Post-Game Talk: "mennhhhhhhhhhhh" LEAFS WIN! Californian Dream? 2nd in the Atlantic

[Vexed]

Big win! Puts us second in the division and we've covered the games-in-hand at this point.

Time to take it and run with it

 

[legendinblue]

Huuuuuge win!

 

[Summer Rose]

I passed out at 2nd intermission (I think, honestly I was so drunk I don't remember).

What the hell happened?

 

[McGuiresMonsters]

I passed out at 2nd intermission (I think, honestly I was so drunk I don't remember).

What the hell happened?

You missed out on the rare and eluusive "Leafs actually ****ing hold onto a 3rd period lead" outcome.

 

[SprDaVE]

We held on to a lead? Amazing.

Bernier had a great game, a day after I called him out for being average lately. Good stuff.

 

[Summer Rose]

You missed out on the rare and eluusive "Leafs actually ****ing hold onto a 3rd period lead" outcome.

You can do me a favor and beat LA on Thursday too, right?

 

[Al14]

Ok, on my way to the Dentist shortly! Saw only the first 10 minutes of the game. From what I saw, we were pretty darned good. This morning, I find out we won!!!

Well, Bozak and Ranger haters, do you all still hate? That's all I'm going to say!

I'd just want to give Rich Peverly all my best! I died once too and was brought back to life by Paramedics! CPR and a single shock from a defibrillator worked wonders. I understand!!!

 

[Gary Nylund]

Tonight against Anaheim was exhibit A of how misleading Corsi and shot stats can be. The Leafs got badly outshot, but watching that game as a very critical home fan (who is usually hard on the team), I still felt like they dominated overall.

I am perhaps even more critical but I agree, the shot totals were very misleading and this is a good example of how little shot totals alone tell you. I wouldn't quite say they dominated though.

Taking these things into account, I think tonight is a perfect microcosm for the Leafs season and an explanation on why we continue to defy these advanced stats... This team is willing to constantly give up low quality shots, and continue to wait for higher quality offensive shots. Some nights it will bite us in the ass, but it's not as doomed a strategy as some may think. We seem to have the personnel to pull it off with consistency.

This on the other hand is just getting carried away. There have been a ton of games that were nothing like last night, where we were indeed dominated. A microcosm for the season this game was not.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Tonight against Anaheim was exhibit A of how misleading Corsi and shot stats can be. The Leafs got badly outshot, but watching that game as a very critical home fan (who is usually hard on the team), I still felt like they dominated overall.

- Extended periods of possession favoured the Leafs
- Ducks shots were shots that our team was mostly willing to give up, from low percentage areas and without a screen
- Leafs shots were mostly high quality, a lot of times they would pass up a shot to continue to cycle the puck and maintain possession
- Speed advantage was noticeable, but understandably, was dialed down once we were protecting the 3-0 lead

Taking these things into account, I think tonight is a perfect microcosm for the Leafs season and an explanation on why we continue to defy these advanced stats... This team is willing to constantly give up low quality shots, and continue to wait for higher quality offensive shots. Some nights it will bite us in the ass, but it's not as doomed a strategy as some may think. We seem to have the personnel to pull it off with consistency.

Yup. It's all but useless, I'd say. Certainly doesn't help determine where teams will finish up the regular season, anyway. The "corsi" argument has officially been LOST by those that have tried to use it. We have, and continue to, SUSTAIN our winning ways. Who knows what it'll mean for the post-season, as that's a completely different beast, but for the reg. season? We've PROVED it means almost nothing.

Give up 44 shots on goal......Push most of those shots to the outside.............take only 23 yourself.......and win 3-1. And we've done that countless times, over the last two seasons.

LOL.

Our game-breakers were simply better than YOUR game-breakers.

 

[Brewsky]

I don't get it, I thought everybody hated Ranger, now were back to singing his praises? Lol

 

[SprDaVE]

I don't get it, I thought everybody hated Ranger, now were back to singing his praises? Lol

It's almost like when he playes bad, he gets criticized, but when he plays good, he gets praised.

It's weird how that works.

 

[ThePacific]

Rangers game has been pretty good lately, *knock on wood* hopefully he keeps it up! I definitely was a Ranger Hater lol

 

[Nithoniniel]

Glad to see that so many noticed the Ranger game. I was defending him even during the tough times because I thought so many jumped on every little mistake and refused to see the good he brought. I was never really arguing anything else than that he was a decent alternative as a bottom pairing d-man, right now he is playing way better than that though.

San Jose is a different kind of team, I think they might give us more problems than Anaheim. Any points tonight would be a bonus.

 

[ImpartialNHLfan]

I don't care about corsi and advanced stats, I care about wins. Some people just like to witch, god I miss the simpler times.

 

[Warden of the North]

Rangers had one boss shift in the third. He knocked down like 4 ducks in a row. The good 'ole heavy Dman lean. It was great.

