Post-Series Talk: Toronto Maple Leafs defeat the Ottawa Senators, 4-2

[mix1home]

Thanks to the Sens for giving this Bruins fan some pleasure over the past few days. Fun to see Leafs fans sweat.

That being said, Leafs totally deserved the game tonight and it almost felt a little “dirty” how they got scored on after locking down the Sens in the third for the 2-2 tie. A nice goal, but pretty lucky/flukey also.

I’ve got no stats to back it up but the Leafs seem to defend a cycle fairly well, at least from watching this series. It’s their defense (or lack thereof) on opposing rushes that always leaves me wondering where everyone went.

Only we didn’t sweat at all this time around. This Leafs team is the machine.

 

[Tak7]

Only we didn’t sweat at all this time around. This Leafs team is the machine.

Speak for yourself.

Most of us didn't take a breath for 2 days.

 

[Roo]

Only we didn’t sweat at all this time around. This Leafs team is the machine.

plenty of leaf fans and the media were sweating LOL

 

[mix1home]

This iteration of the leafs plays *completely* differently than past iterations. Berube has them playing consistent low event hockey. They only score if the other team makes mistakes. They don't create much off the rush. They protect the neutral zone and middle of the ice and have close support. They can't outscore their problems like this, so if you have problems you get games like game 5, but they don't create problems for themselves. They aren't going to give up 4 3rd period goals to lose a game 7. They might lose 2-0 but they are going to win a lot of 3-2 games without an excess of heart attacks.

Sens couldn't create anything off the rush or forecheck. We will see about Florida.

First round matchup was great for us in sense that Ottawa plays the same way Florida does. Florida obviously have higher end talent and Bob in net. But everyone should expect much of the same from Leafs in series with “caffeinated” Ottawa.
Leafs will dry the game up and capitalize on their chances rolling 4 full lines that could be trusted defensively and fall back on Stolatz and hugely improved D to keep games sealed.
I think Leafs proved over the course of the season that they can win more games than lose playing that way.
It will be real test, but one that Leafs have every chance to come out on top.

 

[Tak7]

So much oxygen was spent talking about the Leafs, and their potential to choke away in the post-season again, that it really overshadowed that the Sens played a far better series than I expected them to.

I always expected them to grow into the series, but after game 1 they played with such strong structure, and unusually for a young inexperienced team this time of year, seemed very comfortable when playing without the puck.

Take it from a Leafs fan when I say this - enjoy the feeling right now of promise, hope, and fun to come. This part is easy. What's to come is the really challenging part. Evolving into a team that can compete and win series and go deep, is where things get excruciating. There's a novelty and naivety about where the Sens are right now.. a certain blissful ignorance.. that should be cherished and enjoyed and celebrated, because before you know it, it's gone.

 

[NyQuil]

There's a novelty and naivety about where the Sens are right now.. a certain blissful ignorance.. that should be cherished and enjoyed and celebrated, because before you know it, it's gone.

You only get one "welcome back to the playoffs" series.

Heck, the Sens might not even make the post-season next year. Still a lot of hills to climb in Ottawa, but I'll worry about that in a few months.

 

[Tak7]

You only get one "welcome back to the playoffs" series.

Heck, the Sens might not even make the post-season next year. Still a lot of hills to climb in Ottawa, but I'll worry about that in a few months.

Was thinking about this yesterday as well - for all the love and excitement going on in both Montreal and Ottawa about their hockey teams, making the playoffs next year is going to be even more difficult than this year:

The Atlantic's top 3 will almost surely remain the same 3 teams (Tampa, Toronto, Florida). The Rangers just aren't going to miss again, and I would anticipate a Boston team with a mini-tool alongside a Swayman back at his best, with Pastrnak and McAvoy already there, to be heavily in the mix as well.

It's entirely possible that both Montreal and Ottawa don't even make it back next year.

Many hills to climb, for sure, but my point is: it's okay to be excited about the future. Just be mindful that the real challenge starts now.

