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

[DarkKnight]

Leafs need to come out of the gates running tonight. You know the Bruins are going to come back looking to end this quick. Rask will be motivated to play his best game yet, Bergeron hasn't been putting up big numbers, yet, and how long do you think Pasta is going to be snake bitten? This is going to be the first time the Leafs play intact at home so we really need to see the same fast team come to play and choke out any hope of the Bruins sending the boys packing at home. The intensity needs to be there from puck drop to final buzzer, I want to run them out of the building because Game 7 anything could happen.

Bergeron might still be hurt so that should be green light for Kadri and Plek to finish their hits (legally of course, none of that Game 1 nonsense). Maybe the old dogs from Boston are tired and are only getting one night between games so keep the speed up!

1 win at a time. Let's go back to Boston Thursday night and play our best hockey yet.

Isn’t it Wednesday?

 

[Damisoph]

Yes game 7 would be Wednesday.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I'm nervous already. Gonna be a long day at work.

 

[rent free]

Hopefully, Leafs don't fall in the same way the Avs and Philly did by forcing a game 6 just to lose at home.

That has given me less confidence in this game. Still high tho.

 

[Mugzy97]

I don't get it

It's counting 16 wins (cup)

It's also mocking the bruins GDT.

 

[Trapper]

I'm nervous already. Gonna be a long day at work.

No need to be nervous. All the pressure is on the Bruins.
They were the team up 3-1.
3 things can happen from a news standpoint.
1. Boston chokes it away and loses game 7.
2. The Leafs stage an awesome comeback down 3-1.
3. The team that was up 3-1 won anyway.

Zero pressure on the Leafs now.

 

[Gary Nylund]

No need to be nervous. All the pressure is on the Bruins.
They were the team up 3-1.
3 things can happen from a news standpoint.
1. Boston chokes it away and loses game 7.
2. The Leafs stage an awesome comeback down 3-1.
3. The team that was up 3-1 won anyway.

Zero pressure on the Leafs now.

Then again, we're the team that played poorly to let them get up 3-1. We're at home tonight and Kadri's back, now reason whatsoever that we can't win tonight.

 

[Zybalto]

Nylander hasn’t had a good series, if the stats suggest otherwise, then I question the stats. I mean I’m not into the hate fest around here of late but it’s obvious those stats don’t compute with reality, at least for me and I’m quite comfortable ignoring those numbers as indicative or absolving in any way. Nylander hasn’t had a strong showing. I also didn’t look at any of those stats last year in the playoffs when Nylander was fantastic, so...

Nylander:

Scoring Chances:
Season: 8.09 chances per game
Playoffs: 8.4 chances per game

HD Chances:
Season: 2.84 HD chances per game
Playoffs: 3.2 HD chances per game


Matthews:

Scoring Chances:
Season: 9.24 chances per game
Playoffs: 10.0 chances per game

HD Chances:
Season: 3.42 HD chances per game
Playoffs: 3.6 HD chances per game

The stats are the stats and tend to regulate the larger the sample size gets. You have to remember that the stats also reflect what all 5 players are doing so its very possible that Nylander or Matthews are playing very poorly but everyone else around them are playing lights out combined with the fact they have an almost unheard of PDO. I think all the advanced numbers point to a pair that is going to break out soon because its just not possible to sustain this huge contradiction.

 

[Trapper]

Then again, we're the team that played poorly to let them get up 3-1. We're at home tonight and Kadri's back, now reason whatsoever that we can't win tonight.

I'm still not worried. For better or worse, maybe this is exactly what we needed to get on track.
IMO we looked really overwhelmed the first 2 games, not sure if scared (not in a physical sense) or nervous. Call it whatever you like. Sometimes when you are down and out you no longer care the same way and start to play the game the way you should have played it from the start.
We were done in the minds of many and have nothing to lose. Boston on the other hands risks a game 7 after being up 3-1.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I'm still not worried. For better or worse, maybe this is exactly what we needed to get on track.
IMO we looked really overwhelmed the first 2 games, not sure if scared (not in a physical sense) or nervous. Call it whatever you like. Sometimes when you are down and out you no longer care the same way and start to play the game the way you should have played it from the start.
We were done in the minds of many and have nothing to lose. Boston on the other hands risks a game 7 after being up 3-1.

