Series Talk: ECQ: Boston Bruins (3-3) Toronto Maple Leafs. GAME 7 AWAITS!

[mjlee]

What could have been, eh?

 

[stuart5035]

Our advantage is, and has been depth. Babcock tried to play to Boston's strengths game 1 and 2 by have 2 prototypical shutdown lines. He was pretty much inviting the Bruins to dominate us with the Pleks and Kadri there to try to stop them. They were trying to score we were trying to defened.

I want to see something like this. Let's bring the pressure to Boston, let them worrying about defending us. Good luck with 4 lines that can burn you with speed, every one of which is a threat to score.

Well said.

I think two comments from Monday’s telecast sum it up:

Nick Kypreos-went on a mini rant about why is Komorov playing (not because of any injury issue). It was a little surprising to hear this, but welcome and refreshing.

Don Cherry’s comment about the Leaf key being their defense continuing to pinch in the Bruin’s zone (in other words attack, attack). A team built to attack with speed.

 

[34]

Expecting a big game from Willy tonight. He is due.

 

[Faltorvo]

Well said.

I think two comments from Monday’s telecast sum it up:

Nick Kypreos-went on a mini rant about why is Komorov playing (not because of any injury issue). It was a little surprising to hear this, but welcome and refreshing.

Don Cherry’s comment about the Leaf key being their defense continuing to pinch in the Bruin’s zone (in other words attack, attack). A team built to attack with speed.

Well the D pinching sure backfired tonight.

 

[Faltorvo]

Expecting a big game from Willy tonight. He is due.

and nope.

 

[zeke]

Well the D pinching sure backfired tonight.

not even pinches. just blocked shots.

 

[ottomaddox]

Haha. Don Cherry gives a lesson at the end of the game.

We all know we lost this series in 1 game.

Sad.

Come on. There's always next year.

 

[dubplatepressure]

not even pinches. just blocked shots.

Either way a lot to be desired. Boston was the perfect opponent to expose our weakness.

 

[Trapper]

The next game should be interesting. No idea if we win or lose but I will be interested in seeing who shows up.
I don't mean shows up in terms of winning the game for us.
I mean who is content to go out with a whimper and goes out with a bang.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

We doubled their Corsi.
And lost.
We can beat the Bruins when we can line match.
I dont think we can in Boston Gardens.

Game 5 should be interesting !

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

The next game should be interesting. No idea if we win or lose but I will be interested in seeing who shows up.
I don't mean shows up in terms of winning the game for us.
I mean who is content to go out with a whimper and goes out with a bang.

Pretty much means the same thing. I agree Nonetheless. Let's see who doesn't give up and continue to push despite potentially being the final elimination game and then off to the golf course.

 

[Leaf4Life]

The next game should be interesting. No idea if we win or lose but I will be interested in seeing who shows up.
I don't mean shows up in terms of winning the game for us.
I mean who is content to go out with a whimper and goes out with a bang.

Except today was a HUGE game and we already know who showed up and who didn't...

 

[Liferleafer]

Either way a lot to be desired. Boston was the perfect opponent to expose our weakness.

It's the reason i wanted Tampa instead of Boston....

 

[Nithoniniel]

Either way a lot to be desired. Boston was the perfect opponent to expose our weakness.

Yeah. I was terrified of Boston, but I scrounged up some optimism after re-watching our previous meetings.

Well the D pinching sure backfired tonight.

Yeah it did, but where were the forwards covering? We employ a system that is built on us pinching, but that requires dutiful coverage by forwards to make sure that every d-man pinching has a forward coming back who can at the very least put back pressure on the puck carrier. That has happened way too rarely this series.

That's why I've said that we play as a young and dumb team. We get stressed into thinking offense, offense, offense and soon enough shortcuts creep into their game.

 

[Nithoniniel]

I'd go into Boston with:

Hyman - Matthews - Brown
Johnsson - Kadri - Kapanen
Marleau - Plekanec - Marner
JVR - Bozak - Nylander

Dermott - Rielly
Gardiner - Zaitsev
Hainsey - Polak

Roll the lines. Only thing I'd do is make sure to start the Bozak line as much as possible in the offensive zone. Identify vulnerable matchups and start pushing extra shifts by Matthews/Marner/Nylander in there. One of these lines is going to see plenty of a not very impressive fourth line for Boston. All of them could capitalize on it.

