Series Talk: Leafs vs Lightning Pre-Playoff Thread

[Stonehands 1]

Go Leafs Go, just win

 

[MSZ]

 

[hockeywiz542]

WARMINGTON: CBC and Rogers Sportsnet, eat your hearts out – we have Cherry's Corner

Rogers Sportsnet or the CBC don’t have the Coach in their corner. We do!

torontosun.com

Hockey commentator and legend Don Cherry speaks about the NHL playoffs, the Maple Leafs advancing to the second round, playoff fisticuffs, Bobby Orr and his beloved Bruins from his front sunroom at his Mississauga home on Friday, April 21, 2023. Photo by Jack Boland /Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network

Rogers Sportsnet or the CBC don’t have the coach in their corner. We do!

That’s right, Hockey Night in Canada’s loss is a gain for the Toronto Sun and its readers, viewers and followers. Game 3 in Tampa, Fla., is the Maple Leafs’ biggest game of the year and Don Cherry believes it will be Toronto’s toughest.

“Saturday night will be the turning point in the series,” the coach said Friday. “It’s going to be something else.”

There’s nothing better than this time of year for Don Cherry. It’s like Christmas.

“I like the playoffs,” said the iconic coach, who will be 90 next February. “There’s nothing better.”

With the Maple Leafs heading down to Florida to play Game 3 of their first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Cherry admits he’s excited for the puck to drop. All hockey fans can relate, but I do admit I sure miss Cherry being on Coach’s Corner in those first intermissions on Saturday nights — and especially in the playoffs.

......................

So Sun photographer Jack “Boston Bruin” Boland went to his house and we did our own Coach’s Corner.

We call it Cherry’s Corner!

Dressed in his red tartan best and wearing a white rose on his lapel, we started off with Saturday’s Game 3.

“The Maple Leafs have to win and they know it. They have to make the second round,” Cherry said. “I predict they will win the series, but nothing would surprise me. Tampa is a great team. And it all depends on (how) Valensky (Andrei Vasilevskiy) plays in goal. He’s such a competitor — but the Leafs know this is a must win.”

 

[keonsbitterness]

Good news. I was worried when they first announced TBA that there was a chance it could be an afternoon game.

 

[pdson]

Good news. I was worried when they first announced TBA that there was a chance it could be an afternoon game.

Your joking right ? On a Thursday ?

 

[keonsbitterness]

Your joking right ? On a Thursday ?

My mistake, thought this was about the April 29th game.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Maybe its me hoping, but i expect the whistles to quiet down now. Youll see fewer PP's as this series goes on since the officiating has been too much of a focus

If that's the case then Tampa is in major trouble.

Since our PP is at 40% and their's only 36.4%, maybe it's the other way around.

Calling the dirty stuff will keep the chance of injury down.

 

[authentic]

Since our PP is at 40% and their's only 36.4%, maybe it's the other way around.

Calling the dirty stuff will keep the chance of injury down.

It's definitely not the other way around. Half of their powerplays were love taps from our players and I don't expect that to continue. We score more at even strength too.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

It's definitely not the other way around. Half of their powerplays were love taps from our players and I don't expect that to continue. We score more at even strength too.

You have far more faith in the refs becoming competent than I do

 

[notDatsyuk]

It's definitely not the other way around. Half of their powerplays were love taps from our players and I don't expect that to continue. We score more at even strength too.

We weren't talking about the penalty calls, but about how effective the respective PPs were.

We haven't scored more goals at even strength. Each team has scored 5 goals 5-on-5 and 4 goals 5-on-4. We have one 6-on-5.

 

[IPS]

Starting to get annoyed with people in the media who complained that this team was butter soft then are now whining about McCabe and Schenn taking penalties for giving Tampa players a knock in the teeth once in a while.

You can't have both. You want grit and backbone, penalties are going to happen.

Starting to get annoyed? Leafs media never used to be this unbearable, since the rise of social media the Leafs media has turned completely into a nonsense clickbait factory.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Starting to get annoyed? Leafs media never used to be this unbearable, since the rise of social media the Leafs media has turned completely into a nonsense clickbait factory.

I think this is true for not just Leafs media, but media in general. That has grave implications for the future of the world, but I digress.

