Post-Game Talk: Leafs win in SO 4-3 against VGK

[HogTown06]

Watched the 1st period and off to bed, was still awake to check the update for the Matthews goal.

Just watched the recap and noticed that Vegas needed a 5 on 3 to score the equalizer. A win is a win I guess!!!

Looking forward to the game tonight (to the 1st period at least).

GLG!

 

[Mess]

Just saw the box score. Grossly outshot and blew a 2g lead in the 3rd. Still got the dub . Any cause for concern ?

After taking a 3-1 lead Leafs were outshot 14-6 in the 2nd period and went over 12 minutes without a shot and in the 3rd were outshot 12-2 and only 1 shot in OT.

Over the course of the last 45 minutes of play the Leafs mustered but 9 shots on net, before pulling off the W in Shootout.

Avs game had a similar story of jump out to a early lead and then almost try an hold on for 1 point and play for the 2nd point in OT.

That is not the type of winning formula you would want come playoff time, to sit back and try and protect a lead as that is the opposite of "killer instinct".

Tampa Bay won, Florida won, Boston keeps winning, so Leafs got 3 out of 4 points in back to back road games to keep pace so that is the positive takeaway.

 

[ToneDog]

After taking a 3-1 lead Leafs were outshot 14-6 in the 2nd period and went over 12 minutes without a shot and in the 3rd were outshot 12-2 and only 1 shot in OT.

Over the course of the last 45 minutes of play the Leafs mustered but 9 shots on net, before pulling off the W in Shootout.

Avs game had a similar story of jump out to a early lead and then almost try an hold on for 1 point and play for the 2nd point in OT.

That is not the type of winning formula you would want come playoff time, to sit back and try and protect a lead as that is the opposite of "killer instinct".

Tampa Bay won, Florida won, Boston keeps winning, so Leafs got 3 out of 4 points in back to back road games to keep pace so that is the positive takeaway.

With the goaltending we got last year, we could be in deep sh1t. Soup has been truly remarkable and this with our shutdown pair playing poorly.

 

[Mess]

With the goaltending we got last year, we could be in deep sh1t. Soup has been truly remarkable and this with our shutdown pair playing poorly.

Without even attempting to research this theory but Jack Campbell must lead the NHL in [Saves above Expected] and in turn resulting in [Points in the standings earned above Expected] as an extension.

He is simply rock steady game in and game out, so quiet in the net, facing shots head on and making endless saves to keep his team in games night after night, in what seems the ice is tilted in the opposition favour when it comes to shots against and scoring chances.

Campbell is giving the Leafs ELITE goaltending, and along with Matthews goal scoring the 2 biggest reasons for Leafs success on this season so far.

If Leafs were only getting league average goaltending the Leafs would likely have 10-12 less points at this time as he is stealing games on incredible saves and is really in the zone.

 

[TMLAM34]

3 out of 4 points in the last two games where we could have easily gotten 0 with how poorly we’ve played… I’ll take it.

 

[Zybalto]

Leafs with Marner in the lineup: Top xGF% in the NHL

Leafs without Marner: sub 48% xGF%

He cant come back fast enough. Probably the most underrated player in the league around his own teams message board looking at some of the posts lately.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Leafs with Marner in the lineup: Top xGF% in the NHL

Leafs without Marner: sub 48% xGF%

He cant come back fast enough. Probably the most underrated player in the league around his own teams message board looking at some of the posts lately.

Misleading small sample size. Marner's a very good player but he's not the difference between us being the best team in the league and being below average, there's just no way that makes sense.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Well done boys .. 2 tough games and 3 points on da road .. that is well played .. Soup is playing lights out and Willy OMG when he plays like last night wow another game where he was our best player .. if Pietro not playing he would have been best on ice .. little beef in giving a STAR to Matty while he did play solid he had a Ritchie moment on Vegas 2nd goal where he let his man go and did not scrap hard to get back in defensive position and stop it .. to me that warranted giving Willy da STAR .. but clearly media guys said NOTHING cause it is Matty .. to me i look at TEAM and people who called out Ritchie seem to hide behind their screens and not call out Matty funny how that works in life .. also Muzzy needs to teach Rielly how to eat pucks on boards .. this is what will happen in playoffs and even your best guy needs to be able to withstand a hard hit and hold on with his feet .. he needs to understand it is situation like that best to slow game down and brace for hit .. trying to make plays to create offense are fine but you have to pick moments .. Soup should have seen forecheck scheme and all he has to say is play is an EAT .. Rielly then can slow down and setup puck stoppage and whistle .. a few little things for Keefer to work on and explain and Muzzy can have a teaching moment

But my bigger bone is again with refs .. sure Vegas was outplaying Leafs in 2nd and 3rd BUT I am sick of this game management .. 10 minutes left and 2 big guys fighting for puck on forecheck McNabb and Cliffy and ref calls a TRIP when McNabb fell over in a tussle for puck .. common man that is not right and in playoffs that never gets called .. so bottom line that game never gets to OT .. refs handed a point over to Vegas in their barn .. no fans likely watched it or stayed up but it was a JOKE .. they may have scored tying goal anyhow as they were pressing as we had lost our legs for sure but it still does not make GAME MANAGEMENT by refs RIGHT .. it stunk again .. piss poor NHL league reffing strikes again in regular season

 

[Mad Scramble]

The Clifford penalty for those that missed it

 

[Racer88]

Same here. My shift started at 7.

