GDT: Stanley Cup Playoffs | Round 1: Game 3 - Leafs @ Sens; Apr 24 7:00 p.m. EST

[Warden of the North]

To be honest, these "rivalries" are more entertaining when the Leafs aren't the better team. The talent gap between the Leafs and Ottawa/Montreal is still too big for any real bad blood to develop.

Tell that to the early 00s when the Leafs were low seeds. They were bloodbaths.

 

[Mess]

Antony Stolarz has a 1.95 GAA and .934 sv% combined after 2 games.

Stolarz allows only 2 goals a game so Leafs need 3 goals to win on average.

 

[Mess]

 

[IPS]

Antony Stolarz has a 1.95 GAA and .934 sv% combined after 2 games.

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Stolarz allows only 2 goals a game so Leafs need 3 goals to win on average.

Paid dividends last game with the team on their heels for 2 periods. Bad goaltending means you usually lose those games - but life's a little different when you have a GM who actually knows what goaltending needs to look like.

 

[banks]

I'm not saying a sweep is guaranteed. I'm just saying I went to Home Hardware yesterday and bought a new broom. I have a feeling my old one will be pretty worn out by the end of the week.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Paid dividends last game with the team on their heels for 2 periods. Bad goaltending means you usually lose those games - but life's a little different when you have a GM who actually knows what goaltending needs to look like.

There is no doubt the last Gm was incompetent but Tre inherited Woll and Stolarz wasn't available at a song.

 

[Delete1]

I honestly think it might be due to a bit of dwindling interest too - from all parties, not just the Leafs.

You're probably right.

 

[1specter]

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Good. Berube knows he can't trot out that third line again

 

[banks]

All the credit that Ottawa is getting for their 5-on-5 play is seriously flawed. Ottawa has been trailing, essentially, the entire time in both games. The Leafs got a lead early in both games, and never relinquished it. Score effects matter. Of course Ottawa is going to have more shots and some sustained pressure. That's misleading.

With the lead, Toronto has played sound defensive hockey, like you should when you're ahead. I haven't felt the Sens are threatening much, based on the eye test.

 

[Clark4Ever]

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I like it. Put him back on the second line where he was most effective. He has the physicality and offensive instincts to make an impact.

I have a feeling that Robertson will be the odd man out.

 

[The Masters]

 

[v00d00daddy]

Shows he trusts them. I love it. The fact their numbers look good with this disadvantage also bodes well. You can't start the JT line in our end very often, even with him being good on draws

Won’t have much of a choice tonight. Let’s see how Willy handles defensive zone faceoffs.

 

[RomanianLeafs]

I can see this Going to the sens but after that it's over.. We win this in 5 games

 

[v00d00daddy]

People saying "Don't change a winning lineup" would usually make sense. Just not in the case where a small scoring winger Robertson is on a checking line and playing very poorly to the point he was benched the entire 2nd half of the game and was a liability out there every shift.

It's a really poor coaching decision to leave him in just to bench him after a mistake.

Pacioretty/Kampf are much better options. I actually like Robertson, he's just not a fit for where he's expected to play

I also think patches needs a skate to get used to the pace. If not tonight, when?

If the Leafs win tonight will Berube change the lineup for game 4?

If they lose tonight will he want Patches’s first game skate in months to be a crucial game?

Tonight’s the night for the change imo

Patches in. Robertson out

 

[Twine Tickler]

looks like Patches is drawing in tonight. I was originally on the standpoint of "don't change a winning lineup" but I also said I wasn't going to lose sleep over a Nicky Bobby HS.

Just finished watching Overdrive from yesterday and one aspect of this shift that I didn't consider is how motivated Patches will be. This is a guy that in all likelihood was ready to play games prior to the end of the season but was LTIR'd for cap reasons. He was likely told to get ready for playoffs. Fast forward to present day, and he is HS'd in games 1 and 2 because the lineup that ended the season earned their way into those spots. But you have to imagine Patches not being happy with that outcome, because he was ultimately doing the team a favor by staying on LTIR to be cap compliant. As in, how could he have earned his spot into a game 1 lineup if the team can't even afford to allow him to play his way onto it.

Point being, I can see Patches being VERY motivated and even pissed off. Both of which will be good additions in place of Nick. And at the end of the day, Nick hasn't done enough to stay in the lineup.

Maybe it was recency bias or just flat out forgetting what Patches brought early on, but this guy hit anything with a heartbeat to start the season. And they weren't just finish your check hits, they were bone crushing hits. He may not have the same speed as Nick, but he has that same 1 shot ability. If he can work himself into any sort of form, we could have found money with him. After all, he started the year with JT and Willy and that line was pretty solid.

