GDT: Tampa @ Toronto - Wednesday 7pm - SN

[Maple Leaf]

let us show tampa swamp about ice hockey

 

[Fogelhund]

View attachment 845083

Good chance to put some distance on Tampa and try and get home ice so we can make a push to join these elite teams.

No Cup for Covid years? Someone have a two year nap and forgot those cups or something?

 

[Suntouchable13]

No Cup for Covid years? Someone have a two year nap and forgot those cups or something?

If you notice, they also have Calgary for 2004. It's just a dig at Tampa, lol.

 

[ACC1224]

Big game, looking forward to it.
Samsonov's net again?

 

[crump]

Which team shows up, Period 1 team or Period 3 team?

Tampa are coming in pretty hot but lost to the desperate Wings last game. Dumba no points -3 in 10 games, Vas looking like his old self recently though. Would like to separate ourselves from them and let Boston deal with them in the first round.

 

[DarkKnight]

With Florida sagging, it makes these games even more meaningful, gives us something to play for down the stretch. I don't mind this scenario at all, keeps us sharp and also we will be playing the Panthers most likely, so the thought of over taking them late can give us a small psychological edge. Also, we can bury TB once and for all tonight.

 

[ToneDog]

Tampa pretty much has nothing to play for standings wise being 6 back of the Leafs and 7 up on WC2. No excuse to lose this one with home ice within their grasp.

 

[shaner8989]

2nd in the Atlantic is very much alive. Must win game. Tampa can actually still catch us.

 

[DraftSchmaft]

Rather Tampa catch us and we slip to the Metro.

Loser mentality on the surface but winner mentality under the hood.

 

[Nineteen67]

Rather Tampa catch us and we slip to the Metro.

Loser mentality on the surface but winner mentality under the hood.

If Florida continues to flounder they may be the best opponent. Regardless, I think the Leafs will win round one

 

[Evilhomer]

Rather Tampa catch us and we slip to the Metro.

I think that ship has sailed. Second in the division is far more likely than a wildcard spot at this point.

 

[ToneDog]

If Florida continues to flounder they may be the best opponent. Regardless, I think the Leafs will win round one

Panthers appear gassed and banged up some. Tkachuk, Verhaeghe and Ekblad out last night. I expect them to be ready for round #1. Will the 3 amigos?

 

[Evilhomer]

If Florida continues to flounder they may be the best opponent. Regardless, I think the Leafs will win round one

I think the Leafs will get to the conference final, and then it will be a coin flip assuming they play one of the Rangers or the Hurricanes.

 

[DraftSchmaft]

If Florida continues to flounder they may be the best opponent. Regardless, I think the Leafs will win round one

I don't put much stock when a top team flounders at this point of the year.

Florida has the experience of last years cup run. That experience being all their top guys one hit away from career ending injuries. They are taking advantage of having zero risk of missing the playoffs.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Bolts are 8-1-1 L1.

That’s pretty hot.

They are taking advantage of having zero risk of missing the playoffs.

Our guys are barely playing (off on injury)

MoRi is back though

 

[ACC1224]

I think that ship has sailed. Second in the division is far more likely than a wildcard spot at this point.

Hard to see the top 4 in the Atlantic changing at all.

 

[Evilhomer]

Panthers appear gassed and banged up some. Tkachuk, Verhaeghe and Ekblad out last night. I expect them to be ready for round #1. Will the 3 amigos?

Ekblad is a walking injury.

 

[Fogelhund]

Interesting that both Florida, and us have better away records, than home records this season. Is home ice an advantage? Hard to say.

Florida is now 2-7-1 in their last 10, and Bob has had some terrible games in March. It's best we keep the pressure on them, and take away any momentum they've got... while we build it for ourselves. Dropping them down, could have some psychological advantages, particularly if we take it to them the next time we play them.

Two games in hand, and four points back... we can do it, but there isn't room for error, or not playing to our best, every period from here on.

 

[Evilhomer]

Hard to see the top 4 in the Atlantic changing at all.

I think the Leafs pass will Florida simply because Toronto has a pretty soft schedule the rest of the way. Whether or not home ice is a good thing in round one is a different question, I guess.

 

[DraftSchmaft]

Bolts are 8-1-1 L1.

That’s pretty hot.


Are guys are barely playing (off on injury)

MoRi is back though

Yeah and even if they are too banged up to win the cup, they have enough in the tank to bombard us with an onslaught in the 1st round.

"Banged up" only effects the macro scale of 16 wins.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Interesting that both Florida, and us have better away records, than home records this season. Is home ice an advantage? Hard to say.

Florida is now 2-7-1 in their last 10, and Bob has had some terrible games in March. It's best we keep the pressure on them, and take away any momentum they've got... while we build it for ourselves. Dropping them down, could have some psychological advantages, particularly if we take it to them the next time we play them.

Two games in hand, and four points back... we can do it, but there isn't room for error, or not playing to our best, every period from here on.

Yea, not sure how much it means really. Leafs won just 1 home playoff game last year. So I don’t know if it’s worth going gung ho for. But at least it makes the finish somewhat interesting. Previous seasons we were locked into 1 spot only.

 

[Mitch nylander]

I am very interested in seeing what Keefe does when Marner is back

Maybe try Nylander - Tavares - Marner?

I'd put him on line 3. Similar to how Kessel was used in the Pittsburgh runs.

Bertuzzi - Matthews - Domi
McMann - Tavares - Nylander
Knies/Robertson - Holmberg - Marner
Jarnkrok - Kampf - Dewar

 

[ToneDog]

I think the Leafs pass will Florida simply because Toronto has a pretty soft schedule the rest of the way. Whether or not home ice is a good thing in round one is a different question, I guess.

Leafs @ Panthers on April 16th might decide it unless the Panthers lay a big egg. They have games @ Sens, Sens, CBJ and Sabres that a team favoured to win the Cup should not lose if they are playing for home ice.

 

[1specter]

I think the Leafs pass will Florida simply because Toronto has a pretty soft schedule the rest of the way. Whether or not home ice is a good thing in round one is a different question, I guess.

Florida's schedule is softer IMO. 4/6 remaining games are Sens x2, CBJ and Sabres.

 

[Evilhomer]

Leafs @ Panthers on April 16th might decide it unless the Panthers lay a big egg. They have games @ Sens, Sens, CBJ and Sabres that a team favoured to win the Cup should not lose if they are playing for home ice.

Paul Maurice had some interesting post-game comments last night. Like most teams, they are dealing with a bunch of injuries and I wonder if they simply don't care all that much about home ice (and maybe no team really does). That game on April 16 is interesting because it should be a throwaway game for both teams.