Post-Game Talk: Leafs win in SO after giving up another two goal lead

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I understand the positive takes. We've played like crap for the most part, our blueline is decimated, Samsonov has regressed badly, and yet we have still found a way to compile an impressive record (on the surface).

However, anyone who has watched this team closely can see that there are currently many red flags in terms of our competitive balance.

Being near the bottom of the league in regulation wins is bound to catch up with us at some point.
 
So on one hand people blame the losses in those 5 years on the "core" not showing up, and then complain about a winning record to start a season where virtually all of those wins are because of those exact same core players showing up? The issues with the current team are in fact completely different from the reasons those prior teams didn't advance.
Mmmm, maybe not, it is called leadership not in playoffs, not now
 
With the plays and passes he makes he gives the opposing team plenty of chances to win.
I don't disagree with you re: Matthews play in November. He seems to not be giving us his full potential and flubs more plays than usual for a player of his talent. I fully expect him to take a puck to the face and go off for 5 goals at some point. Someone should snipe him in practice.
 
Take the wins and move on.

Considering to some our stars are struggling and our D has had their share of injuries...but we still have a pretty good record.

Has it been pretty? No but in the end who cares?

Its like getting all worked up losing in the playoffs.....in the end ....if you dont win the cup...does it
really matter what round you lose in?

Just keep on piling up the wins like we have for several years and be one of the top teams in the league and then give it another shot in the playoffs where the rules change to benefit the goons and less talented teams.

Considering all the whining ....we are 5 pts behind the all mighty bruins who do no wrong and we have a game in hand.

Enjoy the ride :)
 
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So on one hand people blame the losses in those 5 years on the "core" not showing up, and then complain about a winning record to start a season where virtually all of those wins are because of those exact same core players showing up? The issues with the current team are in fact completely different from the reasons those prior teams didn't advance.
No. The core can play in the regular season when attention to detail and the level of compete is not ramped up. It’s great that they earn enough points to make the playoffs, but they are on the exact same course as in yrs past. The plays they made in the first period are not available in the playoffs, heck they weren’t available in the 3rd period last night, and they never have an answer.

They were having fun in the first and were playing loose, but when it gets tougher, they are fragile. Marner raised a red flag in the 1st intermission interview when he said something to the effect he was scared he was going to miss the wide open net. That fear has reared its head all too often over the years; JTs return to NYI, game 6 prime time Sunday afternoon against Boston, CBJ to get into the playoffs, up 3-1 to TTOE, all the games seven…..

Not being able to put the Kraken away last night, in isolation shouldn’t be a big concern, but with their past it reeks of the same ol crap.
 
Not true Matthews assisted on 2 of them
Wait a minute, assists aren't a measure of anything except maybe a lack of being able to score goals. Ask the Marner critics, they're the only ones who can explain it adequately, it's a twisted tale of half baked logic and exceptional mental gymnastics, but they're more than happy to do so.
 
I think people are just looking for reasons to complain. The Leafs can be 4 points out of the division lead after Saturday with a game in hand. Whether they win in OT or a shootout, the points still count.

There are obvious areas of concern but I agree. If you listen to the majority of people here on talk about this team you’d think we are a bottom feeder.
 
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There are obvious areas of concern but I agree. If you listen to the majority of people here on talk about this team you’d think we are a bottom feeder.
It's wild. If the team comes from behind to win a game, people complain that they started too slow. If the team gives up a lead and wins the game, people complain that they couldn't "lock it down". All against the overarching and incomprehensible complaint of "they aren't a serious team". Then you look at the standings and realize they have one of the top winning percentages in the league with their 8th, 9th and 10th defensemen playing regular shifts. Basically, the regular season can't end soon enough.
 
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Thats my boy Mitch Marner right there helluva game right there Mitchy. Woll is the crease King.
 
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It’s the process and they've done this before and you can’t win in the playoffs playing like they are.
It is the process. But it is also the result. When the Leafs were all over Montreal and Tampa for two years and couldn't find a way to score then all of a sudden process went out the window.

Sometimes you need a bounce to go your way
 
I understand the positive takes. We've played like crap for the most part, our blueline is decimated, Samsonov has regressed badly, and yet we have still found a way to compile an impressive record (on the surface).

However, anyone who has watched this team closely can see that there are currently many red flags in terms of our competitive balance.

Being near the bottom of the league in regulation wins is bound to catch up with us at some point.
The million dollar question is, can the team be better? If so, that would be amazing considering the amount of points collected so far for half-assed play. This will be a 110+ point team again if that is the case.

