Series Talk: North Division Round 1: Leafs (1) vs. Canadiens (4)

[Math the wild rose]

I hope you get rid of this team in first round easy

I'll burn a candle for the leafs at my local church and put a needle in my Carey Price voodoo doll.

 

[Bluelines]

.06 is nothing like a rounding error. Varlamov is the guy in 2nd at .929, in order to drop his average down to .923 he would have needed to give up 7 more goals on the same number of shots in his 35 starts. Or conversely, be scored on 7 straight times in his next start without making a save.

Campbell has been great, not arguing that, I just wanted to point that out.

7 goals is not a lot over a 56 game season, that is like 1 goal extra every 8 games. I guess that was my point, when you get down to hundredths of a % point, its really not a big difference in GA.

 

[Gallagbi]

.06 is nothing like a rounding error. Varlamov is the guy in 2nd at .929, in order to drop his average down to .923 he would have needed to give up 7 more goals on the same number of shots in his 35 starts. Or conversely, be scored on 7 straight times in his next start without making a save.

Campbell has been great, not arguing that, I just wanted to point that out.

I'd say .06 in save% is generally dropping you a tier. It's the difference between elite-good-average-questionable-fringe NHL

 

[Mess]

Kind of ridiculously unfair North teams have to play Back to Back... WTF is that?

Its obviously because of the Vancouver covid situation and the North getting the late start because of needing to finish off the regular season games first.

The b2b puts these series back on pace with the ones that will begin earlier.

 

[leafsfan5]

It’s so dumb we have to play a b2b in the playoffs. Just start the series a couple of days earlier, no one wants to watch Vancouver Calgary

 

[Trapper]

It’s so dumb we have to play a b2b in the playoffs. Just start the series a couple of days earlier, no one wants to watch Vancouver Calgary

I think Montreal also has to play in a back to back so they will just have to deal with it.
If that can cost us a series we probably aren’t that good anyway.

 

[bossram]

Because last year the alternative was Hutchinson....not Freddy. You may not agree with it but that's what is going to happen based on everything that's been reported.

And this year it looks like Hutchinson is legitimately better than Fred.

I'd be terrified if they turn to Fred in the nets. He's not in game shape, or he's declined worse than anyone thought. If they need to lean on him to close out a series...yikes.

 

[leafsfan5]

I think Montreal also has to play in a back to back so they will just have to deal with it.
If that can cost us a series we probably aren’t that good anyway.

It shouldn’t cost us the series but it puts us both in an annoying position regardless. Waiting 6 days for a couple games who no one cares about is pointless, especially if it results in a b2b

 

[BertCorbeau]

The back to back is stupid but it evenly affects both teams. The Habs have a fair share of injuries to their team too.

If you're in a must-win situation you probably start Campbell on the second half (if they're down 2-1 in the series or 3-0). If not, then Rittich IMO. Depends on the situation and how Campbell plays too. If they're down that many games in the series, Campbell has probably struggled anyway.

 

[Notsince67]

Weird how leafs fans have to be humble but Habs fans with the worst team in the playoffs get to be cocky and talk shit.

The leaf fans who feel the need to be humble in light of all the shit talking that has gone on from different fan bases, have a lot to be humble about.
I wish their humility would silence their need to figuratively self flagellate as representatives of leaf nation. They won't make friends from the other fan bases and they give fuel to the trolls who smell blood.

 

[Notsince67]

Let's hope marner is engaged the first game

Hopefully Matthews can skate on his own instead on Marners back for a few games

 

[Menzinger]

Screw being humble. Other fan bases won't offer the Leafs a shred of humility, I don't know why Leafs fans need to behave different ly.

We have a great team, be proud of it

 

[Mess]

5th overall team in the league vs. 18th overall. Round 1.
Doesn’t get clearer than that.

Leafs Nation intrepidation stems from the fact the Leafs tend to play down to their level of competition, despite being the much better team. Just look how much difficulty the Leafs had with non playoff bottom teams like Ottawa and Vancouver this year for an example.

When the Leafs are the underdogs like they were against Washington, and Boston X 2 in previous years, they put up a real good fight, but much like last year with their #3 vaulted offense heavily favoured against CBJ bottom 3 offense, it was the Leafs that came out firing blanks which lead to a series upset and early exit to the underdog Jackets.

This year the gap is even larger in terms of favourite and underdog as Montreal likely wouldn't even have qualified for the playoffs if this was still the Atlantic Div teams competing. Leafs couldn't be drawing and easier opponent..

The Leafs should make quick work of the Habs in 5 or so games, but there is still that inkling that Leafs can fold under the pressure of big expectations and be out early. There really shouldn't be much to worry about realistically as Leafs should cruise to final 4, but until they prove then can there will always be some lingering doubt.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Screw being humble. Other fan bases won't offer the Leafs a shred of humility, I don't know why Leafs fans need to behave different ly.

We have a great team, be proud of it

I think being humble relates more to the embarrassments we've seen from the Leafs' in the last decade and their lack of playoff success.

Would rather see something happen in the playoffs to give some ground to stand on.

 

[Menzinger]

I think being humble relates more to the embarrassments we've seen from the Leafs' in the last decade and their lack of playoff success.

Would rather see something happen in the playoffs to give some ground to stand on.

Imo that's all ancient history at this point.

 

[Natey]

wrong thread lol

I was in the Jays forum and somehow got here LOL good luck guys!

 

[Muston Atthews]

This would be an epic series if there were fans in the stands or if you were legally allowed to watch with your friends

 

[BertCorbeau]

Imo that's all ancient history at this point.

Sure but other fanbases don't forget. And if the Leafs' lose another series loss, especially to an inferior Montreal team, compounds the embarrassment.

To each their own though, you all can go nuts.

I've felt the burn too many times, especially living in Calgary, to want to be thumping my chest. So I'll just be sitting quietly until the Leafs' give me a reason to be loud.

 

[Notsince67]

Cue the habs fans claiming the schedule is unfair to them and to the leafs favor.

 

[Clark4Ever]

I'm cautiously optimistic even though I should feel overly confident. Too many psychological scars to feel otherwise.

 

[Fogelhund]

I'm cautiously optimistic even though I should feel overly confident. Too many psychological scars to feel otherwise.

We need to actually win a series, before we can be cocky... too many first round exits. Great team, great players, no success yet. Be humble, until you've won, and proven something. Regular season is meaningless.

 

[crump]

Wed-Fri-Sun-Tues-Thurs-Sat-Monday. There that wasn't so hard. Who cares about the afternoon Canucks game on Wednesday, This is all about splitting TV time so it's a different series almost every night. Also does this mean Andersen plays the second half of the Back to back

 

[Clark4Ever]

Wed-Fri-Sun-Tues-Thurs-Sat-Monday. There that wasn't so hard. Who cares about the afternoon Canucks game on Wednesday, This is all about splitting TV time so it's a different series almost every night. Also does this mean Andersen plays the second half of the Back to back

Based on last night, I'd rather go with Rittich if we have to rest Campbell for a game.

 

[DarkKnight]

Back to back playoff games are absurd.

 

[VanW27]

7 goals is not a lot over a 56 game season, that is like 1 goal extra every 8 games. I guess that was my point, when you get down to hundredths of a % point, its really not a big difference in GA.

7 goals over 35 starts, so one every 5 games .