Post-Game Talk: LEAFS WIN! 6-5 in OT!

[Raging Bull]

Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson would be a great line I think.

I like it too. With Raymond - Bolland - Kulemin as the shutdown line.

 

[Pi]

This team will shore up their defensive end.

Clarkson, Kulemin and Fraser will be a huge boost.

I really hope that the play of the younger players stops Carlyle from icing McLaren and Orr in games. I just want Orr in the games.

Leivo looks like a Lupul copy out there...it's too early to say that he'll be a top 6 forward but it's clear that he is a future top 9 forward in the NHL.

 

[Community]

Our defense was every bit as bad as the Oilers'. A lot of people are overlooking that because we won. We were one diving save away from being down 6-4 with minutes left. Our defense is porous.

Last night I think there were only two defensemen who had mistake-free games. Ranger and Gunnarrsson.

Phaneuf had a good game too, I'd say the only defenseman that actually played bad was Franson. It's just that he was HORRIBLE. I personally thought Rielly was okay, just unlucky to be paired with Franson and that Gardiner was pretty good (I believe he played a decent chunk of minutes too).

I thought gardiner played well last night. Wouldnt completely blame defence last night although they were poor...more a total team effort defensively. we have to play a lot more physical than we did last night

Agreed on both points, our best defensive forward was out (kulemin) along with our grittiest top 6/9 forward (Clarkson). Having these two players back would definitely help out our physical and defensive game while also settling the team down as right now we have a lot of inexperience in our line-up due to injuries and while it gives us a bit more adrenaline, it hurts our overall game IMO.

 

[Guy Boucher]

Yes. Maybe someone at the game can weigh in but it was a fight between an Oiler fan and Leaf fan.

I missed most of it but my wife saw it. Apparently the guy in the Orr jersey lived up to the name.

 

[Pi]

Our defense needs to play better, I think everyone knows that. I think the Leafs stray away from the game plan far too often...they step up and win games that are important but are far too lazy to start each period.

I can't even fault CBC for mentioning that because it's true...we just don't seem like we're in the game to start each period.

Skate problem for like 3 different players to start the 2nd period? Geez...what were you doing in the intermission?

We need to play better in our zone. Our best game defensively was the one we lost. Not many great chances.

It's sad that Calgary has a better exit strategy than us...I just don't get why we can't get the puck out of our zone with ease. You can't just expect it to squeak out of the zone if you fire it hard...it likely results in icing or the puck staying in the zone.

If we can get a guy like Dan Girardi to partner up with one of Gardiner or Rielly, we'll be good better in our zone.

I like that we're 5-1 despite having so much to improve on. Defense needs to get better. Just be glad that the Oilers were worse than us...

If we were playing the Sharks, we would have been blown right off the planet last night. They are getting so many chances right now. It would have been worse than the Rangers blowout.

 

[bunjay]

Phaneuf had a good game too, I'd say the only defenseman that actually played bad was Franson. It's just that he was HORRIBLE. I personally thought Rielly was okay, just unlucky to be paired with Franson and that Gardiner was pretty good (I believe he played a decent chunk of minutes too).

Phaneuf became a bit of a turnover machine in the third but they didn't turn into goals against. Reilly was solid aside from the one bad mistake that led to the fifth oilers goal. Gardiner was kind of hit-and-miss defensively, Ranger actually bailed him out a number of times.

Gunnarsson made no real mistakes that I can remember, ditto for Ranger. Gunnarsson also made two plays on the PK that both probably prevented goals. One was a wide open net from less than 10 feet if he didnt get his stick on the shot.

 

[TMLeafer]

Come on. You can't look at this and tell me that wasn't a penalty. He literally wound up and punched him in the back of the head. I'm not trying to start anything, but look at this and tell me other wise. I mean, I get it, it's OT and penalties are rarely called, but I do feel it was a penalty.

Man, if RNH's head is situated below his shoulders, he should get it checked out.

 

[realgoodleafs]

I like it too. With Raymond - Bolland - Kulemin as the shutdown line.

Clarkson will create some room for Kadri and dig pucks out of corners, and Kadri will feed him some nice passes. And Lupul will just be Lupul lol

 

[Kyle Doobas*]

Man, if RNH's head is situated below his shoulders, he should get it checked out.

To be fair pretty much everyone involved in that game had their head up their ass

 

[Daisy Jane]

Our defense needs to play better, I think everyone knows that. I think the Leafs stray away from the game plan far too often...they step up and win games that are important but are far too lazy to start each period.

I can't even fault CBC for mentioning that because it's true...we just don't seem like we're in the game to start each period.

Skate problem for like 3 different players to start the 2nd period? Geez...what were you doing in the intermission?

We need to play better in our zone. Our best game defensively was the one we lost. Not many great chances.

It's sad that Calgary has a better exit strategy than us...I just don't get why we can't get the puck out of our zone with ease. You can't just expect it to squeak out of the zone if you fire it hard...it likely results in icing or the puck staying in the zone.

If we can get a guy like Dan Girardi to partner up with one of Gardiner or Rielly, we'll be good better in our zone.

I like that we're 5-1 despite having so much to improve on. Defense needs to get better. Just be glad that the Oilers were worse than us...

If we were playing the Sharks, we would have been blown right off the planet last night. They are getting so many chances right now. It would have been worse than the Rangers blowout.

