Post-Game Talk: We get our first loss...Time to stop the streak.

[thewave]

Leqfs weren't going to keep winning games in which they were bad all indefinitely. It finally caught up to them, and it was still one kinda soft goal away from going to OT. Bernier looked really good even with that one getting by him. Sad that all that offense only managed one garbage goal and almost no real scoring chances until the last half of the third period.

The PP we had in the first was embarrassing. The Avs had the puck in our zone for longer than we did in theirs. The PP at the end of the game is what it should look like every time. It may have resulted in a goal if the Avs defender hadnt purposely lifted the net, if I'm not mistaken the puck ended up on JVRs stick with a lot of net to shoot at. Should have been a penalty at least, but you cant blame reffing for a poor 50 minute effort.

Losing is fine, the problem I have is seeing Kadri starting to get used like Grabo, next stop WSH for a bag of pucks?

This is where you need an owner or GM or president to intervene and say, Kadri is our boy, no jerking him around put him on the top 6. No more Carlyle *****ery.

 

[The Caveman]

Ugggh. Talk about over reaction. While playing without that many regulars is not an excuse, it will take its toll and make us less effective after awhile. Aside from Ranger, who was just plain bad, it just seemed like an off-night for many.

Suck it up and move on. A season, and a team, are not judged by a single game. Let's see where they are after 10 games before throwing people under the bus.

The positives: Gardiner, Kadri, Ashton and of course, Bernier

 

[HarrisonFord]

Good:
Rielly
Ashton
Orr
Phaneuf
Bernier
Kessel
Gardiner

Bad:
Ranger
Kadri only getting 13 minutes
Carlyle
Gunnarsson

Ugly:
Clarkson. Invisible out there

 

[Community]

I think Bollands a good #3C, but at this point I'd rather have him as the #1C than Bozak.... I never really liked him, but I always thought he got more hate than deserved and would be a decent #2C, but I don't think so anymore. Guy misses so many gimmes and tries to get too pretty with his passes. Missed an open netter at the end of the 3rd in Ottawa, and missed a few good chances last night too.

Maybe try the following?

JVR/Lupul - Kadri - Kessel
JVR/Lupul - Bozak - Raymond
Ashton - Bolland - Bodie
Devane - McClement - Orr/Marlie forward

and hope Kulie gets back soon (Clarkson too)

 

[Macman]

Can't win if you don't skate, and they stopped skating after the first. Carlyle won't be content until he turns Kadri into a grinder. Ridiculous misuse of talent. I wonder how long it'll be before he asks for a trade. Ranger is in waaaay over his head. He looked like a drowning man on one of Colorado's goals. I feel sorry for him.

 

[Community]

Good:
Rielly
Ashton
Orr
Phaneuf
Bernier
Kessel
Gardiner

Bad:
Ranger
Kadri only getting 13 minutes
Carlyle
Gunnarsson

Ugly:
Clarkson. Invisible out there

Hey, no reason to call somebody ugly... especially when they sacrificed ~$600,000 to keep Kessel from getting his face busted open.

 

[thewave]

I think Bollands a good #3C, but at this point I'd rather have him as the #1C than Bozak.... I never really liked him, but I always thought he got more hate than deserved and would be a decent #2C, but I don't think so anymore. Guy misses so many gimmes and tries to get too pretty with his passes. Missed an open netter at the end of the 3rd in Ottawa, and missed a few good chances last night too.

Maybe try the following?

JVR/Lupul - Kadri - Kessel
JVR/Lupul - Bozak - Raymond
Ashton - Bolland - Bodie
Devane - McClement - Orr/Marlie forward

and hope Kulie gets back soon (Clarkson too)

Your lines seem more reasonable for now, two of the three forwards on 2nd line can skate with the puck.

 

[Brock Radunske]

1. I think Carlyle is a good coach but he needs to stop this hardline BS and play our best players where they should be played. Kadri with Ashton and Orr was a joke.
I get him wanting to play Bolland more, but at least spread out the talent in the 2nd and 3rd lines to achieve that.

2. Injuries and suspensions are starting to come back at us. We should be icing;

JVR - Ballsack - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson
Raymond - Bolland - Kulemin
Ashton - McClement - Orr/McLaren

as opposed to;

JVR - Ballsack - Kessel
Lupul - Bolland - Raymond
Ashton - Kadri - Orr
Devane - Smith - Brodie

As you can tell, once we get our roster back we become much, much more dangerous.

3. I'd rather lose a lackluster game like that to a western team than an eastern team any day.

 

[CB Joe]

Avs fan point of view

Bernier was absolutely outstanding. If he continues to play like that, he will be a steal for the Leafs.

For how deep the defense looks on paper I was very underwhelmed. Reilly looked fast, the kid has some wheels. He really didn't look out of place either. Ranger looked downright terrible. When the pace was at its fastest the defense was scrambling a bit too much.

The forwards are a lot faster then I gave them credit for. Kessel looked dangerous every single time he was on the ice. I knew he had a great shot, but even his passes were outstanding. The Leafs did a good job at exposing the Avs defense in the high slot. Raymond was a great pickup from the off-season, he looked sharp. Lupul looked good too. I didn't think JVR had a good game, he got caught floating. I wasn't fond of Bozak either.

I thought both teams PP's were horrible. It's good to know the Avs aren't the only team struggling with the PP. PK's were good, but mostly because the PP's sucked.

