Toggle sidebar

Series Talk: Round 2: Leafs vs. Panthers

  • Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
SprDaVE said:
You know how the Leafs played down to their opponent in the regular season constantly? I really hope we don't see that out of the Leafs in this series.

Should be an interesting match up.
Click to expand...

Fortunately, the Cats appear to be an exception to that, we matched up against them pretty well in the regular season. Less fortunately, all of those games (save one) were really close and went to OT.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TMLeafer and SprDaVE
I think Carolina is better suited to playoff hockey than the Leafs - but they're the only one that I think is a legitimate problem.
 
Long, long ago, there was a trio of goalies from the motherland named Sorokin, Shestyrkin and Samasanov. They were the 3 most hyped goalie prospects in the world. With Vasilevsky, they became the 4 horsemen of the goalie apocolypse.

Vasi, of course, went on to win multiple Cups. Shesty won a Vezina. Sorokin will likely win his this year. Samsanov...well, he was released by his team and forgotten about.

Now, on the eve of Game 7 between NJ and NYR, there is a distinct possibility that Samsanov could be the only one to advance to the 2nd round this year.

I want to see it happen.
 
Confucius said:
The league has done an excellent job by selling the fans and even the players it is more prestigious to win a tournament than the regular season. I too find the playoffs more exciting but it doesn’t cloud my judgement on which team is the best and which team got lucky or hot at the right time.
Click to expand...
OK so what do you base your judgement on? Is there some formula, or is it just a feeling? How do you decide who the best team is? Does it change from week to week, month to month or does it stay consistent all season? Do you look at the playoffs at all, or just the regular season - can you tell us now who the best team is or do we need to see more playoff action before you decide?
 
Peasy said:
Going back to Florida. I gotta say, I can't stand Florida's camera angle in their rink so not really looking forward to that. Feelings more confident then against Tampa, but it will still be a tough series. Leafs will need to play well defensively to win.
Click to expand...

they fixed the low angle didn't they? i don't remember it being an issue this year
 
Strangle said:
The Leafs should be the better team in every area. But they were against Columbus, Montreal and played better than Tampa last year.

Have they learned what it take to put away an opponent they should beat? Or will they play down to their competition? How will the special teams game play out? Is goaltending going to be a factor in the series?

GO LEAFS GO!
Click to expand...
I don't want to sound overconfident but I don't think the short comings of recent years really apply to the current team.

Those are valid questions, but this is not the team that iced Foligno, Clifford and Simmonds in previous series, this new incarnation with ROR, Schenn and Acciari has some proven winners that are making a much better contribution and allowing the core to play like they should.

I for one am very excited about this next series.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mix1home, CabanaBoy5 and Strangle
Zybalto said:
Leafs were 3-0-1 vs. Florida this season so theres hope there even if the goal differential was closer that I would have liked (15-10)

I was one of the few out there saying Florida was a pretty bad draw for the Bruins seeing as Florida played them tough (2-2 against them during the regular season) and that Florida had great underlying numbers but crap goaltending all year. Ullmark having played only 2 playoff games (0-2) also played into it.

Florida is a solid playoff team that was great down the stretch and is as good as any team out there if they get solid goaltending.

Leafs should not be a massive favorite here, just a solid one with their home ice and advantages with depth. Florida is only one year removed from being the Presidents trophy winners and have shown they wont quit. I don't think much of Maurice as a coach (the guy had the best goalies in hockey and one of the best cores in the league and managed to screw it up) but I am worried about a team that thinks they can win any game against any opponent.
Click to expand...

All it takes is a little bit of luck. TBL played amazingly well and the Leafs were still able to take that series in 6. I don't think Florida has the same level of forechecking and ability to break out so I do think the Leafs matchup a lot better against them but... Everytime I think the Leafs are the favourites, I'm wrong.

But yeah, I hope the mindset is the same mindset they'd have if they were playing Boston.
 
Cats feel like a team with nothing to lose. Riding a high from taking down the best team to ever do it. I don't think this series will be easy at all. We're going to have to come to play.

We all know how our squad tends to play down to their opponents, so lets not talk down the opposition too much. We know what they can do. This series is every bit as much of a coin flip as the last one.

Excited to see the boys compete in the 2nd round!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: LeafGrief
No Leaf team would underestimate the team that knocked out Boston. Florida is playing hard hockey, playoff hockey, and being backboned by a goalie that is looking dialed in. We are going to be in tough.

That said, having finally won a series, and imho having the better talent, we can beat the Panthers if we play without fear. My 4 key players, no, 5 key players who will be difference makers for TO:

*Samsonov, play like he has and we’re looking good.
*Schenn, I didn’t see this much good coming from Luke, he’s steadied the right side.
*Liljegren, can his skating and passing be strong enough to help break the puck out, and offer Gio the passing option Gio didn’t have with Holl? A confident TL would be a huge boost to our 3rd pair.
*Knies, hugely impressed by this young man, mistakes and all. By no means a line driver, his game compliments any of our top 3 Cs. Keefe has used him well, I’m curious where he will fit against Florida.
*Rielly, more Mo, please.

If the rest play as they have, or better, I’m confident this team can...nope, not going there. GLG!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Captain34, The Apologist, LeafSteel and 2 others
  • Like
Reactions: HolyCrap, Leaf Rocket, The Apologist and 1 other person
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Top Bottom