Post-Game Talk: Toronto barely loses to carolina

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Rielly is a massive problem because his status on the team is as a leader on defense but he needs a babysitter more than he can babysit.

there has to be a way to play him to his strengths and minimize his weaknesses. For whatever his warts are, he's still really good at breaking the puck up the ice and generating offense off the rush. That is still a very valuable skillset for a defenseman. He just has to stop playing 22 minutes a night and getting used in high leverage defensive moments, but Keefe seems to have no interest in that

 

[Havoc]

The only problem with Rielly is that he is out of shape.


There is no fixing that D in terms of IQ and grit and overall playoff worthy shut down play. As much as you guys love McCabe, he's not going to fix anything.

Just swing the puck to Rielly and let him wheel (assuming the remaining 10 games is enough for him to get into playoff shape). That's our best bet to get anything out of our D.

 

[v00d00daddy]

no offense buddy I heard the same stories against the CBJ, Habs and then the Bolts last season.

Keefe is another battle the team has to fight against. He doesn't know how to coach on the fly; who to put out there and how to adjust in game

Hey I get it. But you’re talking about playoff losses.

Why are regular season losses making you talk about the playoffs while regular season wins (rightfully) have no influence on the playoffs?

You don’t think the leafs have changed in any way? When they lose like tonight they’re just the same team as the one who lost to the habs in the playoffs?

 

[Sittler 27]

Maybe give Woll a bit of a run

 

[Stephen]

The only problem with Rielly is that he is out of shape.


There is no fixing that D in terms of IQ and grit and overall playoff worthy shut down play. As much as you guys love McCabe, he's not going to fix anything.

Just swing the puck to Rielly and let him wheel (assuming the remaining 10 games is enough for him to get into playoff shape). That's our best bet to get anything out of our D.

You are right about the in shape thing. He came back from injury and just looks sluggish in his skating. I noticed he would push off one foot but didn't have the mobility he used to. That's definitely one factor.

 

[Racer88]

Our defence is just not up to snuff.

Or our goal tending

 

[Pi]

there has to be a way to play him to his strengths and minimize his weaknesses. For whatever his warts are, he's still really good at breaking the puck up the ice and generating offense off the rush. That is still a very valuable skillset for a defenseman. He just has to stop playing 22 minutes a night and getting used in high leverage defensive moments, but Keefe seems to have no interest in that

It doesn’t make any sense especially because we have defenseman who can play good defensively in Giordano, Brodie, McCabe, and Liljegren (not of late though).

That is one of Keefe’s weaknesses and why it doesn’t really matter if we have home ice. He’ll do absolutely nothing to get favourable match ups.

 

[v00d00daddy]

Leafs play more on teh road than home to close out the season. here is hoping they don't f-up any momentum or mental fortitude

They could go 0-10 or 10-0

We won’t give a shit either way. We’ll all rightfully expect a win v Tampa

 

[57 Years No Cup]

I read a great quote this week. Smart people do stupid things when they want something they know they shouldn’t. And that kind of reminds me of the whole Murray experiment where the team seems to really want playoff hero Murray to happen.

Nothing to do with "smart". More like someone willing something that's unlikely to happen to save their job.

 

[PromisedLand]

Hey I get it. But you’re talking about playoff losses.

Why are regular season losses making you talk about the playoffs while regular season wins (rightfully) have no influence on the playoffs?

You don’t think the leafs have changed in any way? When they lose like tonight they’re just the same team as the one who lost to the habs in the playoffs?

you just claimed that Leafs will beat canes in a 7 game series i mean come on. cbj and habs series at least should have provided some lessons with sheldon keefe behind the bench galaxy braining

 

[Incognito]

Carolina sucked tonight. Unfortunately, so did Murray.

 

[PromisedLand]

They could go 0-10 or 10-0

We won’t give a shit either way. We’ll all rightfully expect a win v Tampa

momentum is a thing. you want to go into the playoffs feeling good about your game.

 

[thewave]

They could go 0-10 or 10-0

We won’t give a shit either way. We’ll all rightfully expect a win v Tampa

I expect a 1st and 2nd round win. I know the second round win sounds like a pipe-dream but, the way the cap is and the way we do contracts... ya know what I mean? It's not going to get better when good players walk for nothing or get overpaid.

