Pre-Game Talk: Leafs vs Penguins | 7:00PM | Saturday Oct. 11, 2014 | CBC

[Leaf Rocket]

Jonas Siegel @jonasTSN1050
Jonathan Bernier was the first goalie off the ice at practice today. Would think he starts tomorrow with James Reimer to follow on Sunday.

We need him to be sharper than what he was in the first game....

 

[Suntouchable13]

@kevin_mcgran: "Guys, it's Game 1. You guys need to relax a bit here.†— Phil Kessel #Leafs

You tell 'em Phil.

Can you say that they lost 13 out of the last 15 regular season games? Or does last season doesn't matter anymore? I am just genuinely curious.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Can you say that they lost 13 out of the last 15 regular season games? Or does last season doesn't matter anymore? I am just genuinely curious.

and in the last 4 season openers if I recall correctly...kessel was pretty much the reason we won strongly.

 

[SprDaVE]

Can you say that they lost 13 out of the last 15 regular season games? Or does last season doesn't matter anymore? I am just genuinely curious.

I guess technically you can but I wouldn't say it's fair. There was a lot of changes over the summer and the team is fairly different.

To me, a new season is a new season and shouldn't really mold both together.

I mean the Leafs have won a lot of season openers in the past which hasn't changed much throughout the season. Kessel started some years super super hot, one year it took him over 10 games to get a goal (IIRC). So really, it's a process and looking in the first game of the season to say they are good or bad isn't something that should be done. Does anyone expect the Kings to be dominated this season like their season opener?

 

[Leaf Rocket]

I guess technically you can but I wouldn't say it's fair. There was a lot of changes over the summer and the team is fairly different.

To me, a new season is a new season and shouldn't really mold both together.

I mean the Leafs have won a lot of season openers in the past which hasn't changed much in the past. Kessel started some years super super hot, one year it took him over 10 games to get a goal (IIRC). So really, it's a process and looking in the first game of the season to say they are good or bad isn't something that should be done.

Wilson I believe was still the coach so...3 years ago?

 

[Hero]

2yr Stats (until the 5-10gm mark):

Line 4

C P.Holland (23): 64gms, 9gls, 16pts, 44.6cf% 11:26 (82gms, 12gls, 21pts)
C Zach Sill (26): 20gms, 0gls, 0pts, 33.9cf%, 10:48 (82gms, 0gls, 0pts)

W D.Winnik (29): 124gms, 12gls, 49pts, 48.6cf%, 15:57 (82gms, 8gls, 32pts)
W S.Downie (27): 64gms, 4gls, 25pts, 49.6cf%, 13:56 (82gms, 5gls, 32pts)

W R.Panik (23): 75gms, 8gls, 22pts, 48.9cf%, 12:14 (82gms, 9gls, 24pts)
W C.Adams (37): 130gms, 8gls, 20pts, 41.8cf%, 11:59 (82gms, 5gls, 13pts)

Love looking at a 4th line that can collectively put up 30 goals.

 

[HarrisonFord]

Love looking at a 4th line that can collectively put up 30 goals.

Yup! And you can play them 10 minutes a game without feeling worried, which makes your other lines fresher and better

 

[zeke]

Love looking at a 4th line that can collectively put up 30 goals.

not to mention that all three are big boys who can really skate.

 

[Hero]

not to mention that all three are big boys who can really skate.

Yeah, wouldn't mind seeing their icetime go up a bit see what they can do.

 

[Budsfan]

Paul Hendrick @HennyTweets
Richard Panik will wear number 18 for the Leafs as did another Slovak native and current Leaf scout Peter Ihnacak.
#TMLtalk

 

[Duffman955]

I would like to see Panik higher up in the lineup. He has a ton of raw talent

 

[SprDaVE]

I would like to see Panik higher up in the lineup. He has a ton of raw talent

Let him earn it.

 

[GoodNewfieBoy]

Let him earn it.

Yes.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Love looking at a 4th line that can collectively put up 30 goals.

This is what it has come to? If we are playing our 4th line that much, it doesn't auger well that the rest of the team is doing well.

