Post-Game Talk: Leafs win game 3 5-2

[djdev]

Things the Leafs need to clean up:

1) They need to dial it back a bit on the PK when it comes to looking for offensive chances. Their game is to be aggressive but the Kerfoot play on the PK where he just stopped in the middle of the ice waiting for teammmates to catch up and hope for an odd man rush is too stupid. You can't do that vs Tampa and there's no shame in dumping the puck in on a PK.

2) Leafs need to stop galaxy braining themselves when they get the puck in the defensive zone. They love making cute short passes in high danger areas when they don't need to. It's going to burn them one of these days. Again, you cannot be making those types of plays vs a team like Tampa. You can't be doing that against any team - remember Dermott from last year.

Matthews, Marner had a really weak game tonight. They need to find a way to overcome the Cirelli line.

Tavares doesn't have it, I'd be content if he just played his matchup to an even 0 at this point. I dunno if he's playing injured or if he's doesn't match up well vs Tampa.

Engvall, Kampf, Mikeyhev is an amazing third line to have.

Big difference between this series and the Montreal series is that while the big guns have been shut down, the depth has picked up. Last year Kerfoot, Spezza and Nylander did almost all the scoring. Not good enough. This year we've gotten goals from Kampf, Engvall, Bunting, Mikeyhev, Kerfoot AS well as Marner, Matthews. Nylander has played really well but it's not going in for him. Tavares I'm worried about but if the team can prop him up, I'm fine.

to be fair they have 1 less SH goal than tb has pp goals, i know what u mean but its been working fairly well given how the bolts finished the season on the PP

 

[Havoc]

We lost the Corsi For though

Not Gio. What a beast.

These new guys are crushing it. Boosh Kampf Gio Blackwell.

 

[2 Slick]

Pros: Fantastic secondary offensive contributions outside of Tavares, Matthews, Marner and Nylander.

Kampf, Blackwell, Giraffe, Mikheyev, Lyubushkin and several others looked fantastic.

Super Pros: Jack Campbell was absolutely clutch when it mattered most. Those clutch saves on Tampa's final powerplay was the chef's kiss for me. Absolutely proving my earlier concerns about him wrong.

Super Meh: Holl. You cannot make a pinch like that when you're up 3 to 0, totally hanging out your defensive partner out to dry, taking a game-changing penalty. Tampa scored shortly after and controlled most of the play the rest of the second period and much of the third period as well. If not for great penalty killing and Jack Campbell, it may be heading to OT right now.

Holl should be benched in game 4. He was also brutal in the third period on the final penalty kill, just muffining the puck instead of making a simple play to get it out. He was the Leafs' worst player, which I doubt you'll find many that disagree with me on that one.

Disappointed: John Tavares and William Nylander continue to be non-factors in the first three games. I'm not talking about great efforts, but not scoring because of bad bounces. I'm talking about a lackluster effort from both of these guys. Yes, I get it, Tavares is masterful in the faceoffs, you don't need to preach to me about that, I know how hockey works. I also know that he's not our Captain and second line center and there only there as a face-off specialist. He was absolutely disappointing to me in this game. Nylander and Tavares HAVE to contribute offensively, they HAVE to be on the scoresheet. They HAVE to be a factor offensively, you CANNOT rely on Marner, Matthews, Bunting and secondary scoring from our 3rd and 4th lines to do it all. WAKE UP!

I don't think that Matthews, Marner and Bunting were dominant in this game, but they had some good looks in the third period. I don't feel they drove the play enough offensively at 5 on 5, they need to be a little more impactful. I realize they weren't awful and have contributed tons of points in the first 3 games, just some constructive feedback is all.

With that out of the way, THE LEAFS take a CRUCIAL win in Tampa and answer right back. VERY proud of their overall effort. Can't always expect to dominate an entire 60 minutes, not against the defending Stanley Cup champions. They still were the better team through 60, but wish they would've pushed the pedal a LITTLE harder late in the second period, but all is well.

Great series! SOOOO happy, soooooo PUMPED, sooooo STRESSED, sooooo EXCITED! I LOVE THE PLAYOFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BigGulpsEh]

We lost the Corsi For though

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Tampa Bay Lightning, 2022-05-06

www.naturalstattrick.com

God dammit!! Its 2-1 tampa series lead

 

[zeke]

Means nothing. Was handling the puck like a grenade and multiple boneheaded decisions led to either a goal or grade A chance on his part.

Or maybe your eye test means nothing.

 

[TakeTheBody]

Well fought game boys. Relax on Holl. He's a 5-6 defenseman and plays like it. Maybe question why he's even in the line up. That seems fair. He battled made a mistake. That's what 5-6 defenseman do. Chill, let's go up 3-1 in the freaking series.

