Are the Leafs a paper tiger?

[TheDoldrums]

Without even thinking hard....the one i mentioned, and Wood's second goal....

But what the Hell....lets do this:

1st Jersey goal, 4 guys in front and it's tipped=Andersen's fault.

2nd Jersey goal, Rosen and Borgman watch Wood skate on by for a breakaway=Andersen's fault

3rd Jersey goal, Zacha totally uncovered in the slot=Andersen's fault

4th Jersey goal, 2 man advantage...shot on own net (Nylander), blown coverage on rebound (Gardiner)=Andersen's fault

5th Jersey goal, perfect pass by Rosen to the open Jersey player who puts it in off the post (Rosen plays for us by the way)=Andersen's fault

6th Jersey goal, Kadri loses the faceoff....lets the player go to the net who tips in another one=Andersen's fault.

Ya, Schnieder had a great game....no doubt, but to say we had any chance of winning that game with the way the entire team played defensively is laughable.

I mean, I guess you see what you want to see. You see "blown coverage on rebound," I think a lot of people see Andersen needlessly kicking the rebound right on the opposing players stick. I think he wanted to keep it in play given the 5v3 and didn't realize he was serving it up on a platter for the trailing player.

 

[zeke]

It was Millen.

millen has never seen a goal that the goalie was at fault for. every goal ever scored, for millen the goalie had "no chance".

Listen just go watch the game recap. Schneider made more saves yes but the chances given up by Toronto were very high quality. Jersey also had great excecution better than Torontos last night. Wont always be like that, Toronto would likely beat Jersey over 7 games but lets not pretend the events that occured last night didnt happen. There is video of it, its pretty hard to deny but you guys are doing a great job so far.

i just watched the game recap.

there was that one tough save on henrique. no others.

 

[JoemAvs]

I don't believe in Andersen combined with their defense.

Could Freddie get hot for a playoff run? Sure.
But I don't think he is the kind of goalie who can mask the Leafs defensive issues long enough to win a cup.

Leafs might make a trade to change that or Babcock might coach them up enough to get it done. I would never bet against Mike Babcock anyways..

People talk about the Marners and Matthews but at the end of the day he is the guy that is responsible for their turnaround (along with finally getting smart people into their front office a couple of years ago).

So I wouldn't say they are a paper tiger.
But I also don't think they have what it takes to beat the best of the best in the playoffs...

 

[zeke]

Henrique and Wood both had clear cut breakaways. Then Henrique had a semi breakaway on the 3 on 5 where Gibbons scored on the rebound. Henrique also had a point blank chance from Johansson this is just off the top of my head.

wait are you counting a breakaway where the dman caught him and he didn't get a shot off as a "tough save"?

and another non-breakaway where he didn't get a shot off as another "tough breakaway save"?

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Gosh if only they had scored 4 fewer goals against Winnipeg to win 3-2 instead, then they'd have the look of a true contender.

What do the Jets have to do with thread?

Gosh if only they had scored 4 fewer goals against Winnipeg to win 3-2 instead, then they'd have the look of a true contender.

If Andersen did not stand on his head in the first period, it may have been 7-6. But I have been told recently good Goaltending does not count. 2 can play this game. But nevermind, the poster asked a question, I gave him a thoughtful answer, but apparently it was either ignored or went above your head.

 

[bert]

I mean, I guess you see what you want to see. You see "blown coverage on rebound," I think a lot of people see Andersen needlessly kicking the rebound right on the opposing players stick. I think he wanted to keep it in play given the 5v3 and didn't realize he was serving it up on a platter for the trailing player.

Lots of that going on in this thread.

Ok well it wasnt the best play by Andersen how about giving up the chance 3 on 5. Is that his fault? The point we are trying to make is the leafs had a tough game defensively as a team. No one is saying that its going to be an issue all the time or all season but clearly thats the teams weakness. They have been phenomenal offensively, very exciting I really enjoyed last nights game as a neutral fan. Both teams attacked all night and werent afraid to give up scoring chances, way more fun to watch then the team I cheer for.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

I was at the dam game, 1st time i have been pissed off about my season's tickets for a while. The whole team played like a dumpster fire.

So this is your first year with seasons tickets? Congrats!

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

It was Millen.

Listen just go watch the game recap. Schneider made more saves yes but the chances given up by Toronto were very high quality. Jersey also had great excecution better than Torontos last night. Wont always be like that, Toronto would likely beat Jersey over 7 games but lets not pretend the events that occured last night didnt happen. There is video of it, its pretty hard to deny but you guys are doing a great job so far.

I watched the game, and I saw the recap. I checked the stats. I still don't see any evidence that the Leafs defense was so porous that it was more of a difference maker than the goaltending performances from each side. Yes the Leafs gave up some bad chances, but so does every team. So did the Devils. Their goalie made the saves and the eye test and stats back that up

 

[sparxx87]

None of the goals that went in on Freddy were stinkers, but he’s gotta make more saves than that.

He wasn’t bad but he wasn’t very good either. Look at the other end of the ice - that’s the type of goaltending performance you need a lot of nights. One team got it and they won.

Leafs dominated all but 2 periods of their first 3 games. Having an off night isn’t all that concerning for me.

 

[Liferleafer]

So this is your first year with seasons tickets? Congrats!

Lol...nope, been in my family since the "50s. When i said a while, i was speaking in terms.of months....i am trying to forget about a decade.