 

[SenzZen]

Congrats to the Leafs on the series victory, and to the Sens for making it interesting.

It was fun to put some heat on their fans but ultimately the better team won, as is always the case in a best-of-7.

 

[Zonk]

Pacioretty seems like a genuinely good dude. Seemed legitimately so happy to have scored that goal. You could tell it meant a lot to him, great to see it

I heard that Patches has scored four GWGs in games to win series in his career. That is quite an accomplishment.

 

[mix1home]

Ullmark won the Vezina trophy recently. He played great.

Ullmark literally stolen game 5.

 

[HarrisonFord]

I heard that Patches has scored four GWGs in games to win series in his career. That is quite an accomplishment.

That’s actually quite impressive, I had no idea. Seems like he deals with the pressure of a game like that in the right way (I could make a play to win this series vs I could make a play to lose this series type of mentality)

 

[NyQuil]

That’s actually quite impressive, I had no idea. Seems like he deals with the pressure of a game like that in the right way (I could make a play to win this series vs I could make a play to lose this series type of mentality)

You knew he was going to win the game when there was such a production before the game around moving him into the top six.

I know he didn't stay there but it says something.

*Berube buffing his fingernails*

The two guys who scored in the 3rd period, Perron and Pacioretty, are both 36 years old.

 

[DueDiligence]

Leafs won the series on the blueline. Tanev was a great addition this year and by far their best Dman. Combined with McCabe, Benoit and Carlo they create a strong physical presence in front of the net.
The Senators have talent on their D but they need a "Tanev" type or two on their back-end to protect their net better and win more 50/50 battles down low.

 

[HarrisonFord]

You knew he was going to win the game when there was such a production before the game around moving him into the top six.

I know he didn't stay there but it says something.

*Berube buffing his fingernails*

The two guys who scored in the 3rd period, Perron and Pacioretty, are both 36 years old.

Personally before the game I was hoping they’d swap him for Robertson as Pacioretty looked slow and didn’t seem to be contributing at all the last game. But I guess that’s why Berube is coaching in the NHL and I’m just couching from the couch.

It’s interesting the impact age has on a person (hockey or otherwise). Perron and Pacioretty are both cup winners, have families and kids, so maybe it’s the additional purpose from things outside of hockey and having won before that let them be more excited than nervous to come through with big goals in that game.

 

[NyQuil]

Leafs won the series on the blueline. Tanev was a great addition this year and by far their best Dman. Combined with McCabe, Benoit and Carlo they create a strong physical presence in front of the net.
The Senators have talent on their D but they need a "Tanev" type or two on their back-end to protect their net better and win more 50/50 battles down low.

Part of that is the fact that they are in different stages when it comes to the contending window so the ages of the defensive corps are much different.

Toronto:
-Tanev (35)
-OEL (33)
-McCabe (31)
-Rielly (31)
-Carlo (28)
-Benoit (26)

-4 of their D were 31 and older.

Ottawa:
-Jensen (34)
-Zub (29)
-Chabot (28)
-Matinpalo (26)
-Kleven (23)
-Sanderson (22)

 

[The Management]

Good series, Sens fans.

I had suggested in the pre-series thread that there is some pressure on Ottawa to answer the question of whether they belong in the post-season, in a year where giants like the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers had ceded rare playoffs positions. Having watched that six game series, I think it's pretty clear Ottawa does belong, and I expect to see them back next year.

The first few games were rough for them, but a learning experience. Once they got a taste of winning, they looked dangerous. Their stars began to show (Tkachuk, Stutzle, Sanderson), and I thought some of their depth looked pretty good (Grieg, Pinto). Ullmark redeemed himself somewhat, which has to be a little reassuring. I think they could use another impact forward (upgrade on Batherson?), but structurally the right pieces are there.

I'm not from Toronto, so the "Battle of Ontario" means a little less to me than it might to other Leafs Fans, but I can appreciate the rivalry.

