Series Talk: Leafs vs Bruins - 'ah shit here we go again' edition -- Full schedule post #933

[kevsh]

Which team has the advantage in net the Bruins or the Leafs who's starting goalie was so bad earlier in the year that he was placed on waivers and NOBODY claimed him?

To be fair, Sammy's season had two halves.
The first half was a horror show, passed through waivers, then got some time off and was mostly solid, and at times spectacular.

Yes, Boston clearly has the advantage in net, but keep in mind that the Leafs got by Tampa Bay & Vasilevskiy last year with Samsonov - including him allowing only 3 goals combined in the last 2 games. He'll obviously have to be very good for the Leafs to have any chance and I believe he has it in him, just not sold yet he'll be able to keep it up for a deep playoff run.

 

[torontoblood]

Matthews didn’t score 70 goals this season. He was pissedvsnd frustrated, and it’s understandable. Missing out on such a historic milestone is always disappointing. And it’s no guarantee he will come close to score 70 goals again.

Hopefully he releases his frustrations and anger on our enemies in the playoffs this year

Maple Leafs Forever!

 

[Lightsol]

Matthews didn’t score 70 goals this season. He was pissedvsnd frustrated, and it’s understandable. Missing out on such a historic milestone is always disappointing. And it’s no guarantee he will come close to score 70 goals again.

Hopefully he releases his frustrations and anger on our enemies in the playoffs this year

Maple Leafs Forever!

I'm hoping the players are so pissed at their head coach belittling their accomplishments and throwing out lame excuses that they take it out on Boston this year. They'll have to be very good, because they have to overcome questionable goaltending, likely ref bullshit AND their own idiot coach's idiotic decisions...

 

[Darcy Tucker]

Didn't even realize, we ended up as the highest scoring team in the league, and the only one with 300+ goals.

Colorado has one more game left to catch us.

Toronto: 303
Colorado: 299

 

[Evilhomer]

To be fair, Sammy's season had two halves.
The first half was a horror show, passed through waivers, then got some time off and was mostly solid, and at times spectacular.

Yes, Boston clearly has the advantage in net, but keep in mind that the Leafs got by Tampa Bay & Vasilevskiy last year with Samsonov - including him allowing only 3 goals combined in the last 2 games. He'll obviously have to be very good for the Leafs to have any chance and I believe he has it in him, just not sold yet he'll be able to keep it up for a deep playoff run.

This is exactly right. He can easily beat a pretty offensively-challenged Boston team. But can he beat Florida/Tampa and then NYR/Carolina?

 

[HamiltonNHL]

I think the only thing we can draw from this is that the Leafs lose in the playoffs no matter what...

Ha !

The defense does well when they stick to man-to-man coverage.

Other teams could do man vs man.
You can't convert the Leafs to man to man.
Brodie and Rielly frequently skate away from the front of the net leaving it open.

 

[authentic]

I'm hoping the players are so pissed at their head coach belittling their accomplishments and throwing out lame excuses that they take it out on Boston this year. They'll have to be very good, because they have to overcome questionable goaltending, likely ref bullshit AND their own idiot coach's idiotic decisions...

Also remember Boston had that disappointing first round lost last year so they will be wanting to win really badly and the Leafs have to overcome that extra effort the Bruins will surely put forth. It won't be easy but they have to want it more and they will win.

 

[Clark4Ever]

I have Leafs in 5.

Just don’t think Boston will have the depth to score enough in this series.

I would agree, but our goaltending also needs to be solid for that to happen.

 

[Clark4Ever]

To be fair, Sammy's season had two halves.
The first half was a horror show, passed through waivers, then got some time off and was mostly solid, and at times spectacular.

Yes, Boston clearly has the advantage in net, but keep in mind that the Leafs got by Tampa Bay & Vasilevskiy last year with Samsonov - including him allowing only 3 goals combined in the last 2 games. He'll obviously have to be very good for the Leafs to have any chance and I believe he has it in him, just not sold yet he'll be able to keep it up for a deep playoff run.

Agreed.

I just hope that his last couple of games of the season were a blip and that he'll be rejuvenated on Saturday.

If he's on, we can absolutely beat Boston.

 

[OVO16]

I'm not gonna let the game 1 lineup get to me because I expect change throughout the series.

There will be lots of rotating in and out for the 4th line and 3rd D-pair is my guess

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Rather Boston than FL. Hope the refs do it fair.

Yup. Boston they have at least a chance though they're dead in the water if they get into penalty trouble and they don't get out of their own heads. And no, the refs won't do it fair, like not even close, and I rarely normally complain about that sort of thing but you have to go into the series knowing that.

Florida? I'll eat my own socks if they beat them in a playoff series.

 

[BallardEra]

Yup. Boston they have at least a chance though they're dead in the water if they get into penalty trouble and they don't get out of their own heads.

Florida? I'll eat my own socks if they beat them in a playoff series.

Maybe Tampa beats Florida?

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Maybe Tampa beats Florida?

That's our best chance. Tampa's no pushover but they aren't as relentless as Florida.

 

[BallardEra]

That's our best chance. Tampa's no pushover but they aren't as relentless as Florida.

I agree but you just never know in a series like that.

It will get ugly and I hope it goes 7.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Colorado has one more game left to catch us.

Toronto: 303
Colorado: 299

Oh boy, they might pass us tonight Edmonton has dressed a dreadful lineup, while Colorado has their A squad.

 

[PromisedLand]

Is it Saturday yet?

I am so f***ing ready!

f*** the Bruins

 

[MSZ]

Oh boy, they might pass us tonight Edmonton has dressed a dreadful lineup, while Colorado has their A squad.

The Avs have scored 3 already.

EDIT: 4 goals

 

[Squiffy]

 

[DarkKnight]

When do we get the schedule?

 

[MSZ]

When do we get the schedule?

Tomorrow

 

[crump]

Hope Samsonov heads back to the well of advice his father game him to help him rebound.

"It’s easy to sit and cry and keep your head down. He said you have to fight for this no matter what’s going on," Ilya said. "You have a family and you have a kid. You’re not a small guy anymore. You’re not in the kid's garden, You live a big life. This has really helped me. It’s given me extra motivation."

 

[Racer88]

We have top end talent, but have lacked in other areas and still do now. Such is life in a salary cap league. Efforts there, but there's certainly other barriers and issues

Such is life when you spend 50% of your cap on 4 similar forwards. Others teams have navigated the salary cap much better then we have.

 

[Squiffy]

Bring them on.

I sure as shit am too scarred to sit here and proclaim we’re going to win, but f*** it let’s dance and see where the song ends. Just be the best versions of yourselves as a team and let cards fall where they may.

Giddee Up.

 

[ToneDog]

The Avs have scored 3 already.

EDIT: 4 goals

Mac got his 2 assists for 140 points in first 10 minutes.

Such is life when you spend 50% of your cap on 4 similar forwards. Others teams have navigated the salary cap much better then we have.

That is because they can't and they won't

 

[Racer88]

Ha !

Other teams could do man vs man.
You can't convert the Leafs to man to man.
Brodie and Rielly frequently skate away from the front of the net leaving it open.

The leafs…….not enough man