Or is this who the team is? Mediocre. I'm sure I know what most of this board would answer. I think there is another gear, but we will see.

It's wild. If the team comes from behind to win a game, people complain that they started too slow. If the team gives up a lead and wins the game, people complain that they couldn't "lock it down". All against the overarching and incomprehensible complaint of "they aren't a serious team". Then you look at the standings and realize they have one of the top winning percentages in the league with their 8th, 9th and 10th defensemen playing regular shifts. Basically, the regular season can't end soon enough.
Oh there are a million of these. If our goalie makes 20 saves, then it wasn't a true test cause he wasn't tested. If he makes 40 saves, our leaky porous defence gave up too many shots.

If we win 7-1, it's not real, it's pond hockey that doesn't happen in the playoffs. Need to find a way to win those tough tight games. Then if we only win by 1, the team didn't work hard enough to put the other team away.

I could go on. People are looking for a Goldilocks 5-1 win, outshooting the other team 35-27, going 2/3 on the PP and perfect on the PK. Add in some fights, and maybe, just maybe, we have everyone happy. Oh wait, that was just a regular season game? Doesn't mean anything.... Shit....

I'm just being silly but.... am I wrong?
 
The million dollar question is, can the team be better? If so, that would be amazing considering the amount of points collected so far for half-assed play. This will be a 110+ point team again if that is the case.

Or is this who the team is? Mediocre. I'm sure I know what most of this board would answer. I think there is another gear, but we will see.


Oh there are a million of these. If our goalie makes 20 saves, then it wasn't a true test cause he wasn't tested. If he makes 40 saves, our leaky porous defence gave up too many shots.

If we win 7-1, it's not real, it's pond hockey that doesn't happen in the playoffs. Need to find a way to win those tough tight games. Then if we only win by 1, the team didn't work hard enough to put the other team away.

I could go on. People are looking for a Goldilocks 5-1 win, outshooting the other team 35-27, going 2/3 on the PP and perfect on the PK. Add in some fights, and maybe, just maybe, we have everyone happy. Oh wait, that was just a regular season game? Doesn't mean anything.... Shit....

I'm just being silly but.... am I wrong?
I'm the one who takes all of the heat for saying that this will be a 110 point team again, even though I will end up being right. I get all of the concerns about sloppy defense, and those are the only concerns that I believe are actually accurate. The rest - Marner sucks, Matthews is overpaid, Reaves is Reaves, etc., etc., etc. - is all just noise for the sake of noise. This team had two big issues going into the season - team defense, and goaltending. Unless my eyes deceive, the second issue appears to have been solved. Team defense can be fixed throughout the season with a few trades, which is exactly what is going to happen. Will it be enough when we get to the playoffs? Who knows. I think it will be, but so do the fans of a handful of other teams. Until we get there, the only purpose of any of these regular season games is to accumulate points, in whatever manner possible. They are doing that, and in fact doing it quite well, despite what many are saying.
 
It is the process. But it is also the result. When the Leafs were all over Montreal and Tampa for two years and couldn't find a way to score then all of a sudden process went out the window.

Sometimes you need a bounce to go your way
Of course they’ll have stretches of success in a series, but they never really over-achieve.

If you’ve watched the first 20 games and you've witnessed the exact same problems on D, with the core, with the bottom 6, coaching, etc, what makes you think they’ll get it together this time?
 
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Of course they’ll have stretches of success in a series, but they never really over-achieve.

If you’ve watched the first 20 games and you've witnessed the exact same problems on D, with the core, with the bottom 6, coaching, etc, what makes you think they’ll get it together this time?
I am not sure. I only have hope.
 
People are mad at a win, when half our defenseman are injured, and our starting goalie imitating Vesa Toskala?
 
I am not sure. I only have hope.
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.

Id like to see them change the coach to add little more chance to your hope.

People are mad at a win, when half our defenseman are injured, and our starting goalie imitating Vesa Toskala?
The worst part is you dont even realize the D are hurt…..other than Klingberg which made them a little better.
 
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Woll and Marner won that game for us. Another blown lead and another game in which we let an inferior opponent off the mat.

We have been very fortunate to bank as many points as we have considering how we've played, but the luck will run out eventually. It's time to shape up if we want to stay in the playoff picture.
It really is remarkable how we've been able to do as well as we have given how we still haven't played our best.

- defence is lacking size and puck movers
- goaltending has been inconsistent, Woll has been good most of the time
- Matthews and Marner have not played very well, particularly Matthews
- newcomers have been underwhelming especially Klingberg and Reaves
- Kampf has not been the defensive stalwart we thought he was
 
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