Pre-Game Talk: Columbus @ Toronto - Tuesday 7pm

[The Hanging Jowl]

If we care about home ice, tonight's game is crucial. This is our game in hand. Supposing we lose tonight like Sunday night's debacle, we're left with 4 games:

- Boston (nothing needs to be said)
- Montreal (always an interesting game)
- Florida (fighting for their playoff lives)
- Tampa (4 point swing match)
- Rangers (good team but with not much to play for)

Not a single one of those games will be easy. Tampa has an almost identical situation to finish the season. Again, if Tampa manages to match us in points, it will have meant they have the first tie breaker with RWs. All it would take is them going 4-1 to close out and us going 2-3. I see that as a real possibility with us resting players and playing with line combos. Again, this all assumes we lose tonight. The entire dynamic changes if we win. Win this game and even if we do go 2-3, Tampa would have to win out to take home ice. I sure hope Keefe understands this.

 

[HockeyVirus]

I just want it to be the playoffs. It is going to suck if we have 7 games left of our season but I am beyond ready to win a round just to shut up some people. Going deep will be worth it being a fan obviously but the silence the main boards will fall into will be so hilarious.

Last time that happened was Matthews winning the Hart and the thread being all about how the award isn't worth anything it's the Lindsey, then they announced he won that too... Before that when JT signed after being told it was a pipe dream for years.

Give me another moment like that please!!

 

[Apex Predator]

I don’t see the leafs losing there final 6 games so I’m confident they will get home ice even with load management the players.

 

[ACC1224]

playoff presale is today. have to go watch them be eliminated in person yeah

Watching them be eliminated is no fun.

I may sell some, haven't decided yet. PM me after the schedule is released if you strike out on the pre-sale and still want to go.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Want to share my thoughts with this fantastic art i just made...

You made Keefe look far too smart.

 

[notDatsyuk]

O'Reilly coming back, play Willie on line 3.

O'Reilly Matthews Jarnkrok
Bunting Taveras Marner
Kerfoot Lafferty Nylander
ZAR Kampf Simmonds

So weak on the left side.

That's why you have to keep Jarnkrok on the left. Much better would be:

Jarnkrok Matthews Marner
Bunting O'Reilly Nylander
Kerfoot Taveras Lafferty

 

[D00bis]

scheduled loss for the leafs means they win 4-2

 

[SprDaVE]

sit out everyone and call-up the Marlies

 

[TML Dynasty]

That's why you have to keep Jarnkrok on the left. Much better would be:

Jarnkrok Matthews Marner
Bunting O'Reilly Nylander
Kerfoot Taveras Lafferty

I like the top two lines stacked:

Jank. Matthews. Marner
Tavares. OReilly. Nylander
Bunting. Kampf. Kerfoot
ZAR. Acciari. Lafferty

Acciari still out so bottom line can change but start letting these guys play/build chemistry.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Any word on ROR or Murray?

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

 

[ACC1224]

Nice, hopefully Woll starts.

 

[Nhlpowerweek]

If we care about home ice, tonight's game is crucial. This is our game in hand. Supposing we lose tonight like Sunday night's debacle, we're left with 4 games:

- Boston (nothing needs to be said)
- Montreal (always an interesting game)
- Florida (fighting for their playoff lives)
- Tampa (4 point swing match)
- Rangers (good team but with not much to play for)

Not a single one of those games will be easy. Tampa has an almost identical situation to finish the season. Again, if Tampa manages to match us in points, it will have meant they have the first tie breaker with RWs. All it would take is them going 4-1 to close out and us going 2-3. I see that as a real possibility with us resting players and playing with line combos. Again, this all assumes we lose tonight. The entire dynamic changes if we win. Win this game and even if we do go 2-3, Tampa would have to win out to take home ice. I sure hope Keefe understands this.

Yeah dubber also treally wants it hard tonight. He finna lick that thang in tonight.... going all out like a soldier. We finna play our best players tonight and pummel these suckas to the hole....

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

 

[ShameOnYouZidlicky]

I like the top two lines stacked:

Jank. Matthews. Marner
Tavares. OReilly. Nylander
Bunting. Kampf. Kerfoot
ZAR. Acciari. Lafferty

Acciari still out so bottom line can change but start letting these guys play/build chemistry.

I feel like these lines match-up really well against Tampa's. Only concern would be whether or not the bottom 6 can provide depth scoring.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Good to see. ROR and Accari fully healthy and returning to the lineup before playoffs makes this team much deeper. Adding Knies (hopefully) makes it even more so.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Uhh where’s Willy?

 

[Burnie97]

Where's Nylander though .. game off tonight?

 

[leafsfan2point0]

Nylander?

 

[Burnie97]

Guess we'll be getting a few updates about guys in a bit.

Better be a Win tonight.

 

[TML Dynasty]

I feel like these lines match-up really well against Tampa's. Only concern would be whether or not the bottom 6 can provide depth scoring.

Yeah for sure. 3rd line has promise though and always the potential addition of Knies to it.
4th line energy and bang/crash. Need the top 6 to perform though and either line could be a first line.

I like stacking the top two lines as well when considering minutes. Having three lines means we need to spread out minutes too much. This way we can ride top two lines a lot if needed and limit the bottom 6.

 

[Burnie97]

I don't mind the 2 bottom lines like that but obviously with Nyander maybe there.

Having 3 lines that can score in the playoffs would be nice.

 

[ACC1224]

Where's Nylander though .. game off tonight?

As someone who is trekking down there tonight but really didn't want to, I'll take that lineup.

 

[Rob Brown]

Where's Nylander though .. game off tonight?

Yeah seems like we're just going to rotate a few key guys out over the remaining games.

 

[Apex Predator]

Where's Nylander though .. game off tonight?

I’m guessing load management for him tonight.