That's nice for them I guess. We were never done as far as I'm concerned but it's also nobody's fault but ours that we weren't ready to play when the series started.

 

[Zybalto]

I'm still not worried. For better or worse, maybe this is exactly what we needed to get on track.
IMO we looked really overwhelmed the first 2 games, not sure if scared (not in a physical sense) or nervous. Call it whatever you like. Sometimes when you are down and out you no longer care the same way and start to play the game the way you should have played it from the start.
We were done in the minds of many and have nothing to lose. Boston on the other hands risks a game 7 after being up 3-1.

I think the fact we had nothing to play for down the stretch combined with Boston being motivated to the end of the season really helped Boston in game 1 but in game 2 we we the better team overall let down by some really bad bounces and penalty trouble.

The longer this goes on, the worse it is for Boston as they played a ton of hockey the last couple of months and may be far more banged up and fatigued than is being talked about.

 

[Mess]

The last time a Leafs team beat the Bruins in a playoff series was in the 1950's.

 

[thewave]

If we play like the last game from we challenge everyone that we come up against. We can even win this. The refs have to be fair though.

Last game is a mark on the league and officiating.

 

[thewave]

The last time a Leafs team beat the Bruins in a playoff series was in the 1950's.

When we play hard like that we have shown we can run them on their heels. We can win this but the suspect officiating has to be neutralized.

 

[Tak7]

When we play hard like that we have shown we can run them on their heels. We can win this but the suspect officiating has to be neutralized.

Want to neutralize officiating?

Stay out of the box.

 

[mjhfb]

I think the fact we had nothing to play for down the stretch combined with Boston being motivated to the end of the season really helped Boston in game 1 but in game 2 we we the better team overall let down by some really bad bounces and penalty trouble.

The longer this goes on, the worse it is for Boston as they played a ton of hockey the last couple of months and may be far more banged up and fatigued than is being talked about.

Well at least we know their #1C and #1RD are playing injured. That's significant.

 

[BlueForever75]

One thing is for certain. The only chance we had against Boston was if the two following things happened consistently in this series:

1) Andersen stole a couple of games for us (has only stole one so far Game 5)
2) Matthews, Nylander and Marner controlled games (hasn't happened yet)

In the remaining two games, if Matthews, Nylander and Marner control the games like they can. And Andersen steals one more game, which I think he can. We win. We are heading to game 6 with no pressure on us, I agree it is all on Boston. We shouldn't even be here considering our top players haven't performed yet like they can and single handedly took over games.

Pressure is on Boston. They needed to win Saturday and didn't!!! They now go back to the best home team arena, if we win which I think we can and should. Game 7 is a crapshoot. Anyone's game!!!! And even then the pressure is on Boston not Toronto giving up a 3-1 lead in series.

I like our chances.

 

[thewave]

Want to neutralize officiating?

Stay out of the box.

They need to play on the edge just like Boston and get balanced officiating. We were not any worse than Boston, we got called for everything.


Last game was modern example a1 of a PO game with unbalanced unfair officiating. I could see it referenced for future generation officials in training in the what not to do section.

 

[Tak7]

They need to play on the edge just like Boston and get balanced officiating. We were not any worse than Boston, we got called for everything.


Last game was modern example a1 of a PO game with unbalanced unfair officiating. I could see it referenced for future generation officials in training in the what not to do section.

Maybe.

I didn't like the Rick Nash / broken stick call, and I didn't like the Dermott call early in the 3rd.

The others? Hard to argue against those not being penalties, to be honest.

Think it was more a case of the Leafs being undisciplined rather than the refs being sewer rats.

In either case, the Leafs can't control the refs, but they can control the way they play - so play a disciplined game and watch your sticks, and they'll be fine.

 

[Mess]

When we play hard like that we have shown we can run them on their heels. We can win this but the suspect officiating has to be neutralized.

