police activity. But glad i saw them again !

Do you live in the Dallas area? I’ve been there twice this fall and we enjoyed ourselves enough we’re planning to go back a few more times next year.

 

[Jojalu]

That's a fair point. I guess I've just seen all of the boxes checked in the regular season only for the playoffs to fall flat. If he's having an off-year, to me, I personally don't care if it means he'll be able to finally breakthrough in the postseason. If he doesn't, they I'll be at the front of the line questioning why they wouldn't give him more time off in the season to get healthy.

I will be really surprised if he plays in the Four Nations Cup

Which is the fair way to look at it.

If Matthews was at 20 goals and 45 points right now, all that would be said was " So what? Let's see what he does in the playoffs"

 

[All Mod Cons]

And all the roads we have to walk are winding
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
There are many things that I would
Like to say to you
But I don't know how


Because maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
And after all
You're my wonderWOLL

Got tickets to see them in Toronto in August. f***ing pumped. It'll be 20 years since I last saw them live.

Gonna get out the old parka and Adidas city series and pretend it's the late 90's again.

 

[Sypher04]

Looking at some of the advanced stats and the one that jumps out is High danger goals for %.

We rank #1 in the NHL in this statistic 5v5.

We've scored 38 and only given up 23 against.

View attachment 948057

Hmm, interesting. Given our troubles with goal production so far this year, I’m not sure one would have guessed that.

This does actually make some sense though, as we have been “usually” generating our chances, but we have a portion of our forward group that simply isn’t very talented and other guys who have been out or playing through injury that would usually help our conversion to goals.

 

[fahad203]

Got tickets to see them in Toronto in August. f***ing pumped. It'll be 20 years since I last saw them live.

Gonna get out the old parka and Adidas city series and pretend it's the late 90's again.

When I think of Oasis, I always think of Oasis Aqualounge downtown Toronto....

I miss those bands, Oasis, Blur, Smashing Pumpkins

Don't forget to wear your Reebok Pump

 

[LeafGrief]

Our goalies > anyone else's goalies. After years of gambling the season on wacky tenders, we've struck gold. I desperately hope Woll can stay healthy moving forward, because he's got the stuff to be the real deal. Just so incredibly calm in there.

It is also NOT A COINCIDENCE that our third line is fire when Bobby McMann is back. Guy is a player.


@Darcy Tucker

That is some intense benderposting, especially on a Wednesday night. I hope you're alright.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

i do agree that woll was shaky on the 2nd goal and was solid but that last comment seems a bit of a stretch

we've gotten nhl goaltending in years past alot, 2022-23 and the first three years of andersen being great examples.

people aren't going to like it but this season is very very reminiscent of the 2022-2023 keefe's leafs. That team had one superstar (Marner) leading the way offensively, with nylander providing great support behind with tavares too. Matthews was very injury prone that year too and was on pace for the exact same points through his 22 games as he is right now. We were also incredibly stingy defensively and samsonov was spectacular that season, with murray and woll evening each other out to give us an above average goaltending tandem

what I'd say the real reason for us being first is how shit the atlantic is now here is where that team sits in the past years in the atlantic 32 games in and if we keep this point pace up. Note i am taking those leafs out and replacing this iteration in:

brackets are the end of the season finish of a .656
2023-2024: 2nd (3rd)
2022-2023: 2nd (2nd)
2021-2022: 3rd (3rd)
2019-2020: 2nd (3rd)

this pace would never have us being first and for the most part we wouldn't even be sniffing first. The team has been great no doubt, but we can't just say being first is all us when the division has literally fallen apart around us.

We haven't gotten goaltending like this in almost 21 years, 2004 with Belfour was the last time I was close to this confident in our goaltending.

You brought up Freddy Andersen but he was the only option for most of his tenure, they never had a quality goalie behind him for most of his tenure and when they did Dubas came in and IMMEDIATELY waived him, and handed the job to his Boy Garett Sparks because he was and is an idiot.

Jack Campbell was good for about 6 weeks total during his tenure and then crumbled.

Mrazek's groin may as well have been made of melted cheese .

Now We have 2 actual goalies.

Question is do we have 3?

We'll find out Hildeby is going to get a chance to play some games.

So far even though he's 2-1 and there have been flashes, not impressed.

You can call it a defense issue with him in net but an 875 save% is NEVER a defense issue that's just not good enough.

Now he's only played 3 games so a couple good games will fix that right.

But as of now he's got to be A LOT better

 

[Sypher04]

This idea the Atlantic is bad is not reality. At least, not really any more so than most, if not all, the other divisions.

The Atlantic has 3 of the top 10 teams in the NHL and every division has weak teams.

