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Wow the playoffs are intense. Can we compete

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zeke said:
Gary makes a good point about Freddy's inexcusable .872sv% in deciding games though, including an embarrassing number of softies.

But Gary including 4 empty net goals in his deciding games analysis is adorbs.
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Still beating that Andersen horse Eh Zeke?

How many goals has Matthews/Nylander/Tavares/Marner/Rielly scored in the series deciding game over the last 4 series? I'll give you a hint, two... two goals from our best 5 players. So if you want to talk about choking in series deciding games, why do you never bring this up? Can teams win with out scoring goals?
 
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Stinger8 said:
From the games I have watched so far, the intensity and physicality of these first games is staggering. I am unsure if the Leafs can play that style. Now I don't think any of the Canadian teams can as well, but if we are lucky enough to get to the semi's its going to very interesting to see how we compete against some of those ultra competitive and physical teams. Even the Tampa Florida game was crazy hard and competitive. Do you think we will have what it takes??
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Bluelines said:
Still beating that Andersen horse Eh Zeke?

How many goals has Matthews/Nylander/Tavares/Marner/Rielly scored in the series deciding game over the last 4 series? I'll give you a hint, two... two goals from our best 5 players. So if you want to talk about choking in series deciding games, why do you never bring this up? Can teams win with out scoring goals?
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E1miYJ2XMAIL81H
 
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Remember how Leafs fans always overrated their team and plan the parade all the time?

What a joke. Leafs fans are always desperately looking for reasons to hate their own team. Bunch of hipsters around here.
 
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That game 1 last year vs Columbus still makes me shake my head. The lack of urgency this team shows in the playoffs at times is sickening. Game 4 was awesome and that OT was some of the best playoff hockey the Leafs have played in the Matthews era, would like to see them bring that for a full series.
 
If you had told me before covid that we would be competing against only the other Canadian teams until the conference finals, I would’ve expected to get to that conference final 9 out of 10 times. That’s how far above the rest of the Canadian teams we are.

Bottom line, if we don’t “complete” through at least two rounds, it will be one of the greatest lost opportunities, and one of the greatest failures thus franchise would have seen.
 
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Never judge a playoffs by one period or game. Leafs took overly physical teams such as he Bruins to seven games back to back, while missing our top physical forward for most of the games. Yes, it was a tough matchup, but the Leafs almost closed out both series.

This teams core is older now. More mentally aware of the game that needs to be played. There is no way Leafs or any other team will face a series quite like the T.B/Florida hatred, it was on it's own level. It won't continue.

This team is approx. 40% different than even last year. Far higher a % different than when they played the Bruins. This team has the personnel to play a much stronger defensive game while also grinding out wins.

If they can't handle it, changes will be made accordingly, just as Dubas made changes this year.
 
Gary Nylund said:
Last 3 series we've played all went to the last deciding game and we lost them by a collective score of 15-5. Outscored 4-0 in the 3rd period the first time, then 5-1 and 3-0 losses. You can yap all you want about how it was "close" but at the deciding moments it wasn't close at all, it was like we didn't even show up.

Are you going to tell us more about the "no shows" of the defending cup champions? What a joke. It's just embarrassing to hear you keep going on about how good we are and how good these other teams that actually win in the playoffs sometimes aren't. Just stop already FFS and put the bragging on hold until we actually win something.
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TBF looking at clinching games is not the best way to look at it. Especially because during these games the leafs (besides cbj) had the lead at some point and especially because freddy shat the bed.
 
Stinger8 said:
From the games I have watched so far, the intensity and physicality of these first games is staggering. I am unsure if the Leafs can play that style. Now I don't think any of the Canadian teams can as well, but if we are lucky enough to get to the semi's its going to very interesting to see how we compete against some of those ultra competitive and physical teams. Even the Tampa Florida game was crazy hard and competitive. Do you think we will have what it takes??
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Attrition.

Those who were around during the Islander Leafs series know what I mean.

If the Leafs play Montreal and Edmonton 1-2, they will be playing a team who has had to come through a much more physical road.

Leafs will be healthy *knock on wood*
 
ER89 said:
TBF looking at clinching games is not the best way to look at it. Especially because during these games the leafs (besides cbj) had the lead at some point and especially because freddy shat the bed.
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Well I guess we'll see how Campbell goes. If it doesn't go well eventually some of this blame is going to have to come back to Dubas for never properly addressing goaltending.
 
Round 1 is always the best hockey in the playoffs. Teams aren't battered and bruised yet.

Good thing we won't have to play Round 1 hockey by the time we face our Round 3 opponent - should we get there.
 
zeke said:
We can and we will.

And tbh only the fla-tb game was overly intense.
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You must have missed the Boston - Washington game.
We are no match for that type of physical play, however, I don’t believe for one second that a non-physical team can’t win.
It doesn’t help that the zebras fail to call any of the infractions that would normally be called in the regular season. OV’s hit early in that game was a blatant cheap shot, the Boston player didn’t possess the puck at all and just got steamrolled.
Terrible non-call.
 
Captain14 said:
You must have missed the Boston - Washington game.
We are no match for that type of physical play, however, I don’t believe for one second that a non-physical team can’t win.
It doesn’t help that the zebras fail to call any of the infractions that would normally be called in the regular season. OV’s hit early in that game was a blatant cheap shot, the Boston player didn’t possess the puck at all and just got steamrolled.
Terrible non-call.
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We had no trouble matching the physicality of Boston and Washington previously, and we're only bigger and tougher now.
 
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Playoffs are intense. But it’s hard to gauge your team going from “gentleman’s agreement” and “play to not get hurt” to full on war. It’s like watching a turtle crossing the track at Formula 1. There’s no comparison.

We can compete and getting the players we added this year will help even more. We haven’t seen this team in full complement yet.
 
The score was close so the game was intense? Did you watch the games? Pens and isles were sloppy as hell. Bruins played like garbage and the TB Florida series showed the world what a good powerplay and turnovers create.
 
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zeke said:
We had no trouble matching the physicality of Boston and Washington previously, and we're only bigger and tougher now.
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I agree with that. We just need everyone to play a little bigger, not just Simmonds, Foligno and Muzz. It’s the officials lack of calling the cheap after the whistle b.s. that aggravates the hell out of me.
 
I think we will know pretty early if this team is ready. If guys like Nylander and Marner are engaged physically willing to play grinding hockey down low in the O zone and along their own boards. These are the 2 guys who need to show up willing to battle. Matthews has taken that physical step last year.

Thornton, Spezza, Simmonds, Nash, Foligno all vets understand the physicality of the playoffs.

Oh and can Rielly take the physical abuse as well and not get scared.

The rest of the players all have shown they can compete.

Won't hurt if Campbell is the answer in net
 
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Kurtz said:
The bigger concern to me is that if we win the North, we'll be playing road games in front of packed houses and home games in an empty stadium.
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Surely fans in some limited capacity (at least) would be able to come in by then I hope?

My god how far behind are we
 
One of the worst things of this stupid extended break to let the Flams and Canucks play out their season is having to read stupid takes like these.
 
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