 

[TheDoldrums]

What do the Jets have to do with thread?


If Andersen did not stand on his head in the first period, it may have been 7-6. But I have been told recently good Goaltending does not count. 2 can play this game. But nevermind, the poster asked a question, I gave him a thoughtful answer, but apparently it was either ignored or went above your head.

Seems you're the one missing the point. You said the Leafs need to show you they can win a 3-2 game. They already only allowed 2 goals to Winnipeg, so apparently scoring fewer goals would have proven more using your strange logic.

 

[Liferleafer]

I watched the game, and I saw the recap. I checked the stats. I still don't see any evidence that the Leafs defense was so porous that it was more of a difference maker than the goaltending performances from each side. Yes the Leafs gave up some bad chances, but so does every team. So did the Devils. Their goalie made the saves and the eye test and stats back that up

Really? In all honesty, that is the worst defensive performance in quite a while. Not just chances given up, but bad breakout passes....not able to keep pucks in at the point....giveaways....i mean it was absolutely brutal. It was Gardiner's worst game in a very long time.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Really? In all honesty, that is the worst defensive performance in quite a while. Not just chances given up, but bad breakout passes....not able to keep pucks in at the point....giveaways....i mean it was absolutely brutal. It was Gardiner's worst game in a very long time.

Never said it wasn't bad. Rosen and Gardiner in particular certainly were. But they still out chanced their opponent heavily which is about all you can ask
Not sure why you had to cut off my sentence halfway through since that changes my point but whatever

 

[Menzinger]

The fact that Andersen faced some high danger scoring chances last game isnt enough to excuse his play. So does every other goalie and they don't all let in a goal every 5.1 shots.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Seems you're the one missing the point. You said the Leafs need to show you they can win a 3-2 game. They already only allowed 2 goals to Winnipeg, so apparently scoring fewer would have proven more using your strange logic.

Still missing the point. I suggest you read my reply again. And then ask yourself how many goals this team has given up since last season to this season. And then after that ask yourself is high event hockey at both ends of the ice a norm or a sustainable style for winning a Cup? My post was really not that hard to understand. For most.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

They are good offensively... defensively they have a lot of room to grow... I thought Andersen did a good job last year covering their defensive flaws but if hes not on his game they may give up a ton of goals/chances.

Their offense can carry their defense... but I think Andersen has to be pretty spectacular for them to get out of first round of playoffs.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

The fact that Andersen faced some high danger scoring chances last game isnt enough to excuse his play. So does every other goalie and they don't all let in a goal every 5.1 shots.

Guess its safe to say gibsons >

 

[aufheben]

They have a great offence, but a lacking defense, and a wildly inconsistent goalie.

I think they're a fringe playoff team, but could they be this latter decade's version of the Capitals, in that they will fall apart when it matters? Or do they need to make a trade to go far this season?

Is that different than on paper?

 

[TheDoldrums]

Still missing the point. I suggest you read my reply again. And then ask yourself how many goals this team has given up since last season to this season. And then after that ask yourself is high event hockey at both ends of the ice a norm for winning a Cup? My post was really not that hard to understand. For most.

Pittsburgh just won playing very high event hockey so I'm pretty comfortable thinking you can win a Cup with that style.

 

[Liferleafer]

Never said it wasn't bad. Rosen and Gardiner in particular certainly were. But they still out chanced their opponent heavily which is about all you can ask
Not sure why you had to cut off my sentence halfway through since that changes my point but whatever

As i posted last night in the GDT, maybe it looked better on TV, but it looked terrible live. Schnieder was excellent....absolutely, but other than the PP, we didn't have a whole lot of sustained pressure, a lot of shots were low percentage and right into Schnieder's mid section and about the only D men who were half assed decent were Zaitsev and Hainsey (honorable mention to Rielly)....but Gardiner/Rosen's performance negated that 10 fold.

 

[aufheben]

Pittsburgh just won playing very high event hockey so I'm pretty comfortable thinking you can win a Cup with that style.

Goaltending was a huge part of that. The Pens had no business beating Washington.

I see the Leafs compared to Pittsburgh a lot. Why? They are more similar to the Stars of the last few years IMO.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Pittsburgh just won playing very high event hockey so I'm pretty comfortable thinking you can win a Cup with that style.

I don't think you watched them enough. They tightened up, when Crosby is dropping down to block shots and paying attention to defence as much if not more than Offence, this started 2 years ago when he won the Smythe and he was not even the team's leading playoff scorer. Pittsburg won because they focused on playing defence not high event hockey.

Pens had 5 shut outs in the playoffs last year. Need more proof?

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

They were off to a hot start.

 

[oilwave]

I think they have the assets to pick up a quality d at the deadline. And goaltending I don't think is an issue with decent defence ahead of him.

 

[TheDoldrums]

I don't think you watched them enough. They tightened up, when Crosby is dropping down to block shots and paying attention to defence as much if not more than Offence, this started 2 years ago when he won the Smythe and he was not even the team's leading playoff scorer. Pittsburg won because they focused on playing defence not high event hockey.

Pens had 5 shut outs in the playoffs last year. Need more proof?

Not sure what this is proving? The Penguins were not a great defensive team in the playoffs, they were routinely outshot and outchanced.

Regardless, the Penguins were the 2nd most high event team in the regular season last year behind the Leafs. If they can adjust their style in the postseason, so can Toronto.