The only thing that’s changed really is that Boston has slipped a bit this year (so far) while Ottawa has improved. There is more parity among the top 3 Atlantic teams than we’ve seen in a while but that doesn’t make the division bad. The bad teams remain bad but that’s been the case for years.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Lucky win but great to see Domi, Robertson and McMann getting going because we need scoring outside of the big guns.

 

[Sypher04]

Lucky win but great to see Domi, Robertson and McMann getting going because we need scoring outside of the big guns.

Very encouraging. If we can start getting consistent production from our 3rd line, we are going to be incredibly difficult to beat.

 

[Dekes For Days]

I'm glad that Dallas' goalie was trash and we were able to get the win, but this is getting really worrying. This is looking too much like Carlyle Leafs.
1st line was really out of sync. 3rd line is coming together at least.

 

[Nineteen67]

This idea the Atlantic is bad is not reality. At least, not really any more so than most, if not all, the other divisions.

The Atlantic has 3 of the top 10 teams in the NHL and every division has weak teams.

The only thing that’s changed really is that Boston has slipped a bit this year (so far) while Ottawa has improved. There is more parity among the top 3 Atlantic teams than we’ve seen in a while but that doesn’t make the division bad. The bad teams remain bad but that’s been the case for years.

The whole league is bad and seems to be getting worse every year. How many players in the NHL have no business playing? 200+?

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

I mean, they won.

That's a good thing. Everyone wanted the depth to start scoring more and they did. Woll was his usual solid stoic self.

Timmins didn't have a very good game.

He wasn't the only one. There were a few others who could've done better. But at the end of the day they got the job done and that's all that matters.

Nobody cares if you look good so long as you win.

That's what the lesson here is. You think Dallas or their fans are happy with the outcome. They went out and gave it their best, were the better team, but still lost.

Anybody who would rather look good losing than look bad winning shouldn't be in sports.

 

[Dekes For Days]

We don't give up rebound opportunities, it saves us.

We are 21st in the league at preventing rebound shots against.

 

[ACC1224]

Our goalies > anyone else's goalies. After years of gambling the season on wacky tenders, we've struck gold. I desperately hope Woll can stay healthy moving forward, because he's got the stuff to be the real deal. Just so incredibly calm in there.

It is also NOT A COINCIDENCE that our third line is fire when Bobby McMann is back. Guy is a player.


@Darcy Tucker

That is some intense benderposting, especially on a Wednesday night. I hope you're alright.

Our boards very own Frank Gallagher

 

[GoonieFace]

Matthews, Marner and Willy were all terrible.

Reaves needs to GTFO.

Woll was incredible.

Got the 2 points.

 

[Nineteen67]

I mean, they won.

That's a good thing. Everyone wanted the depth to start scoring more and they did. Woll was his usual solid stoic self.

Timmins didn't have a very good game.

He wasn't the only one. There were a few others who could've done better. But at the end of the day they got the job done and that's all that matters.

Nobody cares if you look good so long as you win.

That's what the lesson here is. You think Dallas or their fans are happy with the outcome. They went out and gave it their best, were the better team, but still lost.

Anybody who would rather look good losing than look bad winning shouldn't be in sports.

In any one game that would be true, however they haven’t been playing well lately and have been bailed out by goaltending all season. Goaltenders are a part of the team so there’s no shame in that, but if you look at the Bruins the two season prior to this, relying on them is not the ideal recipe.

 

[ToneDog]

Matthews, Marner and Willy were all terrible.

Reaves needs to GTFO.

Woll was incredible.

Got the 2 points.

Woll and Oettinger won this game for the Leafs. 4 goals on first 8 shots while being outshot by a huge margin.

 

[Jojalu]

Interesting.

Leafs are down .7 GPG this season.

Matthews is down .6 GPG this season.

 

[HellasLEAF]

Lucky win but great to see Domi, Robertson and McMann getting going because we need scoring outside of the big guns.

The Leafs did not win because of luck last night but I agree with the rest of your comment.

Woll and Oettinger won this game for the Leafs. 4 goals on first 8 shots while being outshot by a huge margin.

The defence, PK and timely scoring were also factors in the win.

 

[SprDaVE]

Interesting.

Leafs are down .7 GPG this season.

Matthews is down .6 GPG this season.

Keep the goals for the playoffs this time.

 

[DarkKnight]

I do hate the first line configuration. Just get it over with and move them, it ain't a long term option. Berube didn't seem impressed either.

 

[Zybalto]

Top 5 forwards for 5v5 xGF% from the game:

1. Reaves
2. Matthews
3. Knies
4. Marner
5. Nylander

Top Leafs line (by a mile):

Marner-Matthews-Nylander

I love it when the fancy stats dont match what most people saw lol.