Post-Game Talk: Leafs win.

[Metroid]

Have a couple buddies that are pens fans, of course this is the one game they "didn't " watch but brought up the shit differential. Lol

 

[ACC1224]

I think we know full well what goaltending can do to you. This isn't to excuse the offense just that Fred's biggest achilles heel was timing. I will settle for timely goaltending without back breakers and the offense stepping up. I am most happy though with improvements away from the puck (to date).

Couldn’t agree more. Campbell brought the Freddie back breaker last year. Hopefully that’s a thing of the past.

 

[Discoverer]

I’m not one to complain about the refs but they sure gave the Pens every opportunity last night. Ice seemed tilted in that regard.

Yeah, the Leafs getting called for random/made up stuff and the Pens getting away with everything as soon as the Leafs went ahead by 2 was frustrating. Looking back, it actually made the game more exciting because the Leafs PK was amazing and kept getting odd-man rushes, but at the time it was pretty damn frustrating to watch Rielly get a tripping penalty because Crosby fell onto his stick and stuff like that.

 

[Crosscrease14]

That Rielly goal reminded me of Lupul's end to end about a decade ago. Some goals you just don't forget.

Great game

 

[JT AM da real deal]

WOW best game in forever from Rielly .. what speed .. we need that game in playoffs too .. a #1 D needs #1 speed .. he just flat out blew by everyone on Pens .. man I love that way to break up da ice .. it used to be much more normal in a pro game .. todays game has changed for da worse in that regard .. and like i told you guys Soup can get hot and cold over a season like every tender in pro hockey .. last night he was solid .. also shout out to Dermy played a real solid game .. you can really see da difference between Rielly and Dermy with their speed compared to rest of D core

 

[zeke]

Good game, just wanted to check in, are people ready to start seeing the Muzzin is the issue with the second pair, at least as much as Holl.

That goal against was just terrible defense from him and it's been the same all season.

Sandin already pinched on the rights side, but he inexplicably comes all the way across the ice to try to stand up Malkin. If Malkin recognized quicker all he had to do was lay the puck into open ice for a breakaway chance (sorry for the grainy screenshot)

View attachment 508463

But the play develops a bit slow so he has time to get back into decent poistion
View attachment 508464

But instead of pivoting as the puck goes to Malkin and being right in front of the play he does a full turn and somehow goes from being in good position in the high slot to standing in the corner 30 feet from the puck as his man bangs in a rebound within 3 seconds.

View attachment 508465

I honestly didn't like Matthews work on the forecheck where he let up as the puck rung around the boards and kind of looked back at the point expecting a pinch to get the puck instead of him - that drew Sandin into pinching when I'm not sure he actually wanted to.

 

[justloveleafs]

That rush by Rielly was vintage Bobby Orr. I guess he wanted impress his old mentor Brian Burke, because as good as Rielly is, I haven't seen him play that well before.

He was possessed. The power of that rush was unbelievable. Definitely the best I have seen since Bobby Hull and Orr.

 

[zeke]

I'm just pointing out something Scotty said (his benchmark) decades ago that I have always watched. I've played around a lot with decades worth of the most basic data to see if any stand out as predictors of teams making final four etc. Very little stands out but I suspect the PP/PK thing is almost as basic as puck possession. A game only has 3 states - ES, PP and PK.....If you're good at all 3, well your odds are certainly better.

I think I prefer Scotty's measure as half the league has a PK at 80% + and half the league has a PP at 20% +. Obviously it doesn't mean half the league will be at 100% but likely a lot more than would meet Scotty's measure.

The issue is that special teams are just not huge samples even during an entire regular season so it's really hard to know how much is good play and how much is random variation.

The biggest thing is that the players are gaining confidence and swagger on both special teams....when imo heading into last playoffs they were flat out scared to go on the PP because it had been so embarrassingly bad for so many months heading in.

That confidence on the PP should have the effect of loosening them up at even strength too, and give them more confidence in general in close games and when trying to come back from a deficit.

 

[zeke]

Big win and this is the style of game the Leafs are built for .. Wide open, end to end rushes, exchanging chances, skill on skill.

Unfortunately this while highly entertaining in regular season style play only and the playoffs are harder hitting, tighter checking and lower scoring.

Auston Matthews is not going to have multiple breakaways in the same game etc.

Yep, feel bad about this win everybody.

 

[Confucius]

The kind of game I was waiting for from Campbell. You don’t win cups without a couple of these in the playoffs.

But that is the case for any team that ends up winning.

 

[justloveleafs]

Michael Bunting - 47GP 16G 17A 33P

Zach Hyman - 41GP 15G 13A 28P

I was a huge fan of Hyman's but I honestly like Bunting even more. Phoenix should give up their team. How do you not sign this guy?

