Post-Game Talk: Leafs win 7-6 in OT

[saltming]

I'm looking forward to the Easter bunny and the return of the Aliens

Confucius say man with hand in pocket all day, feel cocky all day

 

[GodEmperor]

That's interesting. Since Matthews has now played 3 career NHL games on a line that didn't include Zach Hyman. Those games must have gone terrible for him since Hyman wasn't there to get him the puck.

Matthews 4 point night
Tavares hat trick
Kapanen 2 points in his first night on the 1st line

Babs: BuT HaVe YoU SeEn Ma BoY ZaCh HYmaN??????????

 

[34]

We can not afford to buy him out or even retain salary on a trade that involves only him. I am hoping that he can turn it around to be at least ok.

Would be good, but I don’t think he is any good. Plain and simple, bad contract. Reminences is Finger.

 

[Jmo89]

Yes. Levio has not been good at all.

Leivo has not looked great or anything bus has looked alot better than AJ and Brown. If AJ wants the spot on the third line he needs to earn it.

And for the record, I'm a fan of AJ and see him as part of the future top 9. I also understand there's an adjustment going from top line AHL player to 4th line NHL player, but IMO he's done nothing to take Leivo's spot. Brown has been equally bad though, and last night Kadri played horribly.

 

[Kiwi]

The left brother. If you're there cough violently until the paramedics arrive

That might come in useful one day

 

[GodEmperor]

I could see us winning the cup, Marleau is about to hand it to Matthews and Babcock runs over, lays Matthews out, takes the cup and gives it to Hyman.

 

[DarkKnight]

Hyman has been great on that line.

 

[GodEmperor]

Hyman has been great on that line.

He has, I'm just going through the thread and reading Babs' comments, like cmon man, THIS is the game you choose to say that? CMON!

 

[Throw More Waffles]

I wonder what the overall save percentage of both goalies' was in the final 2 minutes of that game.

 

[DarkKnight]

He has, I'm just going through the thread and reading Babs' comments, like cmon man, THIS is the game you choose to say that? CMON!

He salivates over JT and Mitch, just reminding everyone that he’s doing his job as well. To me he’s the perfect fit on that line.

 

[saltming]

Hyman has been great on that line.

2 points in 3 games. He will eclipse #50pointhyman if he can keep around that pace

 

[DarkKnight]

2 points in 3 games. He will eclipse #50pointhyman if he can keep around that pace

No sure why the guy who just works his ass off every shift has to endure all the vitriol. Ya, ya no hands...all .

 

[Kiwi]

Hyman has been great on that line.

He has his limitations but he's excellent at what he does well

 

[RomanianLeafs]

It.s incredible that we have AM JT and Mitch. .3 years ago nylander was our only hope and now he.s not even signed and we still don.t miss him..

 

[SweLeafsFan]

I miss him and I still think we would play better with him on the team, but I would miss him more without the players you mentioned.

 

[diceman934]

Leivo has not looked great or anything bus has looked alot better than AJ and Brown. If AJ wants the spot on the third line he needs to earn it.

And for the record, I'm a fan of AJ and see him as part of the future top 9. I also understand there's an adjustment going from top line AHL player to 4th line NHL player, but IMO he's done nothing to take Leivo's spot. Brown has been equally bad though, and last night Kadri played horribly.

Brown was very good last night and was flying. He prevented 3 quality goal scoring chances and with our Swiss cheese goaltending last night was pivotal in the win. Levio was has done exactly nothing.

 

[DanM]

Is it me, or does Toews hook A LOT and get away with it?

 

[Zybalto]

Im actually feeling better about our D than most. Hainsey had a second strong game in a row and Rielly was flying out there. After two very strong games, Zaitsev was meh but there has certainly been a trend towards playing him harder QoC and he's still being buried in dzone starts. Babs is right. Hes been our best defensive dman. This is a good thing as it opens up Rielly to do his thing on offense. My only big worry on D last night was Gards. I know hes got a new baby and missed half of camp but he just doesnt look confident with the puck yet. Marincin was so much better than Oz out there. Night and day.

Its only 3 games in though and so many of our goals against have been on bad defensive play from the forwards and brutal goalkeeping its hard to get a read. Its also October hockey and things will be completely different in a month.

Also, enough of the ragging on Hyman. He's had a solid career for us, looks great with Tavares/Marner and is playing above his pay. We need guys like him on the team. People crapping on him are as bad as the ones who think Zaitsev is a bad dman this year.