 

[IPS]

I think this is true for not just Leafs media, but media in general. That has grave implications for the future of the world, but I digress.

You are very correct about this.

 

[willmma]

The next game in a series seems to always be the most important game.

Game 4 is no different. We really have to win it. It's the difference between being up 3-1 and being tied 2-2.

GLG

 

[Cor]

I love the build of this team.

This year, *we* are the physical team, and Tampa has lost their composure two games in a row due to it.

But we don’t have guys that are just physical, they play really well also.

Acciari is a stud. We need to sign him back. Loved the guy since he played in Boston. If we extend him, he’ll be a fan favorite (and I think he is turning into one)

 

[ErnieLeafs]

Last night’s game was the same script as last year’s game 6, where one team outplays the other for most of it, and the team that maybe doesn’t deserve to win, does.

To win a Cup, you have to win some of those. We didn’t deserve the win last night, but we earned it.

 

[hockeynorth]

Full strength, I think I'd roll the Fs like this:

Bunting - Matthews - Marner --> yes, I know this is controversial because of Bunts, but the line can produce, that's very valuable, it also may make more sense as we move down the lineup
Jarnkrok - Tavares - Nylander --> way more effective than this version with Kerfoot, though in limited minutes
Knies - ROR - Acciari --> been great
Reese - Kampf - Kerfoot --> lafferty has done nothing since coming over, Kerfoot replaces his speed on the line

 

[Gary Nylund]

Last night’s game was the same script as last year’s game 6, where one team outplays the other for most of it, and the team that maybe doesn’t deserve to win, does.

To win a Cup, you have to win some of those. We didn’t deserve the win last night, but we earned it.

If you earned it, you deserve it. We played by the rules, and we won. Saying we didn't deserve the win makes no sense.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Pretty surprised at how greasy Tampa is tbh. You knew Maroon/Jeannot/Perry/Killorn were going to be scumbags but suddenly you get guys like Hagel/Stamkos/Kucherov/Point chirping and being heroic.

Stamkos grabbing Matthews after cross-checking Rielly while he was on the ice was horseshit. No call on the cross-check? No instigator? sure bud
There's nothing I'd love to see more than to send these smug pieces of shit home

 

[TorMapleJays]

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Ok after being high on life the Leafs actually do need to make some adjustments though for Game 4. Tavares centring his own line looked awful in Tampa which was a worry for the Leafs on the road before this series, and little else was working up front. I think putting O’Reilly back with Tavares is a must on the road. Give them Marner too and see if some of that Good Ontario Boy line magic can’t rekindle. Nylander could also do with a jump start and going with Matthews who was one of a few players who looked good offensively could do him some good. Put Knies with Auston and Willy as well, think he’s shown enough to move up that high and I’d prefer Kerfoot and Jarnkrok on the third line with Acciari for defensive assignments. The fourth line was awful but I think they’ve shown enough that the potential to bounce back is there.

Knies-Matthews-Nylander
Tavares-O’Reilly-Marner
Jarnkrok-Acciari-Kerfoot
ZAR-Kampf-Lafferty


I’d leave the defence as is and put faith in the likes of Brodie and Gio to get their heads out of their asses and figure it out. I’m glad Schenn and Holl played great last night but those guys should not be outplaying the former two.

 

[Torontonian]

Game 4 will be massive for the series, time will tell if Toronto has finally learned to play with some momentum and take over the series and put Tampa on the brink. Can't see Toronto playing that poorly two games in a row. Hopefully they come up big on Monday.

 

[Maple Leaf]

View attachment 694913

is that you

 

[TorMapleJays]

is that you

My son

 

[LaPlante94]

Full strength, I think I'd roll the Fs like this:

Bunting - Matthews - Marner --> yes, I know this is controversial because of Bunts, but the line can produce, that's very valuable, it also may make more sense as we move down the lineup
Jarnkrok - Tavares - Nylander --> way more effective than this version with Kerfoot, though in limited minutes
Knies - ROR - Acciari --> been great
Reese - Kampf - Kerfoot --> lafferty has done nothing since coming over, Kerfoot replaces his speed on the line

But what has Kerfoot done other than get paid more while playing 2nd line?