If this team can go like they did while supporting their d-men better, we can beat Boston. Even away. With proper support for our pinching d-men, as our systems require, we win last nights game.

 

[mapleleafs34]

Anyone know what Bergeron's injury is? Has to be a concussion no? The guy played with a punctured lung before...

 

[ottomaddox]

The next game should be interesting. No idea if we win or lose but I will be interested in seeing who shows up.
I don't mean shows up in terms of winning the game for us.
I mean who is content to go out with a whimper and goes out with a bang.

Start with Nylander...

 

[PuckMagi]

Either way a lot to be desired. Boston was the perfect opponent to expose our weakness.

But their weakness is speed and the fact that they only have one line. We were the perfect opponent to expose their weakness too. We have speed and offensive depth.

We needed to beat them with speed and skill. Except Babcock has never embraced this aspect of our team and he relies on grinders like Hyman and Plekanec in our top 6. Babcock tried to match them physically and that was a big mistake. We needed guys like Kapanen and Johnsson in our top 6, except Babcock kept them on our 4th line while slower players were in the top 9.

 

[FabledKnight]

Hymen Kadri Marner
Marleau plekanec nylander
Johnsson Matthews Kapanen
JVR Bozak Brown

This is what I'll use in Boston. It'll make it difficult to line match against us. Insulates Matthews a bit. Only thing is the D. No Idea on how fix

 

[FabledKnight]

But their weakness is speed and the fact that they only have one line. We were the perfect opponent to expose their weakness too. We have speed and offensive depth.

We needed to beat them with speed and skill. Except Babcock has never embraced this aspect of our team and he relies on grinders like Hyman and Plekanec in our top 6. Babcock tried to match them physically and that was a big mistake. We needed guys like Kapanen and Johnsson in our top 6, except Babcock kept them on our 4th line while slower players were in the top 9.

Hymen has been our best forward. Babcock only lean on Plek starting in game 3 and that worked out. Komarov would've been a better example.

 

[The Apologist]

not even pinches. just blocked shots.

A cannon a la Phaneuf or Franson would be nice to have there right now.

 

[Ziggdiezan]

Yeah. I was terrified of Boston, but I scrounged up some optimism after re-watching our previous meetings.


Yeah it did, but where were the forwards covering? We employ a system that is built on us pinching, but that requires dutiful coverage by forwards to make sure that every d-man pinching has a forward coming back who can at the very least put back pressure on the puck carrier. That has happened way too rarely this series.

That's why I've said that we play as a young and dumb team. We get stressed into thinking offense, offense, offense and soon enough shortcuts creep into their game.

The coverage by the forwards have been really bad the entire series. Is hard to watch.

When a Boston defender like Krug is pinching Krejci or Bergeron are already in behind him to cover. With the Leafs that rarely ever happens. Saw Brown cover a few pinches but other than that...

If Leafs don't pinch their defenders, game 1 and 2 will happen. It is 100% key to their success but the forwards aren't buying into it or are assuming every pinch will be successful. Don't know which is worse

 

[The Podium]

I'd like to see this for game 5

Hyman - Matthews - Kapanen
Marleau - Plekanec - Marner
Johnsson - Kadri - Nylander
JVR - Bozak - Brown

Matthews and Nylander are clearly being out worked by Chara. We know Cassidy is going to match Chara to Matthews so lets get Nylander out of there. Kapanen has burned Chara with speed multiple times this series, lets wear him down here by forcing that matchup and moving Kapanen to the top line.

The Plekanec line had another great night so lets keep them together.

Johnsson is buzzing and Kadri will come back mad, moving Nylander down the lineup may get him going against lower competition.

The Bozak line can be benched for all I care.​

 

[Zhamnov5GoalGame]

Hoping for some road magic for the Leafs this Saturday.
I've only been able to see chunks of their games.
What I've watched has been the competitive strong parts of those games.
When I come back to check in is where things have gone off the rails.

A win in Boston makes a game 6 home win doable.
Game 7 would be another hill to climb altogether.
But each game for the young core in the playoffs is another step towards some type of a Finals run in the near future.

Good luck.

 

[Suntouchable13]

On the bright, at least for me, that tomorrow's game could be the last game in a Leafs uni for our UFAs. Good riddance.