For me it’s feeding horses at 6am every day

 

[Mess]

3 out of 4 points in the last two games where we could have easily gotten 0 with how poorly we’ve played… I’ll take it.

The Avs and Knights games were going to be great tests to see where our Leafs stood as a measuring stick and while one has to be happy with 3 of 4 points in the standings the overall play and perhaps better put as outplayed and outshot [Avs 49 shots - 25 & Vegas shot 34-18] told a much different story.

Leafs really took on the role as the underdogs in these games, used their talented offense to pop and few goals early to jump out front and then hold on for dear life in periods 2 thru OT and hope a rock steady Campbell would shut the door and Leafs could then pull it out in extra time for the 2nd point and win.

Good Cup competitive teams once out in front, would put the pedal down, and keep driving the offense and take advantage of the opposition playing from behind and taking extra risks and capitalizing to increase the lead.. Our Leafs looked like they hit the brakes, almost stop playing and were hanging on for dear life trying to protect 2 and 3 goal leads and then watched them vanish, before once again trying to salvage the outcome.

Leafs could easily have lost both games if not for Jack Campbell stealing them points, but it required making numerous game saving saves.

Like the results can't be too pleased with the performances as that was more lucky then good to earn them, as Leafs were clearly the 2nd best team in this games.. IMO

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

The team was rolling before COVID postponed all our games for weeks. I think we should cut them a little slack as were still as of this morning 6th overall in points, and 3rd in point percentage. Not holding back to back leads is frustrating but we still got 3 of 4 points in the process.

 

[Ciao]

So, one team won on the shot clock and the other team won on the scoreboard. Where have we heard that story before?

I don't mind how many shots the Leafs give up if they continue to find a way to win.

The Leafs are ahead of Vegas in the standings. Vegas couldn't find a way to beat them, despite outshooting them. The Leafs have better goaltending, and from what I've heard the goaltender is a very important member of a hockey team. Vegas had some injuries and Covid illnesses, and so do the Leafs.

From what I can tell, the Leafs seem to have a pretty good hockey team, and this morning I am just going to enjoy that.

There were too many years when the shoe was on the other foot not to enjoy the moment now.

 

[Zybalto]

Misleading small sample size. Marner's a very good player but he's not the difference between us being the best team in the league and being below average, there's just no way that makes sense.

He's a top 5 defensive winger in the league and certainly a step above Kase on Matthews wing and the Leafs score at a top end pace this year with him provided Ritchie isnt playing alongside. Not only do the stats reflect his insane value to the team, as big a statistical differential as any player in the league but the eye test and feel of the games is hugely noticeable.

Only 8 games (going 4-2-2, most of which had Campbell steal us points in) I know but theres almost a concerted effort out there to even bizarrely pull him off the top line despite Bunting/Matthews/Marner having the highest xGF% of any line in the league this year and Matthews/Marner being maybe the most effective duo in the league since put together. You talk small sample sizes and yet are nodding along when half the board are talking about leaving Kase on the top line despite him not being as effective as Marner while also ignoring the Kampf line has been less effective as well without Kase.

What the team has to do is, when everyone is finally back, get back to the old lines that were absolutely rolling the league and not start making huge changes.

If anyone is paying attention to the complete game.....D, transition, chemistry...it's really not a surprise to see why the Leafs look so much worse without Marner. He's one of the best players in the game and his absence sends shockwaves down the lineup that just cant be replaced.

Bunting-Matthews-Marner (71.4 xGF% this year, the best in hockey for its sample size)
Kerfoot-Tavares-Nylander (Top end 2nd line)
Mikheyev-Kampf-Kase (Unbelievable matchup line)
Ritchie/Engvall-Spezza-Simmonds (Ritchie subbing in when toughness needed or a vet needs a break)


These lines would steamroll the league just like they were before.

 

[Oscar Peterson]

Tavares still feeling some of the effects of COVID? Did not look good for the second night in a row. Did make a solid hit behind the Leaf net late in the 3rd though.

I wonder if this is possible for a few of our players, because IMO we do look a little bit slower since coming back from the break. I recently got over Covid myself and haven't had any cold/flu symptoms for days now but my energy and breathing are both still not 100%, a ton of my friends are in the same boat as well.

 

[ponder]

When you are the top faceoff team in the NHL and facing a bottom 5 faceoff team statistical you save the timeout.