Maybe we should play Santa's line 20 mins a game, best line opening night. Liked their offensive zone time.

Let's do 3rd and 4th line mins, and demote the top 6 to less mins. That might work.

 

[Mess]

I expect the top line to come out flying in this one, pissed off by the media attention their poor in game #1 generated. If they do then it appears whatever the strategy was to light a fire under them it would have worked.

Pens lost 2 veteran Dmen in Niskanen and Orpik this off season and their defense will be very leaky as a result providing great scoring opportunities in this one.

I'm expecting a high scoring game if yesterday's Pens game is any indication of what to expect.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I wonder how Bernier will play? Keeping it simple, if he plays like he has since he came back from injury last year, then it won't matter how the #1 line plays.

 

[BIitz]

I expect the top line to come out flying in this one, pissed off by the media attention their poor in game #1 generated. If they do then it appears whatever the strategy was to light a fire under them it would have worked.

Pens lost 2 veteran Dmen in Niskanen and Orpik this off season and their defense will be very leaky as a result providing great scoring opportunities in this one.

I'm expecting a high scoring game if yesterday's Pens game is any indication of what to expect.

They also have Paul Martin finally healthy and brought in Christian Ehrhoff. I expect their defense to be jumping up a lot.

 

[Mess]

I wonder how Bernier will play? Keeping it simple, if he plays like he has since he came back from injury last year, then it won't matter how the #1 line plays.

Pens nearly gift wrapped Corey Perry's hattrick yesterday with defensive zone breakdowns, and giveaways.

 

[pspot]

excited to see the 4th line
1st time ive ever said that

hope percy plays again too

sit franson, he's the odd man out until someone else plays their way of the lineup....not counting phanuef

 

[zeke]

This is what it has come to? If we are playing our 4th line that much, it doesn't auger well that the rest of the team is doing well.

Maybe we should play Santa's line 20 mins a game, best line opening night. Liked their offensive zone time.

Let's do 3rd and 4th line mins, and demote the top 6 to less mins. That might work.

what are you talking about?

all three of them have produced at around 10gl paces in limited bottom six minutes. they don't need more minutes to produce that.

that's about 20 goals more than our fourth line got us last year. that's the difference between our offense being a mediocre 14th ranked offense last year and having an elite top five offense last year. that's probably worth five spots in the standings all by itself.

and unlike our fourth line last year, we don't have to be scared about putting this line out against other teams' good lines, or for defensive zone starts.

 

[joescores]

Hey gang,

total outsider from Europe here... Brandon Kozun- what a BOSS!

 

[Auston Matthews]

Its time for revenge!

With regards to Phaneufs hit in practice, I wish he would show the same intensity during the game rather than ****ing around and playing like he is on a sunday walk in the park

 

[Faltorvo]

I expect the top line to come out flying in this one, pissed off by the media attention their poor in game #1 generated. If they do then it appears whatever the strategy was to light a fire under them it would have worked.

Pens lost 2 veteran Dmen in Niskanen and Orpik this off season and their defense will be very leaky as a result providing great scoring opportunities in this one.

I'm expecting a high scoring game if yesterday's Pens game is any indication of what to expect.

How a step behind bozo and fat phil looked, I don't expect them to all of a sudden get into early season form and condition.

At best they will hit some semblance of "stride" by game 4 but something tells me they will already be 0-3 by then.

 

[Northernguy10]

If after the weekend we still don't have anything going, I think I'd try and split the top 6 amongst 3 lines and see what we can get going...

Komarov - Kadri - Kessel
JVR - Santorelli - Kozun
Lupul - Bozak - Clarkson
Winnik - Holland - Panik

I've been saying to balance the first three lines for a long time now (to friends, not on here) A first line that can only score and is a minus is getting us nowhere and it's strange to me that thinking a little outside of the box wouldn't be given a try for a reasonable length of time. We have nothing to lose. I like the lines you've put together.

 

[Hero]

Paul Hendrick @HennyTweets
Richard Panik will wear number 18 for the Leafs as did another Slovak native and current Leaf scout Peter Ihnacak.
#TMLtalk

In honour of the great PI