I am excited to see what he brings tonight

 

[1specter]

looks like Patches is drawing in tonight. I was originally on the standpoint of "don't change a winning lineup" but I also said I wasn't going to lose sleep over a Nicky Bobby HS.

Just finished watching Overdrive from yesterday and one aspect of this shift that I didn't consider is how motivated Patches will be. This is a guy that in all likelihood was ready to play games prior to the end of the season but was LTIR'd for cap reasons. He was likely told to get ready for playoffs. Fast forward to present day, and he is HS'd in games 1 and 2 because the lineup that ended the season earned their way into those spots. But you have to imagine Patches not being happy with that outcome, because he was ultimately doing the team a favor by staying on LTIR to be cap compliant. As in, how could he have earned his spot into a game 1 lineup if the team can't even afford to allow him to play his way onto it.

Point being, I can see Patches being VERY motivated and even pissed off. Both of which will be good additions in place of Nick. And at the end of the day, Nick hasn't done enough to stay in the lineup.

Maybe it was recency bias or just flat out forgetting what Patches brought early on, but this guy hit anything with a heartbeat to start the season. And they weren't just finish your check hits, they were bone crushing hits. He may not have the same speed as Nick, but he has that same 1 shot ability. If he can work himself into any sort of form, we could have found money with him. After all, he started the year with JT and Willy and that line was pretty solid.

I am excited to see what he brings tonight

I hope he is back with Nylander and JT. They looked dominant at times.

 

[AvroArrow]

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Jay Rosehill said it's confirmed, Robertson is sitting.

I like the decision TBH, Robertson has been pretty bad in both games. Patches is more responsible defensively, bigger body, can forecheck well and still chip in offensively. Ideal depth player for the playoffs.

 

[Aashir]

We only got one power play last game, and whistles tend to be put away after the first few games.

I think the leafs will need to play their best game of the series tonight

Ottawa going down 3-0 is a death sentence and (despite a massive choke) is the killing blow to them. They’ll be incredibly desperate + infront of their crowd. Don’t wanna fall down 3-0 like that.

We need to be disciplined, control more play than last time, and we need some timely saves + goals.

 

[The Shadow]

Sitting Robertson also guarantees a goal the next time he’s in right ?

 

[Twine Tickler]

I hope he is back with Nylander and JT. They looked dominant at times.

Ya I hope so too.

More so because I think I want to see a bit more defensive responsibility from the Domi line. It was far too run and gun for my liking with Nick and Max on the same line. I also dont wan't to disrupt that 4th line because they have been such a security blanket for us lately. Their ability to neutralize momentum against us is unlike anything we've seen from a 4th line in a very long time. They don't create much, but I swear to god they must have the highest offensive zone time % out of our entire team this series.

Knies - AM34 - Mitch
Patches - JT - Willy
McMann - Holmberg - Domi
Lorentz - Laughton - Jarnkrok

 

[Primary Assist]

I love the fact that the biggest argument we are having at this point in the season is which depth player gets scratched for another depth player.

A true privilege compared to postseasons past

Go Leafs Go!

 

[Tak7]

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Jonas said on OD yesterday that apparently Pacioretty isn't happy with the current situation - they LTIR'd him, and even though he was healthy enough to play out the final few games of the season they couldn't activate him, and then they opted to sit him in games 1 and 2.

A lean mean Max machine could be a really fun addition to the Leafs lineup.

 

[AvroArrow]

Antony Stolarz has a 1.95 GAA and .934 sv% combined after 2 games.

View attachment 1021595

Stolarz allows only 2 goals a game so Leafs need 3 goals to win on average.

I still don't understand the dudes on the main boards who kept insisting that our goaltending is shaky. Guy has been an absolute stud all year.

 

[kevsh]

I don't buy the "don't change a winning lineup" unless to a man/line/pairing they've been excellent (nearly flawless) so far. That's not the case this series. The Leafs haven't been great at 5v5 and that 3rd line, we all know by now.

If not for any one of a very bad Sens PK, a few "rookie" mistakes on their side & some shaky goaltending things may look very different right now.

The coach should have the attitude of "I like where we are but we can be better." Break up that 3rd line for starters. I'd still like to ease Patches in so he should go on the 4th line to start but drop Robertson and move up Jarnkrok (again, just to start).

 

[The Shadow]

I love the fact that the biggest argument we are having at this point in the season is which depth player gets scratched for another depth player.

A true privilege compared to postseasons past

Go Leafs Go!

It’s a beautiful thing having an elite goalie. Makes everyone more calm