Why did so many of you WANT this match up

[rfournier103]

I wanted this matchup because if the Bruins can’t be the ones to kill the Leafs’ dreams this year, the Sens are the next best thing.

The series currently stands at 3-2 in favor of Toronto, with Game 6 in Ottawa coming up. The Maple Leafs looked as dejected as I’ve ever seen at the end of Game 5, and if the Sens can win Game 6, I’ll say Game 7 will be a tossup.

All the pressure is on the Leafs. It won’t be easy, but as long as you get quality play from Ullmark, these are two winnable games.

 

[Gigachad321]

I wanted this match up because Toronto was never the threat of the Atlantic division. Even if they beat us it’s always been Florida/Tampa to make it to the conference finals. We did sweep the leafs in the regular season, I know that doesn’t mean much but this is still prob the best match up to give the team experience.

Other than game 1 where the refs dictated the outcome, this series could easily been 4-1 Ottawa. We hit a lot of crossbars and missed a lot of chances. The boys are learning what it takes to be in the playoffs, they learning how to hit and grind down a team. Just hope it carries into next season and they get even a little bit better.

 

[Alex1234]

I wanted this match up because Toronto was never the threat of the Atlantic division. Even if they beat us it’s always been Florida/Tampa to make it to the conference finals. We did sweep the leafs in the regular season, I know that doesn’t mean much but this is still prob the best match up to give the team experience.

Other than game 1 where the refs dictated the outcome, this series could easily been 4-1 Ottawa. We hit a lot of crossbars and missed a lot of chances. The boys are learning what it takes to be in the playoffs, they learning how to hit and grind down a team. Just hope it carries into next season and they get even a little bit better.

Exactly
Plus they have 7 years of PO experience vs 1st time for us and we are giving them trouble
Imagine next year
I would take that match up for the next 5 years anytime

 

[Tuna99]

Tampa won 1 game this playoffs. That lineup won 1 friggin game. Multiple Hall of Famers.

Toronto was always the easiest out in the Atlantic, they do it to themselves

 

[bert]

Tampa won 1 game this playoffs. That lineup won 1 friggin game. Multiple Hall of Famers.

Toronto was always the easiest out in the Atlantic, they do it to themselves

Yeah exactly, most of all I just wanted to avoid Florida but Tampa was not a good matchup either. None of the teams were good options but if you are choosing a leafs team with very little playoff success vs the last two teams that have gone to the last 4 SCF's it was an easy decision. Even if the sens lose it was always the best of the three matchups.

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

The reality is that every team in the playoffs we could have faced is really good.

The only reason to say not Toronto is cowardice, because of the baggage that exists with the rivalry.

WIn or lose tonight, we got 3 enormous home games out of this.

 

[TheNewEra]

The reality is that every team in the playoffs we could have faced is really good.

The only reason to say not Toronto is cowardice, because of the baggage that exists with the rivalry.

WIn or lose tonight, we got 3 enormous home games out of this.

basically this and the baggage with toronto themselves

we had four possible matchups realistically (Toronto, Washington, Tampa, Florida)

Florida would have been bad for obvious reasons. Toronto had the most issues on paper. Washington and Tampa were toss ups (i would prefer washington but its close)

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

basically this and the baggage with toronto themselves

we had four possible matchups realistically (Toronto, Washington, Tampa, Florida)

Florida would have been bad for obvious reasons. Toronto had the most issues on paper. Washington and Tampa were toss ups (i would prefer washington but its close)

Ultimately, I don't think it matters who we face because all the options are strong teams. There is no easy path. I think that people were being cowards for being upset at the baggage of a Sens/Leafs series rather than being excited at the prospect of being the spoilers, even if it meant there was a chance that a loss to Toronto would feel worse than a lost to any of the other teams.

I think people wanted Washington because we matched up well in the regular season, but I don't know if that matters. I probably said the same thing, but it's obvious now that playoff hockey is too different.

I don't think it mattered who we faced. There were paths to winning, but just as many if not more to losing. It was always going to be an uphill battle with Tkachuk injured. Looking at the Washington/Montreal series, Montreal was the weakest statistically of the playoff teams and they still won a game, took one game to OT on the road.

One thing is that I think perspectives that I read online have been very different between people who went to the games, and people who watched on TV. I think that people who went might have been more likely to have a glass half full perspective, even if we lost game 4 or 5 (game 4 is harder) because they got a very special experience out of the playoff run. For people watching on TV, it's still exciting, but there is only so much you can do to make your living room feel like it's a big game. Put up a banner. Make your cat wear a jersey. Etc. It's just not the same experience, so I think people watching at home are more likely to be upset and feel like they got nothing from the Sens run if we lose, let alone if we got swept.

 

[darude]

This loss to Toronto doesn't feel bad the way the early '00s losses did because our positions were completely reversed. They won the division this year and while they've struggled to convert their regular season success to the playoffs, they aren't a crappy team by any stretch.

On the flipside, the Sens are up and coming and these guys should have been having their first taste of the playoffs four years ago. We had too long of a drought but finally put it together and got our young core some incredibly valuable playoff experience. This series was basically:

Game 1: Get the jitters out
Game 2: Took them to OT - Played 'em tough, Character building
Game 3: Took them to OT - Played 'em tough, Character alone can't do it
Game 4: Won in OT - First playoff Win for most of our core of players, including our big FA signing goalie.
Game 5: Won convincingly by the end of the 2nd. Really showed we could hang with them. Brady talked about coming back to Ottawa and the team delivered.
Game 6: Lost a tough one in regulation due to a rough mistake.

I don't see anything wrong with this, everyone on the team will learn from this and show up for next season ready to go, knowing what it'll take to get there and they have an understanding of what it takes to win.

 

[DuncanMacpherson]

We all knew this match up would be the bigger high if they win and the bigger low if they lose. After so many years without meaningful hockey it made sense to want the most meaningful match up. It was worth going for it as beating the Leafs and ending the Marner/Matthews era would have been amazing. But man, losing to the Leafs is really rough.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

This post did not age well.

I agree, this post did not age well

You were given the odds (1.9%) of a Wildcard team, down 3 games to none, coming back and winning the series.

I would have given whatever it would have taken for it to happen, but the reality of situation, Brady running on fumes, Jensen at 3/4 speed, and the odds could only lead anyone to the conclusion that the Sens were not going to advance…..