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

The issue is that special teams are just not huge samples even during an entire regular season so it's really hard to know how much is good play and how much is random variation.

The biggest thing is that the players are gaining confidence and swagger on both special teams....when imo heading into last playoffs they were flat out scared to go on the PP because it had been so embarrassingly bad for so many months heading in.

That confidence on the PP should have the effect of loosening them up at even strength too, and give them more confidence in general in close games and when trying to come back from a deficit.

I've long been a proponent of a stat that tracks PP and PK differently. It wouldn't address what you speak of but it just always strikes me weird that a one second PP or PK carries the same weight in the calculation as a 120 second one. Makes no sense.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

WOW best game in forever from Rielly .. what speed .. we need that game in playoffs too .. a #1 D needs #1 speed .. he just flat out blew by everyone on Pens .. man I love that way to break up da ice .. it used to be much more normal in a pro game .. todays game has changed for da worse in that regard .. and like i told you guys Soup can get hot and cold over a season like every tender in pro hockey .. last night he was solid .. also shout out to Dermy played a real solid game .. you can really see da difference between Rielly and Dermy with their speed compared to rest of D core

At current pace he would finish 6 shy of the club record for single season points for a d-man. Would be only the 7th time anyone hit 70+ (two for him, four for Borje and one for Turnbull).

 

[zeke]

I've long been a proponent of a stat that tracks PP and PK differently. It wouldn't address what you speak of but it just always strikes me weird that a one second PP or PK carries the same weight in the calculation as a 120 second one. Makes no sense.

All the advanced stats sites have goals/60 for the special teams. It's what I use.

 

[justloveleafs]

That is hilarious.

 

[kb]

Yep, feel bad about this win everybody.

It's a fluke because a mod who actively cheers against the Leafs says so.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

All the advanced stats sites have goals/60 for the special teams. It's what I use.

Ah good to know! I have mentioned it before for PP and PK and no one seemed to be aware of it being presented that way.

 

[ACC1224]

I've long been a proponent of a stat that tracks PP and PK differently. It wouldn't address what you speak of but it just always strikes me weird that a one second PP or PK carries the same weight in the calculation as a 120 second one. Makes no sense.

It washes out when you add the percentages together.

 

[TheGreatOne11]

I did that couple of years back (maybe it was 16/17) that the Leafs would make playoffs. Leafs made the playoffs and the other guy didn't honor his statement. He never left.

That might happen, but I'm not too stressed about it, it's up to him I'm not going to make a big deal about it lol this forum means more to some people.

 

[Duffman955]

WOW best game in forever from Rielly .. what speed .. we need that game in playoffs too .. a #1 D needs #1 speed .. he just flat out blew by everyone on Pens .. man I love that way to break up da ice .. it used to be much more normal in a pro game .. todays game has changed for da worse in that regard .. and like i told you guys Soup can get hot and cold over a season like every tender in pro hockey .. last night he was solid .. also shout out to Dermy played a real solid game .. you can really see da difference between Rielly and Dermy with their speed compared to rest of D core

Huh?

Rielly has been playing lights out this whole season. Not just 1 rush play

 

[Morbo]

It's a fluke because a mod who actively cheers against the Leafs says so.

I'm mysteriously unable to see who you're talking about...weird...

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Yep, feel bad about this win everybody.

No doubt it would have been the perfect example of a playoff style game against a seasoned contender if the Leafs had lost

 

[ACC1224]

Big win and this is the style of game the Leafs are built for .. Wide open, end to end rushes, exchanging chances, skill on skill.

Unfortunately this while highly entertaining in regular season style play only and the playoffs are harder hitting, tighter checking and lower scoring.

Auston Matthews is not going to have multiple breakaways in the same game etc.

Seemed like a playoff type game to me. Intensity seemed ramped up.
I'd expect this same type of game if they face Pittsburgh, Tampa or Florida in the playoffs.

 

[VanW27]

I honestly didn't like Matthews work on the forecheck where he let up as the puck rung around the boards and kind of looked back at the point expecting a pinch to get the puck instead of him - that drew Sandin into pinching when I'm not sure he actually wanted to.

Most of the time there's a goal against there are multiple things that could have/should have been done differently. For sure the Pressure from Matthews wasn't great and the pinch from Sandin was a bit awkward - but at that point we are still in good shape. 1 Dman back (Muzzin) and two forwards back in support (Bunting and Marner).

Bad read by Muzzin to come all the way across ice and stand up with the other D already caught, this is a repeated issue. Not sure what his deal is but over and over again he's rushed to the wall and given up the middle of the ice in the neutral zone with little to no support to cover him. He compounds that by not being able to make a simple pivot and takes himself out of the play.

Poor read, then poor skating and he takes himself from good position to bad, twice, in a span of 10 seconds.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

It washes out when you add the percentages together.

EDIT - read that completely wrong. LOL