 

[v00d00daddy]

you just claimed that Leafs will beat canes in a 7 game series i mean come on. cbj and habs series at least should have provided some lessons with sheldon keefe behind the bench galaxy braining

I said if they play like they did tonight they will. Not if they play like they did 2-3 years ago

You sound like you want the leafs to lose so you can be right. So much so that you don’t see that they played well tonight

 

[Pi]

I read a great quote this week. Smart people do stupid things when they want something they know they shouldn’t. And that kind of reminds me of the whole Murray experiment where the team seems to really want playoff hero Murray to happen.

I don’t think that’s the case. Samsonov just had a baby and he also said he’s not 100%.

With the season winding down, playing Murray more tells you that they know who the #1 is.

I’d actually play Woll more right now though to see what we’ve got in him.

Murray is not a bad goalie but he’s not seeing the ice in the playoffs. Doesn’t matter if he plays the majority of the remaining 10 games.

 

[Leaffan1991]

We dominated,
Especially the Matthews line, they were insanely good.
Murray, Rielly, Lilly... not good guys.
Lilly is a concern, he's been shitty since the deadline. I think he's sitting during the playoffs.
We really need to look at adding an elite goalie this off-season.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

7 of the last 8 games Matt Murray has allowed 4+ goals he's not an option

 

[Ports]

Imagine posting this game at the end of a game where Rielly played not only very well, but had 2 points and was a plus player.

Get a clue

That doesn’t change the fact that he’s a defensive liability and not a top pairing dman but being paid as one on a team that is tight to the cap. His and Tavares’ contracts will only look worse over time.

 

[Stephen]

Carolina sucked tonight. Unfortunately, so did Murray.

Carolina reminds me of the 2010s Western Conference San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks. Big, fast, straight line speed, intense, but I don't think they have that "it" factor at all like Colorado last year as a team that strikes you as the one to watch.

 

[Enniskillen]

Great effort, Tavares lost all crucial face offs, including the one in ozone on the game winning goal by Aho. He played disgustingly bad. Bad captain and he can’t lead by example.

 

[v00d00daddy]

momentum is a thing. you want to go into the playoffs feeling good about your game.

Totally. But I’m talking about how we fans should see it.

I don’t think the leafs feel like their momentum is downhill after tonight’s game. Like you said…on to Nashville.

If they play tomorrow like they did tonight it would take a huge cluster for them to lose again

 

[wingman75]

Terrible and unlucky start to the game but loved the comeback effort. After the first 10 we were clearly the better team.

For those crying about who was on the ice after we tied it up, I suspect that was situational game play experimentation by the coach. My feeling is if that was a playoff game, you see a different set of players on the ice.

Unfortunate result after what turned out to be a very good game. Nice to see Matthews back to normal, total beast mode tonight!

I hope they pack up most of that and take it with them. Imagine that lineup with ROR added! Going to need a lot of that in a couple of weeks time.

 

[Stephen]

I don’t think that’s the case. Samsonov just had a baby and he also said he’s not 100%.

With the season winding down, playing Murray more tells you that they know who the #1 is.

I’d actually play Woll more right now though to see what we’ve got in him.

Murray is not a bad goalie but he’s not seeing the ice in the playoffs. Doesn’t matter if he plays the majority of the remaining 10 games.

It would be useful to get Woll some developmental reps. I don't know what his upside is since his development curve has been so long and flat but if Murray's going to spot 3-4 goals on a nightly basis, putting an AHL caliber guy in the net isn't going to be a big difference.

 

[PromisedLand]

Tough result, outplayed them by a wide margin to lose in the final two mins due to a weak rebound and soft play from Lilly.

Lillypad these last two weeks has shown when there’s pressure and intensity on him, he coughs up the puck far too much, can’t have the mistake he’s been making in the playoffs.

look at Aho's goal few things:

- Willy was lazy on the D
- Rielly in no man's land
- Tavares couldn't win the puck battle
- Lily one handed the puck out why the F was the Cane on the right wall on the point left uncovered? where the F was either the center or right wing? Tavares lost the puck battle there too....

Totally. But I’m talking about how we fans should see it.

I don’t think the leafs feel like their momentum is downhill after tonight’s game. Like you said…on to Nashville.

If they play tomorrow like they did tonight it would take a huge cluster for them to lose again

to each their own. Everybody sees it the way they formulate the game plan in their head.

As a fan I support the team; but am not gonna blindly support the team. You gotta be able to build good habits especially before the playoffs. I am choosing to call out the team and especially the coaching staff.

 

[hamzarocks]

Losers find a way

Winners get flukey bounces