1958-59 NHL Playoff Results

Series B .............................. W L GF GA
Toronto Maple Leafs ......... 4 3 20 21
Boston Bruins ........................ 3 4 21 20

Mar 24 Toronto Maple Leafs 1 5 at Boston Bruins
Mar 26 Toronto Maple Leafs 2 4 at Boston Bruins
Mar 28 Boston Bruins 2 3 at Toronto Maple Leafs 00:05:02 OT
Mar 31 Boston Bruins 2 3 at Toronto Maple Leafs 00:11:21 OT
Apr 2 Toronto Maple Leafs 4 1 at Boston Bruins
Apr 4 Boston Bruins 5 4 at Toronto Maple Leafs
Apr 7 Toronto Maple Leafs 3 2 at Boston Bruins

Toronto Maple Leafs win series 4 games to 3

Will History repeat itself again?

 

[Zybalto]

Maybe.

I didn't like the Rick Nash / broken stick call, and I didn't like the Dermott call early in the 3rd.

The others? Hard to argue against those not being penalties, to be honest.

Think it was more a case of the Leafs being undisciplined rather than the refs being sewer rats.

In either case, the Leafs can't control the refs, but they can control the way they play - so play a disciplined game and watch your sticks, and they'll be fine.

You thought the Gardiner/Chara incident was fine? Hyman got jumped and It wasnt officially a fight so no third man in should not apply and between Gards and Chara, Chara commited the only infraction. That was plain bizarre.

Also on the Zaitsev penalty, we got burned a while ago when one of our guys was tripped the exact same way and when asked for an explanation we were told that "a defender lying prone on the ice will not be accessed a tripping call" Unless Zaitsev was swinging his stick there, no penalty should been called per the league.

 

[Tak7]

You thought the Gardiner/Chara incident was fine? Hyman got jumped and It wasnt officially a fight so no third man in should not apply and between Gards and Chara, Chara commited the only infraction. That was plain bizarre.

Also on the Zaitsev penalty, we got burned a while ago when one of our guys was tripped the exact same way and when asked for an explanation we were told that "a defender lying prone on the ice will not be accessed a tripping call" Unless Zaitsev was swinging his stick there, no penalty should been called per the league.

Zaitsev spraws and trips their guy - absolutely a penalty.

The Leafs failure to stay on their feet during 2-on-1 plays isn't the refs fault.

 

[ACC1224]

Maybe.

I didn't like the Rick Nash / broken stick call, and I didn't like the Dermott call early in the 3rd.

The others? Hard to argue against those not being penalties, to be honest.

Think it was more a case of the Leafs being undisciplined rather than the refs being sewer rats.

In either case, the Leafs can't control the refs, but they can control the way they play - so play a disciplined game and watch your sticks, and they'll be fine.

A couple bad calls agreed but the problem wasn't the calls they made against the Leafs, it was the lack of calls against the B's .
Games of this magnitude shouldn't be so heavily tilted.

 

[Zybalto]

Zaitsev spraws and trips their guy - absolutely a penalty.

The Leafs failure to stay on their feet during 2-on-1 plays isn't the refs fault.

Was just pointing out we got burned on the exact same play and the league said that defender who is lying prone like that on a two on one and then the other player skates into his stick shouldnt be assessed a penalty.

Im fine with it being a penalty if it didnt contradict what happened at the time and the explanation afterwords.....just another consistency issue I guess.....

I also noticed you didnt mention the Gardiner incident.....with that penalty its 3 bad penalties against in an elimination game which is inexcusable when you only call 1 penalty all game on the other team that was held off on until indisputable proof was in front of your face.

Im not a conspiracy theorist at all on this though, it was just PeeWee level reffing that went against us again this year for some reason.....and it killed the game as our forwards get frozen and our dmen get fatigued down the stretch.

 

[BlueForever75]

I think last game the officiating took us out of the game. We had a third of our team playing the majority of the second half of the game on the PK while the other 2/3rds were stagnant on the bench. Totally took the momentum away from us. Some where valid calls where we were tired and scrambling, and were committed by players that were over used in on PK. Others were phantom calls as discussed.

Hard for players that sit for long stretches to give us possession when the other team smells the kill from continuous pressure. We played a fantastic 30 minutes. If not for a bad bounce we should have been up 4-0. Refs took the momentum away!!!! The Leafs if they play the same tonight will destroy them. Wont even be close. I think it will be a 6-2 score tonight for the good guys!!!