 

[Delete1]

Only we didn’t sweat at all this time around. This Leafs team is the machine.

I saw a lot of posts from Leafs fans who were damn near on the ledge by the end of game 5. We have a weak bunch amongst us.

 

[DueDiligence]

Part of that is the fact that they are in different stages when it comes to the contending window so the ages of the defensive corps are much different.

Toronto:
-Tanev (35)
-OEL (33)
-McCabe (31)
-Rielly (31)
-Carlo (28)
-Benoit (26)

-4 of their D were 31 and older.

Ottawa:
-Jensen (34)
-Zub (29)
-Chabot (28)
-Matinpalo (26)
-Kleven (23)
-Sanderson (22)

But it was the "young" group that got pushed around more than the "old" group. That has to change for Ottawa.

 

[Raging Bull]

Jake Sanderson is f***ing unreal though. Norris good.

 

[NyQuil]

But it was the "young" group that got pushed around more than the "old" group. That has to change for Ottawa.

Some of that is just experience IMO.

Kleven is 6'5 221.

I suspect, barring major injury, that he'll be more of a terror for opposing teams when he's 31 as opposed to when he's 23.

There's more to good defense and boxing out than just being big or aggressive. I think experience counts.

5 of Ottawa's 6 defencemen had never played a playoff game before this series.

 

[mix1home]

I saw a lot of posts from Leafs fans who were damn near on the ledge by the end of game 5. We have a weak bunch amongst us.

I would say we undercapitalized on our chances. In games 4 and 5 we had half open nets to shot at only to hit the posts. And Ottawa to their credit capitalized on most of their chances even though we gave very little away. And they scored good tip in goals as well. However, I was totally calm and had this strange feeling of curiosity “how Leafs win this next one” rather than “how Leafs would find a way to shot themselves in the foot”.
Unusual feeling, I know.

 

[NyQuil]

I would say we undercapitalized on our chances. In games 4 and 5 we had half open nets to shot at only to hit the posts. And Ottawa to their credit capitalized on most of their chances even though we gave very little away.

I mean, in Game 4 or 5, the Ottawa had what, three pucks on the goal line in the first period?

Toronto missed on some close chances but so did Ottawa.

And they scored good tip in goals as well.

As one does in hockey.

 

[Delete1]

Personally before the game I was hoping they’d swap him for Robertson as Pacioretty looked slow and didn’t seem to be contributing at all the last game. But I guess that’s why Berube is coaching in the NHL and I’m just couching from the couch.

It’s interesting the impact age has on a person (hockey or otherwise). Perron and Pacioretty are both cup winners, have families and kids, so maybe it’s the additional purpose from things outside of hockey and having won before that let them be more excited than nervous to come through with big goals in that game.

It's almost as if experience helps. Only us old bastards get to say stuff like that.

 

[DueDiligence]

Some of that is just experience IMO.

Kleven is 6'5 221.

I suspect, barring major injury, that he'll be more of a terror for opposing teams when he's 31 as opposed to when he's 23.

There's more to good defense and boxing out than just being big or aggressive. I think experience counts.

5 of Ottawa's 6 defencemen had never played a playoff game before this series.

Well if you want to wait another 8 years for Kleven to be a terror I'm not sure what to tell you. Chabot, Zub, Jensen and Sanderson are going to play the same way next year and unless the Sens replace 1 or 2 of them with tougher and more physical guys they will end up with the same result as this year.

 

[NyQuil]

Well if you want to wait another 8 years for Kleven to be a terror I'm not sure what to tell you. Chabot, Zub, Jensen and Sanderson are going to play the same way next year and unless the Sens replace 1 or 2 of them with tougher and more physical guys they will end up with the same result as this year.

There are always two options:

1. Wait for your guys to develop.

2. Import experience.

Personally I think there is room for improvement in the post-season with Chabot, Zub and Sanderson now that they have some playoff games under their belts.

I don't think the defence in general was a major problem for Ottawa in this series.