 

[Mugzy97]

Win or lose yet another example of this team mentally shrinking in high pressure hockey. So sick of this

This aged well

 

[Commander Clueless]

My friggin heart!

 

[CelticDruid]

We have our home ice advantage back , all is good in the hockey world

 

[HamiltonNHL]

lol, that cracked me up

I though my apple watch saying i died four times was low as i felt like dying around 10 times

 

[Craigo85]

I'm optimistic Nylander and Tavares will redeem themselves during the playoffs .... Seriously I am .... No seriously ... Well I hope so at least ....

 

[MattySnipes]

 

[BayStBullies]

Turn off the live thing pls it's driving me nuts already

You can turn it off. It's annoying to find the option, Google it. You have to join a group or something.

 

[Gallagbi]

And there were so called "stats" people here who wanted to trade Muzzin while thinking Holl is A star d-man

LOL

P.S. Screw you Holl for giving Tampa momentum. They had nothing gong before his boneheaded play

It was nice to see Muzzin bounce back after a really rocky game 2

 

[Confucius]

Already 5 pages lol... awesome.

Maybe 6 by the time I type this.

Mik scoring 2 lol

Really though so happy they held them off and made it easier at the end. Such a big W. I've been suckered in many times but they do really play like a team. They got a real shot here.

Engvall should be taken to the wooden shed. I mean Cmon passing off to Mik was just wrong. just take the shot and end it. Why make another pass?

 

[HamiltonNHL]

God dammit!! Its 2-1 tampa series lead

Dubas neutral about the W.

Totally stressed about the Corsi loss

 

[HockeyVirus]

So historically, the winner of game 3 when the series is tied 1-1 has a 67% chance of winning the series. It's a f***ing sign!

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Why make another pass?

was fairly low risk pass

 

[LeafSteel]

We won the 1st half of the game and hung on for dear life the rest.

Campbell was a rockstar and the biggest reason why we won.

Sitting Simmonds and Clifford turned out to be the right call, and instead of spending the game trying to show how tough we are, we showed how fast we are, and made it clear how irrelevant Maroon is. If anything we showed him to be the liability that he is, instead of someone taking us off our game.

Only other thing is Holl should not play again. He did not do anything to bump Liljegren and his penalty gave Tampa life. Unless there’s an injury, he shouldn’t draw in again.

This is one of those that your goalie shines and need him to stand on his head. Campbell did and he got them the win.

Feel good, get into Vasi’s head, and bring it again for game 4.

Go Leafs Go!

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Didn't have to be big boys win the game, depth showed up and won for us.

Campbell was huge too. Type of game that stifled the Leafs on the other end in years' past.

Bottom 6 was great. Top line was awful the entire game. 2nd line was too at the mid-way mark, but was good in the first half. IDK if it is the food poisoning or what, but Nylander goes from looking great in the first half to completely sinking the line in the second half. Kase too was having a lot of trouble clearing the puck, and then Tavares was spending a crap ton of energy killing cycles and engaging in board battles down low only for Kase and Nylander to fail to make easy clears. He was really struggling to win draws cleanly after a strong first half, but even when he had a great tie-up, Kase and Nylander were always slow/weak on puck battles and races.

Matthews and Bunting have to get their heads out of their asses... Absolutely crap for pretty much the entire 60 minutes. Marner was at least blocking shots and was great on the PK. Matthews stunk on the PP and flubbed at ES too.

Defense struggled to clear the puck out but it was as much to do with the wingers as anything. All 4 lines' wingers were awful at clearing out the puck today, especially in the 2nd half. Lyubushkin and Holl had some iffy moments when it came to pinches and cycling in their own end, but in general, I thought the defense was fine if we were able to have the forwards do a much better job with their defensive responsibilities.

I will take the win, especially after a strong first half where we were far better than Tampa, but that 2nd half and the overall effort from that top line at ES is absolutely not going to cut it if we want to get anywhere.

 

[Optimist]

With our team speed, we beat this Tampa team 7 times out of 10. We should win this series.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

K my prediction of Tampa in 5 is now gone lol, call me out, im just so happy we won lol

My Leafs in six is a virtual lock.

 

[TheRumble]

The Sportsnet Broadcast noted that Tampa is making breakouts by long stretch passes up the middle of the ice and when they did that, they started dominating the play. That will be something the Leafs have to clean up and adjust to going forward.

Toronto's defenses is very good when it comes to neutral zone play but that's only if teams like Tampa break out by carrying it out.

 

[Cleetus]

My Leafs in six is a virtual lock.

I hope so!

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Super Pros: Jack Campbell was absolutely clutch when it mattered most. Those clutch saves on Tampa's final powerplay was the chef's kiss for me. Absolutely proving my earlier concerns about him wrong.

Absolutely !