GDT: Maple Leafs (15-8-1) vs Capitals (13-10-1) | 7:00 PM EST | Hockey Night In Canada!

[Leafs at Knight]

This one could be over in the first 5 minutes..

 

[Not My Tempo]

Martin and Moore I understand, but Polak isn’t an NHL player anymore. The guy ices the puck every other shift

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

14-4-1 without polak
1-4-0 with polak
Babcock sure doesn't seem like he builds the lineup to win every night

 

[Not My Tempo]

If Babs wants to play Polak I’d rather we go 11 Forwards and 7 D. If Polak doesn’t play great you can just rotate the other guy in

 

[IPS]

If you're really being objective, Carrick has been crap most of the season. Seriously, he's been a total mess in our own end, and his skating abilities rarely utilized. Polak isn't better, but he ain't really worse either, or at least you could cobble together a coherent argument to support it. Leivo being out is BS though.

Carrick is legitimately bad but Polak is another level of bad. Our bottom pairing is horrible.

 

[cookie]

97% sure we're losing this one.

The team's play has sucked,
now we're adding Polak to the mix,
on 0-days' rest,
having traveled back to Toronto
to face a Caps team just beat the Bolts last night

 

[IPS]

14-4-1 without polak
1-4-0 with polak
Babcock sure doesn't seem like he builds the lineup to win every night

His double standard is so obvious it's not even funny.

It can't be anymore obvious that Polak is done as an NHL player. Yet here is in our lineup yet again.

 

[WilliamNylander]

14-4-1 without polak
1-4-0 with polak
Babcock sure doesn't seem like he builds the lineup to win every night

If Washington doesn’t put up 50+ shots tonight they mailed it in. Our D with polak added to the mix on the 2nd night of a back to back is going to be ugly.

 

[Budsfan]

anybody got the link to the cbc player for tonights game ?

Looks like they changed the format...Try this

Hockey Night in Canada live video and chat - CBC Sports - Sports - CBC.ca

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

His double standard is so obvious it's not even funny.

It can't be anymore obvious that Polak is done as an NHL player. Yet here is in our lineup yet again.

Yeah obviously the record isn't all on Polak but it's glaringly obvious he's not fit for the NHL. Same with Dom Moore imo

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

The only bottom pairings I'd go with for the rest of the year is either Dermott-Borgman or if Derm is good enough to play top 4 then Borgman-Zaitsev. Everyone else is bad

 

[Discordia]

Easy loss. Mostly because Babcock sets this team up to lose before the puck drops. A lot of times this year they have won despite his poor decisions.

I see a blow out. 6-2 or something atrocious like that.

Horrible defense that has shown no signs of improving, with a bad goaltender who is cold as ice.

Pretty easy to see how this one ends.

Just want Nylander to get a couple of points - he's drowning out there.

 

[jrgtml67]

One would assume we come out flat, so going with how the Leafs usually surprise us, maybe they come out flying. I think that this is where last years playoff defeat plays a role in the game. No mystery we are sour about it, and have something to prove. Biggest key to the game is not take penalties because Ovi has that huge bomb, and Bacstrom and Kuzy are too skilled to keep giving them chances. Way to beat them is use our speed and draw penalties. Oddly enough Curtis is .10 lesser than Holtby who is having a tough year. I would not write us off so quickly. But if we play like last nights first we are in for a painful game.

Last night as well Matthews looked a bit off most of the game, hoping he can light a fire, Nylander actually looked good he just needs to score a beauty to get off the snide. That OT goal I think helped his confidence because he messed up right before that. He needs to score off a rush with his hard shot, he does that he will be back.

Note--Leivo may have scored, but other than that was very ineffective, as with Sosh. I really want to call up Kasper. Watched the Marlies game today, and last weekend he looks more ready than the other 2. Now we just need a trade to make room for him

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Easy loss. Mostly because Babcock sets this team up to lose before the puck drops. A lot of times this year they have won despite his poor decisions.

