Post-Game Talk: STAYING ALIVE Leafs Win 2-1

[thewave]

They showed a stat last night, not sure but I think it may even have been in the 1st period and I believe the numbers were like this:

Marner
Hits tonight - 4
Hits in the playoffs - 11

So 7 hits going in, less than 1 per game and all of a sudden, 4 hits early in the game. Interesting.

Gotta play the game with emotion, and more importantly passion. Without that, winning in the playoffs is almost impossible.

That's it. They used to have a marketing thing if I remember the road to the cup and it was "The passion". You need to want it, basically in order to want something you need to be invested emotionally in it. Love what you do and do what you love right?

Just adding if you love something and want something you damn well are pretty much ready to die trying for it.

 

[TakeTheBody]

The last six games the Leafs have scored two goals. You're walking a fine line when that happens. We need to bury our opportunities.

 

[HellasLEAF]

I just came to post that David Kampf is a playoff warrior. Dubas 5 stars for bringing this player to Toronto.

Thank you.

 

[MapleLeafs77]

Honestly, the core four were decent but not great. All of them. Marner and nylander (who is getting praised way too much for scoring his first in 7 games) just got points.

Marner was still pretty bad. Nylander was good but not incredible. Matthews is not dominant like he should be.

It was a good team game and great defence last night. Thats all. Need more from the big guys.

Also everyone stop acting like matthews sucks in playoffs. He was arguably our mvp for tampa series and scored huge goals. Marner has been MIA most of the playoffs. Nylander was MIA until last two games. Tavares has been MIA whole playoffs except two games

 

[The Apologist]

As far as generating offence, right? He's been pretty great defensively. If he cannot do both, he is not the $15 million dollar player he thinks he is.

I find on the offensive side he is eaten up so easily more often than not.

He has just as many shots as Willie, they're just not going in. It will come (well hopefully, assuming we get more than one more game).
In the meantime, at least when he's on the ice if he's not scoring he's still useful. More than we can say for the other three big guns.

I thought he was our moat dangerous player in game 2 especially in the third

He did have a great third. His shifts and chances reflect that as well. When Willie is on, there are very few better than him. Just need him to be 'on' more.

 

[pspot]

not that I believe they will come back but from a discussion stand point been thinking about what's the difference between coming down 3 vs sweeping a series? I bet there would be a lot more sweeps ....psychological?

 

[Mess]

"Defense wins Championships" and "Good teams are built from the goalie out .... "

Both these things were true and evident in Leafs win yesterday ..

Leafs 2 most important games the clincher in round #1 and this game both ended 2-1 based on focusing on your own controllable team defense first.

Joey Woll was well insulated and it felt like they made more blocked shots in this game then they have the entire series as HDSC and Slot shots and rebounds were all reduced and Leafs rewarded.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Think of all of the hard contact, matchup assignments and thankless grunt work Kampf has tirelessly endured over the past 2 seasons for the Leafs. Then the one time he needed a teammate to stand up for him and it was crickets. Shameful.

Based on the look on Kampf's face while laying on the ice, I wouldn't be surprised at all if he got a concussion there.

It's tough because of the spot the Leafs are in where a bad penalty could cost them the series.. but I agree. The lack of retribution on plays like that during the series only motivates Florida to do more greasy junk as seen at the horn.. like tough guy Tkachuk going after Marner. Part of that is on Marner - you gotta hit back there - but we also don't want him ending up fighting a guy who is in a totally different weight class, either.

 

[ACC1224]

Marner hiding behind the ref from tkachuk while mccabe fighting for his life was actually so bad it was funny. He looked terrified being in that scrum and then looks like he asks for a penalty as the game is over. Glad he scored but the guy needs to understand he will never be playoff hockey player if he cant get over the fear of physically pushing back with the rest of his teammates. Its not fair to the rest of the team

He stood in like the rest of them, he took a guy and paired off, the Ref got between.
That's all you can ask, no point getting beat up, he knows his limitations.
At least he didn't start picking up sticks.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Yesterday was our best game of the playoffs by a wide margin IMO.

Credit to FLA. I have no clue what has gotten into that team over there, but they have been playing great puck the last 2 games. Not sure how they looked so average this season, only to look so dominant these past couple games. It really feels like they know that no matter what, Bobbo is going to make the save. Even if they give up a grade-A chance the other way as a result of their aggressiveness. It's allowed their D to activate in the O-zone, and forces us to play much longer than we'd like in our own end.

For as good as FLA played yesterday, we matched them and then some. Very nice to see the boys didn't just cave, because FLA definitely came to play.

Woll was excellent. No matter what happens the rest of the way, this has got to be one of, if not the best developments on the year. I had completely written this kid off last season. He just did not look like an NHL goalie in my mind. Was very lucky in his 4 starts last season IMO. Never looked like he was able to track the play well enough to be a regular NHL'er, let alone starter. But man did this guy come back in 2022-23 as a new goalie. What used to be his biggest weakness IMO, has now become his biggest strength. He is so calm in the blue paint, and he is really locating the puck in every aspect of the game right now. Through traffic, from distance, in tight and off the tape. He is reading the game like a children's book. So nice to see.

Of course we need to replicate this performance 3 more times. Still a long way to go. But that was nice to see a full 60 minutes yesterday.

A win on Friday, and we put a little more pressure on the cats going into Sunday. Just gotta take it one game at a time. It is cliche, but that really is the only way to look at it

 

[hoglund]

It was a very defensive game, I'm sure that Keefe liked it. For a low scoring game it was pretty entertaining and maybe that's because the Leafs won.