Like I pointed out yesterday, TSN Radio is wondering if the Leafs need to be blown out to get it hammered into their head. I think I would be more worried if EVERYONE was in the line up and healthy and we were still playing perfectly crappy defense. I don't think we've played our game since the 2nd period of the Montreal game (that cycle game still gives me very happy goosebumps because it was perfect and what we do).

it wouldn't surprise me if the mindset of the team (right now) is JUST get to Oct 29th as with many points as we can - and we'll have Clarkson, Kulemin and Fraser.It is funny to hear people "Oh we don't need Fraser," until we see how much he does on the smacking/clearing the crease side of the game. On the radio someone was all like "I don't notice Kulemin, but holy crap does the team don't know how to block shots!" (well.. um... Kulemin was all on that). and so on.

 

[Ed Belfour]

I'm tired of seeing this back of the head crap. Did he rear back and kinda punch him? Looks like it. He hit him in the back, not in the back of the head. I know it sounds better for Oilers fans (or fans of any other teams who like to discredit anything we do), but he hit him in the back.

 

[Kyle Doobas*]

I'm tired of seeing this back of the head crap. Did he rear back and kinda punch him? Looks like it. He hit him in the back, not in the back of the head. I know it sounds better for Oilers fans (or fans of any other teams who like to discredit anything we do), but he hit him in the back.

I just don't understand how they think they can blatantly lie about something anybody can easily just look up and watch a crystal clear video of

 

[weems]

This team will shore up their defensive end.

Clarkson, Kulemin and Fraser will be a huge boost.

I really hope that the play of the younger players stops Carlyle from icing McLaren and Orr in games. I just want Orr in the games.

Leivo looks like a Lupul copy out there...it's too early to say that he'll be a top 6 forward but it's clear that he is a future top 9 forward in the NHL.

I spoke on this last night and fully agree.
His skillset is pretty impressive. Good size, good skater, good hands and looks to have decent enough hockeysense. He looks like a NHL'er no doubt and prolly could even be a fulltime player at some point this season. He kind of looks like a Blake Wheeler type which would be a steal for where he was drafted.

Fantastic draft pick for Morrison.

 

[DrizzyTO]

Basically EDM yesterday

 

[crump]

Remember..a kick in the ass is still a step forward.

 

[leafsfuture]

I spoke on this last night and fully agree.
His skillset is pretty impressive. Good size, good skater, good hands and looks to have decent enough hockeysense. He looks like a NHL'er no doubt and prolly could even be a fulltime player at some point this season. He kind of looks like a Blake Wheeler type which would be a steal for where he was drafted.

Fantastic draft pick for Morrison.

I dont quite think hes NHL ready yet though. He doesnt do anything wrong, but he just seems a little behind the play, and hes not exactly the fastest skater.

I imagine when Clarkson comes back hes the first guy that gets send down (if not sooner), and while he will get more games this year, ideally we see him spend 1.5 years with the Marlies.

Agreed it was a great pick, now we have to let him develop

 

[ConnorTO]

Basically EDM yesterday

pretty cool

 

[Pi]

I spoke on this last night and fully agree.
His skillset is pretty impressive. Good size, good skater, good hands and looks to have decent enough hockeysense. He looks like a NHL'er no doubt and prolly could even be a fulltime player at some point this season. He kind of looks like a Blake Wheeler type which would be a steal for where he was drafted.

Fantastic draft pick for Morrison.

Yeah, they drafted him because they felt that he heated up at the right moment and started playing near PPG after a bad start. They bet that he would improve on that in his next year in the OHL and he did that.

I think this call up will give him a lot of confidence and he'll produce in the AHL because of it. Frankly, he's been more impressive than Biggs.

 

[All_blueandwhite]

don't know if this has been said, but despite all this bad defensive play and what not, we still lead the ENTIRE EASTERN CONFERENCE in goal difference

 

[Pi]

don't know if this has been said, but despite all this bad defensive play and what not, we still lead the ENTIRE EASTERN CONFERENCE in goal difference

We're just so lucky... I don't know how we haven't won all the Stanley Cups in the last 50 years.

 

[D0ctorCool]

Maan, you guys are a fun team to watch. Your resurgence makes the first HNIC game meaningful again. Keep it up!

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

Basically EDM yesterday

That's hilarious!

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

None of those forwards are playing over 10 minutes a game but they're getting exposure! Playing the kids by necessity.

Rielly should not be a huge surprise as many of his class are getting NHL ice time this year.

Thankfully, we're also seeing this:

Kessel, van Riemsdyk, Lupul, Kadri, Bolland, Bozak and Raymond at the top of the Leafs scoring.

Kulemin is 8th. in scoring for forwards and has played 2 games.

What's important is they aren't looking out of place. What is probably more important is that we don't lock guys like Raymond and Bolland into multi-year multi-million contracts next year, rather we make room for these guys.

 

[Shimso]

Nice to get another win. Tied for 1st in the league in points just might be enough to keep the Leafs in the top 20 of NHL.com's power rankings....

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson would be a great line I think.

Ideally (if we're ever healthy) I think the lineup will be

JVR Bozak Kessel
Lupul Kadri Clarkson
Raymond Bolland Kulemin
Macleran McClement Orr