 

[Boutette]

Im actually feeling better about our D than most. Hainsey had a second strong game in a row and Rielly was flying out there. After two very strong games, Zaitsev was meh but there has certainly been a trend towards playing him harder QoC and he's still being buried in dzone starts. Babs is right. Hes been our best defensive dman. This is a good thing as it opens up Rielly to do his thing on offense. My only big worry on D last night was Gards. I know hes got a new baby and missed half of camp but he just doesnt look confident with the puck yet. Marincin was so much better than Oz out there. Night and day.

Its only 3 games in though and so many of our goals against have been on bad defensive play from the forwards and brutal goalkeeping its hard to get a read. Its also October hockey and things will be completely different in a month.

Also, enough of the ragging on Hyman. He's had a solid career for us, looks great with Tavares/Marner and is playing above his pay. We need guys like him on the team. People crapping on him are as bad as the ones who think Zaitsev is a bad dman this year.

I've been watching our D constantly make tape to tape passes to the opposing team all three games, something I have not seen our opponents remotely as guilty of. They've also been incredibly passive in letting opposition shooters have all the time they need for a good shot. I'll reserve my judgement of our goaltending when the defence starts showing a little defensive agressiveness and actually looks to whom they are passing to more than just half the time. I mean, white and read jerseys last night, why were there so many passes from the Leaf's D to guys in red jerseys?

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Brown was very good last night. He plays a 200 ft game and is not always noticeable. To me last night it became more obvious that Levio is struggling to help that line as he is far to slow to get to spot when Brown has directed the D man towards him and he is two steps to slow to get there.
Levio to me is an issue on that line and a speedy forward would look better but he needs to have some Jam as well.

I disagree heavily. Leivo's exceeded my expectations. He could be better but I've liked him more than Brown/Johnsson so far. There's been quite a few plays Leivo's made where Brown hasn't been able to finish. Leivo has good vision, great along the boards, and with takeaways. He reminds me of a worse-version of Mark Stone.

Marleau - Matthews - Kapanen
Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Johnsson - Kadri - Leivo
Ennis - Lindholm - Brown

 

[Jmo89]

Brown was very good last night and was flying. He prevented 3 quality goal scoring chances and with our Swiss cheese goaltending last night was pivotal in the win. Levio was has done exactly nothing.

I like Brown, but he made one nice play in the first 45 minutes. The last 15 he looked good. That goes along with a dismal first two games. As I said previously, Leivo hasn't been great by any stretch, but he has been the only player in the first 3 games with a decent forechek and cycle game on that line.

Kadri doesn't concern me. He's by far the best player in the bottom 6. However, Brown has been a bit lackluster since last season. I hope the last 15 minutes of last night's game are a sign of things to come.

 

[thewave]

Brown was very good last night and was flying. He prevented 3 quality goal scoring chances and with our Swiss cheese goaltending last night was pivotal in the win. Levio was has done exactly nothing.

Problem.. In 3 games Brown has made about 5 good plays and that's being generous. He's been completely invisible but if you want to point to a few good plays and declare victory... mission accomplished.

 

[disgruntleddave]

Brown is good when he's skating hard, which has been on and off so far.
You could say the same about Kappanen. When he's been skating hard, he's been visible.
AJ needs to do the same to be a good player for us - he hasn't done it much through 3 games yet.

When Babcock says that he wants Kappanen to play like Hyman, it's more about playing hard in general than specific skillset. When any of Brown, Kappanen, and AJ play with the same intensity as Hyman brings, they're good players.

Leivo hasn't shown up on the scoreboard but he has looked like he belongs just fine. His work ethic on the boards is needed desperately on this team. I feel that he could step up and be like a slightly more skilled version of Hyman on this team.

 

[diceman934]

Problem.. In 3 games Brown has made about 5 good plays and that's being generous. He's been completely invisible but if you want to point to a few good plays and declare victory... mission accomplished.

I have never agreed with your opinions in assessing players very often and this is another one. Carry on.

 

[Zybalto]

I've been watching our D constantly make tape to tape passes to the opposing team all three games, something I have not seen our opponents remotely as guilty of. They've also been incredibly passive in letting opposition shooters have all the time they need for a good shot. I'll reserve my judgement of our goaltending when the defence starts showing a little defensive agressiveness and actually looks to whom they are passing to more than just half the time. I mean, white and read jerseys last night, why were there so many passes from the Leaf's D to guys in red jerseys?

I don't think givaways were as big a problem last night as it was in the two previous games. There were a couple that were high profile but overall the Hawks D were much worse with the nice pressure we were putting on.

(Officially, the Hawks led giveaways 11-8 and it was 7-2 when it comes to D)

It should be clear to anyone with eyes that the keepers have been awful the last two games though. We win both games handily with average performances.