 

[theIceWookie]

Are the Leafs really going to make the playoffs and maybe even finish with home ice advantage (#2 Atlantic seed) across a sample size of 82 games? I think this would be the first time the worst possession team in the league has made the playoffs, let alone finishing top 3 in the Eastern Conference. The Leafs, like the Raptors, are benefiting from a weakened Eastern Conference. To be fair though, straight 5v5 is arguably not as good of a measure for performance as 5v5 score close (tied games or when the game is within 1 goal). But even at 5v5 score close, Leafs are still 29th in the NHL in Corsi and Fenwick and 28th in shooting differential.

The Leafs are 3rd in teh Eastern Conference over a 66 game sample size. It's looking more and more that, yes they can actually make the playoffs in an 82 game sample size.

Also benefiting from a weakened Eastern Conference? The Leaf are tied in the East for the most wins against the Western Conference with 13. They have a winning record against Western teams with a 13-8-2 record.

In fact, if you didn't notice, they just beat the 2nd best team in the NHL last night, a team that happens to be in the West...

.....
also - i'm getting tired of the "Weak East." argument. you can't say "the Leafs are where they are because the East is Weak." the Leafs are where they are because they are really playing well - despite some really mind-boggling stats. the Leafs have beaten a lot of western teams with those same stats. the Leafs are a young team, make horrendous decisions sometimes but we can never give them credit when they play well: which they did tonight.

The Leafs record against West teams is 13-8-2. If I did my math correctly, that means they have a point percent of .609

If you have a winning record against the West, that's not benefiting solely from the East lol.

 

[theIceWookie]

I'm getting pretty tired of all the posters mentioning corsi or possession stats, or sample size or the idea that the Leafs are feasting off the East.

Through 80 percent of the season, the Leafs are in a top 3 spot in the Eastern Conference.

They also have a winning record against Western teams over 23 games, where they have won points at a .609 percentage.

They also just handily beat the 2nd best team in the league, a team who happens to be in the Western Conference.

Last season it was "oh it was a shortened season" and "it's not sustainable".

At what point does it become apparent that maybe they are capable of being a playoff team?

 

[NoTouchIcing]

Rangers had one boss shift in the third. He knocked down like 4 ducks in a row. The good 'ole heavy Dman lean. It was great.

Are you saying .... that he had his ducks in a row?

 

[Warden of the North]

I'm getting pretty tired of all the posters mentioning corsi or possession stats, or sample size or the idea that the Leafs are feasting off the East.

Through 80 percent of the season, the Leafs are in a top 3 spot in the Eastern Conference.

They also have a winning record against Western teams over 23 games, where they have won points at a .609 percentage.

They also just handily beat the 2nd best team in the league, a team who happens to be in the Western Conference.

Last season it was "oh it was a shortened season" and "it's not sustainable".

At what point does it become apparent that maybe they are capable of being a playoff team?

To the analytic community its always going to be a fluke.

To that point I just listened to one of them on the radio, who typically screams and shouts "small sample size" when the leafs are on a hot streak, use the terrible streak pre-Christmas to discredit the Leafs. Sample size apparently only counts when its in a negative connotation and supports your argument.

 

[ACC1224]

The whole Team played very well but I thought Bernier, Clarkson, Ranger, Gleason all had their best games of the season.

Really weak play by Gunnar on the only goal against but no complaints otherwise.

 

[LeafOfBread]

Glad to see that so many noticed the Ranger game. I was defending him even during the tough times because I thought so many jumped on every little mistake and refused to see the good he brought. I was never really arguing anything else than that he was a decent alternative as a bottom pairing d-man, right now he is playing way better than that though.

San Jose is a different kind of team, I think they might give us more problems than Anaheim. Any points tonight would be a bonus.

You and me both man. I remember how much **** people gave you for defending Ranger earlier in the year He played bad at times but did not nearly deserve the criticism he got. Especially when that boat anchor Mark Fraser was dragging his ass down.

 

[LeafOfBread]

To the analytic community its always going to be a fluke.

To that point I just listened to one of them on the radio, who typically screams and shouts "small sample size" when the leafs are on a hot streak, use the terrible streak pre-Christmas to discredit the Leafs. Sample size apparently only counts when its in a negative connotation and supports your argument.

We're at over 100 games of playing this way, I wonder when the sample size will stop being small

 

[Srsly]

Once again the Kessel line and Bernier steal a victory for a team that would be horrid without them.

I love my Leafs and I'm excited for the win but we're an injury away from obliteration.

I was disappointed to see Perry pass kessel in terms of goals of it was nice to see Kessel get a three point night and make up ground on Getz.

 

[Drew311]

Is it just me or has Paul Ranger looked like a legit top-4 D-man for this last stretch?


Hold your horses, this defense will come around yet!


Bozak has been an ELITE 2-way center this year. No doubt that he's setting a new career high this year.

I hate to say it, but Franson has actually looked decent the last few games. If you take away his egregious miskates he's a useful guy. The problem is his egregious mistakes, and you can't have a guy in your top 4 (making top 4 money next season) who makes so many obvious blunders.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Small sample size.

There are some in the media who can't make a living unless they are being anti Leaf. As they pass into history they will cry all the louder. But in their defense this is a team which wins without playing defense mostly. We have actually allowed more goals then we have scored. Corsi this and corsette that.A bizarre team that wins. I mean how do you coach agsint them," Just go out and outshoot them boys, we are bound to lose."