 

[AvroArrow]

I swear to god just when you think you've seen it all, people on the mains keep amazing you with new shit. The newest one is, "drawing blood from a high-stick isn't a double minor" what the actual hell LOL.

 

[Gallagbi]

It was a very defensive game, I'm sure that Keefe liked it. For a low scoring game it was pretty entertaining and maybe that's because the Leafs won.

Its exactly because the Leafs won. A bounce the other way and were complaining about the lack of effort.

Nice we won and we were the better team, but this wasnt our best game of the series

 

[BraveCanadian]

I swear to god just when you think you've seen it all, people on the mains keep amazing you with new shit. The newest one is, "drawing blood from a high-stick isn't a double minor" what the actual hell LOL.

At this point I literally can't predict what is a penalty, fine, or suspension.. at all.

0 consistency from the league right now.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

Do you go after Radko Gudas next game or dummy him back in Florida??

That was some dirty shit he did to Kampf. Imagine he buried a star player like that. How is this not a suspension worthy play? If Kampf goes in to the boards on a different angle his career is over. He's a tough son of a bitch for playing so well right after. Kampf is a gamer.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

Do you go after Radko Gudas next game or dummy him back in Florida??

That was some dirty shit he did to Kampf. Imagine he buried a star player like that. How is this not a suspension worthy play? If Kampf goes in to the boards on a different angle his career is over. He's a tough son of a bitch for playing so well right after. Kampf is a gamer.

Finish your checks and if there's an opportunity to drill him, go for it.

I wouldn't make it a point though. That plays more into what Florida's good at and gets the Leafs away from where their talents are. You won't beat Florida in a goon squad brawl but playing a tight game and keeping plays alive seemed to throw them off last night. Stick to that.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

Marner hiding behind the ref from tkachuk while mccabe fighting for his life was actually so bad it was funny. He looked terrified being in that scrum and then looks like he asks for a penalty as the game is over. Glad he scored but the guy needs to understand he will never be playoff hockey player if he cant get over the fear of physically pushing back with the rest of his teammates. Its not fair to the rest of the team

Yeah Marner kind of yelled at the ref to intervene because it looked like Chucky was going to starting filling him in and the end of game whistle was already gone. What was Marner supposed to do ? He didn't want the bigger stronger player tuning him up , Marner is not a scrapper. Who cares about the optics it's the end of the game Tkachuk was trying to take things to far. He was a little scared of being hurt for next game. Whatever Marner is not known as Captain Dangerous. Drop this narrative.

 

[justashadowof]

Tough to go down 2 men in a 1 goal elimination game

Great, they increased their chances of doing the near-impossible at the small cost of any scant remnants of self-respect.

We can't afford a suspension

Yes they can. They have over 40 players available.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Well folks our Leafs decided to go back to playing a grit grinding game and guess what they won .. no surprise to da few of us who already know playoffs are all about D and G .. but i think most of you now are starting to learn too (although you won't admit it) .. sad thing is this core is now just starting to learn too .. this learning should have occurred 3-4 years ago .. but as they say "better now then never" .. they did it against a slower team in Tampa but for some unknown reason decided to trade with a faster team in Florida for 3 games .. a better coach would have slowed down games and started grit grinding on shift 1 period 2 game 1 .. but this core should now GET IT .. can they come back from 0-3????????????????????? .. folks that answer rests squarely on WOLL .. da one thing I can assure you is he will get better every start and game 5 he will be better than game 4 .. da key will be da core group staying on point and maintaining da mission .. if they come home and start to think thy are gonna score .. well guess what we will lose game 5 at home .. if they decide to make every play a safe play with defense in mind then Woll will carry them to a game 5 win .. it is really that simple .. it does make a hoot difference whether Matty or Mitch score or not .. what matters is they both play solid defense

 

[Ports]

Ughhhh I hate that term. You understand that they're not trading either unless it's for a real legit hockey deal right?
And I'm not sure there is anything out there in the Matthews category.

If either says they’re not re-signing a la Tkachuk, you would just let them walk rather than trade them? Isn’t getting something for them better than nothing ?

 

[Gallagbi]

At this point I literally can't predict what is a penalty, fine, or suspension.. at all

The league cant either

 

[AvroArrow]

At this point I literally can't predict what is a penalty, fine, or suspension.. at all.

0 consistency from the league right now.

As long as this idiot Bettman is still running the show, it'll never be consistent. You don't see shit like this in any other sport. Imagine this happening after an NFL game or a UFC/Boxing match. There would be fines/suspensions all over the place.

You're allowing this shit to happen after the team already lost, they're trying to injure other players this isn't hockey. McCabe could have suffered a serious injury, you can break Marners nose with jabs, the Panthers players know there's no penalty after the game is over so they do whatever they want. It's pathetic and it pisses me the f*** off because our guys know they can't do the same shit back or DOPS will be immediately tweeting about it followed by a suspension.

 

[Hellcat]

How does Gudas know there was a delayed penalty? The referee that’s 5 ft from the play doesn’t have his arm up.
This is simply a hard player finishing his check.

Does not change the fact , its a PIM or not a PIM. That hit ticks of every box for a Boarding PIM.

 

[1specter]

Teams have come back from 3-1 12 times since the 2005 lockout

This is the mentality they need to have. Forget 3-0, now it's 3-1, 3-1 has been done. Make it 3-2, plenty of teams have come back from 3-2.

 

[rocketman588]

True, but it could be a 50/50 toss up. Maybe in the ensuing scrum, they get a penalty. Point is, it's just really tough to see no response after that play!

There was 0 chance they would end up two men down in an elimination game