A strong faceoff advantage is like, 55/45. When my guys have been hemmed in and are clearly exhausted, I don’t want to risk an ~45% chance of them having to face huge pressure/cycle again without a rest - which is what happened. We were extremely lucky not to get scored on, tonnes of stellar chances against, and all 5 Leafs were crazy exhausted. They were all stuck out there for 2-3 mins of intense pressure, and all were so gassed they sucked for the rest of the period, it was a huge momentum shift even without a goal. Timeouts aren’t that valuable, this was clearly the time to use it IMO.

Just a lot of bench management mistakes this game. Awesome that we won anyways, but the coaching staff need to be better.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Only 8 games (going 4-2-2, most of which had Campbell steal us points in) I know but theres almost a concerted effort out there to even bizarrely pull him off the top line despite Bunting/Matthews/Marner having the highest xGF% of any line in the league this year and Matthews/Marner being maybe the most effective duo in the league since put together. You talk small sample sizes and yet are nodding along when half the board are talking about leaving Kase on the top line despite him not being as effective as Marner while also ignoring the Kampf line has been less effective as well without Kase.

Come on now, you're better than this. Leaving Kase on the top line strikes me as an incredibly dumb idea and it's disappointing to me that you would accuse me of "nodding along" with such nonsense.

 

[ToneDog]

The Clifford penalty for those that missed it

LOL. Saw the call live but when I look at the replay, I gotta shake my head. Thought Cliffy looked fast on that play.

 

[zeke]

Without even attempting to research this theory but Jack Campbell must lead the NHL in [Saves above Expected] and in turn resulting in [Points in the standings earned above Expected] as an extension.

Goals Saved Above Expected

1. Andersen +16.57
2. Shesterkin +16.50
3. Saros +14.20
4. Campbell +13.80
5. Jerry +13.40

[He Does Not]

 

[Zybalto]

Come on now, you're better than this. Leaving Kase on the top line strikes me as an incredibly dumb idea and it's disappointing to me that you would accuse me of "nodding along" with such nonsense.

Well, it's nice to hear you jump right out and clarify that. Didn't mean to disappoint.

It's just kind of crazy how many people believe it is all (and not getting much pushback either). I just made the connection as the same people who are calling for something like that are almost always the ones to downplay just how much worse the team is/looks/feels without Marner in the lineup.

Good news is Campbell has been a rock and the team is getting timely (and a few lucky) goals so it hasnt cost us too much in the standings.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

The Clifford penalty for those that missed it

Thanks for putting up video .. I knew instantly watching game it was a JOKE game management call .. gave Vegas a point .. this is pro hockey and at highest level and refs just can't decide games like that it is flat out wrong .. sure Vegas was outplaying us yes but still you can't give us a penalty to help Vegas out like that .. it needs exposure .. these refs past 2 games screwed with us in 3rd period .. why????????????????

 

[-DeMo-]

Not our best game, and man, there was some INSANELY bad bench management. In the 2nd, guys get hemmed in, exhausted, ice it, and … no time out. Then even worse, too many men while killing a penalty, giving away a 2 man advantage that lead to the game tying goal.

But hey, 2 points, I’ll take it! Coaching staff needs to get their heads out of their asses, though.

you can no longer call a timeout after icing's

 

[Al14]

I still have no idea what Clifford did to earn a tripping call. That's also the 3rd or 4th phantom penalty in the last few games that the Leafs broadcast haven't bothered to show a clear replay of.

I still have no idea what Brodie was doing getting on the ice during the PK with nobody coming off. It feels like terrible changes have been a Leafs staple for over a decade now.

Also, two goals against from passes from behind the goal line. That's starting to be a trend.

It's still strange to see Mikheyev scoring on opportunistic bounces instead of flubbing breakaways. I hope he keeps it up.

Exactly, if anything it should have been an interference call against the Vegas player that just FELL OVER !!! Again, it's the NHL favoring U.S. based teams against our Leafs. It takes a generation on a waiting list to get Leafs season tickets, so jobbing our Leafs isn't a risk !!!

 

[Niagara Bill]

Well, it's nice to hear you jump right out and clarify that. Didn't mean to disappoint.

It's just kind of crazy how many people believe it is all (and not getting much pushback either). I just made the connection as the same people who are calling for something like that are almost always the ones to downplay just how much worse the team is/looks/feels without Marner in the lineup.

Good news is Campbell has been a rock and the team is getting timely (and a few lucky) goals so it hasnt cost us too much in the standings.

The bad news is we just found two teams that can easily outskate us. We could not control them defensively or physically but Soup was the difference period.
Poor d play, absolutely no toughness or pushback. WTF is Clifford doing on the ice. If you want this guy for the room then make him a flippin coach.

 

[axman15]

The Clifford penalty for those that missed it

Got excited when the penalty was called, I thought for sure it was interference on Vegas. The only reason Clifford tripped him was because he was interfered with. Makes absolutely no sense how Clifford got the penalty here, very confusing call.