Overall I came away impressed. Much faster team than I gave the Leafs credit for. Great goaltending, Defense needs some work.

 

[Morguee]

Somewhere in his fortress of solitude(the MLSE is still paying for) Ron Wilson thinks to himself...

"that's the same way I had them playing only now they have goaltending".

The Leafs are a good team but need to get their heads out of their ***** and start playing "Carlyle" hockey. They are lucky (see goaltending) to be 3-1 right now.

 

[Faltorvo]

Ugggh. Talk about over reaction. While playing without that many regulars is not an excuse, it will take its toll and make us less effective after awhile. Aside from Ranger, who was just plain bad, it just seemed like an off-night for many.

Suck it up and move on. A season, and a team, are not judged by a single game. Let's see where they are after 10 games before throwing people under the bus.

The positives: Gardiner, Kadri, Ashton and of course, Bernier

This is the "post game" thread, if a player(team) has a bad game, this is where debate it,no?

 

[Faltorvo]

1. I think Carlyle is a good coach but he needs to stop this hardline BS and play our best players where they should be played. Kadri with Ashton and Orr was a joke.
I get him wanting to play Bolland more, but at least spread out the talent in the 2nd and 3rd lines to achieve that.

2. Injuries and suspensions are starting to come back at us. We should be icing;

JVR - Ballsack - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson
Raymond - Bolland - Kulemin
Ashton - McClement - Orr/McLaren

as opposed to;

JVR - Ballsack - Kessel
Lupul - Bolland - Raymond
Ashton - Kadri - Orr
Devane - Smith - Brodie

As you can tell, once we get our roster back we become much, much more dangerous.

3. I'd rather lose a lackluster game like that to a western team than an eastern team any day.

You missed the biggest trade off, Fraser/Ranger.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Why so he can slowly skate and fall because a strong draft? He ain't to special of a hockey player, same as Bozak and Orr (pardon granted).

This team needs line adjustments. Kadri or Bolland should be with Kessel. Kadri or Bolland should be with Lupul. Bozak should be on the 3rd line and probably with Kulemin and Clarkson.

JVR Ka Ke
Lu Bol Ra
Ku Bo Cl
-- Mc --

Why do all players have to be energizer bunny fast, do spinarama's, and be all flash for you to like them?

You don't ice, 24 figure skaters with high skill to win in the NHL. A successful team has a little bit of everything to it. Ie. Skill. grit, toughness.

Clarkson will help the team, to say he wouldn't have last night is not even up for discussion.

 

[Warden of the North]

Really cant wait until Clarkson is back.

 

[FlareKnight]

I suppose you can only lose so many bodies before things get tricky. Not that I think McClement being out a game killed the offense, but it all adds up.

I guess the good thing for Ranger is that with the situation as it is there is nothing we can do is play him. Hopefully by the time Fraser is back he'll have his game going.

 

[HarrisonFord]

Really cant wait until Clarkson is back.

don't forget Kulemin and McClement too

 

[HarrisonFord]

Hey, no reason to call somebody ugly... especially when they sacrificed ~$600,000 to keep Kessel from getting his face busted open.

man that is a lot of money

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Couldn't agree more. He was great.

Nice to see a glimpse of what he could be.

Looked more like the player in preseason. Good for Carter.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Really cant wait until Clarkson is back.

Clarkson really adds balance to our line up, he scored 45 goals his last 2 years in NJ, second only to Kovy. Would be nice to have that in our line up, he also can wake up a team with his physical game. Could have used this element last night. 6 more games to go. Count down on. #freeclarkson

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

I thought JVR was very physical against the Avs. Think the NHL credited him with 5 hits, but offensively he was invisible. 3:10 minutes of PP time and nothing to show for it (although the entire PP squad was bad).

On to the next one

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Clarkson really adds balance to our line up, he scored 45 goals his last 2 years in NJ, second only to Kovy. Would be nice to have that in our line up, he also can wake up a team with his physical game. Could have used this element last night. 6 more games to go. Count down on. #freeclarkson

Agreed. Needed him against a physical Avs team yesterday. Would've stirred **** up around Varlamov's crease.

 

[Koolboss]

Losing is fine, the problem I have is seeing Kadri starting to get used like Grabo, next stop WSH for a bag of pucks?

This is where you need an owner or GM or president to intervene and say, Kadri is our boy, no jerking him around put him on the top 6. No more Carlyle *****ery.

THis

 

[ULF_55]

Another few games before the Leafs have their team on the ice.

Lupul-Kadri-Kessel
Kulemin-Reimsdyk-Clarkson
Bolland-Bozak-Raymond
Bodie-McClement-Orr

Can't float if you're the center JVR!

 

[Peasy]

Hey, no reason to call somebody ugly... especially when they sacrificed ~$600,000 to keep Kessel from getting his face busted open.

Except Ashton took care of it...

Clarkson jumping the bench has hurt the team more than it did good, and youre a fool if you say other wise.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I'm big on Jamie Devane, but he needs to learn how to use his imposing physicality to wake up the team when it is needed.

I know he was probably tenative due to the risk of taking a penalty, but that's the type of team we are.

We thrive on emotion, the more hatred between both teams the better we are.

Jamie will need to be noticed more, strike a balance when to agitate, when to back off.

The Bodie fight for instance was not needed at the time. May have helped Avs more than us. But once we fell behind, a good hard energy shift would have been a plus.