I see a blow out. 6-2 or something atrocious like that.

Horrible defense that has shown no signs of improving, with a bad goaltender who is cold as ice.

Pretty easy to see how this one ends.

Just want Nylander to get a couple of points - he's drowning out there.

a lot of times it's not a case of the coach being bad (there's no way anyone can tell me Babcock isn't a top 5 coach in the league, if not the best), but the players not gelling with his system and style of coaching. I guarantee the one thing Babcock is telling them to do is start on time, and game after game they don't do it. to me it shows that they're tuning him out that they continuously get shelled at the start of games. I think a big reason for that is his system doesn't work for the team we have

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I've said it before but this confirms it:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DPf3o8IVAAA_SYe.jpg:large

we were playing our best hockey until we lost to Ottawa and Babcock decided our play was not conducive to winning. Then it fell completely off a cliff. You can blame whatever you want for that but I don't think it's a coincidence

 

[BertCorbeau]

Easy loss. Mostly because Babcock sets this team up to lose before the puck drops. A lot of times this year they have won despite his poor decisions.

I see a blow out. 6-2 or something atrocious like that.

Horrible defense that has shown no signs of improving, with a bad goaltender who is cold as ice.

Pretty easy to see how this one ends.

Just want Nylander to get a couple of points - he's drowning out there.

Good to know. Might as well not watch it then.

 

[Cor]

Yeah obviously the record isn't all on Polak but it's glaringly obvious he's not fit for the NHL. Same with Dom Moore imo

I've been so disappointed with Dominic Moore. A couple decent games, but just a failure otherwise.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I've been so disappointed with Dominic Moore. A couple decent games, but just a failure otherwise.

Same. He's saved because he's a vet who PKs but if it were up to me his spot would belong to the Goat

 

[IPS]

Good to know. Might as well not watch it then.

Are you doubting Discordia's crystal ball???

Clearly you don't want next weeks lottery numbers.

 

[Gallagbi]

Same. He's saved because he's a vet who PKs but if it were up to me his spot would belong to the Goat

Fehr still makes a lot of sense, but it looks like something is going in there.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Fehr still makes a lot of sense, but it looks like something is going in there.

I think Fehr lost his spot because he publicly criticized Babcock

 

[TheGroceryStick]

This is going to be an exciting game.
Our forward group will find a way to click against tough teams and matchups these mediocre team make it hard, when Babs doesn't give assignments

 

[Maplebeasts]

I think we win this one. McBackup's playing for his job and Washington played yesterday too against a much better team than us. They've also been an absolute dumpster fire on the second half of back to backs this season from what I've watched.

 

[jrgtml67]

I seem to remember Curtis being the reason we won last time he played so unsure what you are talking about. And Carolina is so good defensively he opted for a more offensive lineup last night, but the boys didnt show up (just the 2nd period). If we show up we are almost not beatable. I do agree we cannot afford to wait 10minutes to start playing tonight, or it gets ugly fast, and not because of goal-tending but because the Caps have too much offensive skill to let them have the chances Carolina did. Hoping the playoff sour taste gives us some extra legs. I am almost positive tonight Martin goes after (I think it was again Wilson) for that cheap shot last time we played them (Wilson is a goof ball, dirty player).

GLG

 

[Maplebeasts]

I seem to remember Curtis being the reason we won last time he played so unsure what you are talking about. And Carolina is so good defensively he opted for a more offensive lineup last night, but the boys didnt show up (just the 2nd period). If we show up we are almost not beatable. I do agree we cannot afford to wait 10minutes to start playing tonight, or it gets ugly fast, and not because of goal-tending but because the Caps have too much offensive skill to let them have the chances Carolina did. Hoping the playoff sour taste gives us some extra legs. I am almost positive tonight Martin goes after (I think it was again Wilson) for that cheap shot last time we played them (Wilson is a goof ball, dirty player).

GLG

Yeah he had a good game last time, after being absolutely horrendous for 2 before. Make no mistake, Curtis's spot is not safe.