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

[mix1home]

The oiler tears from their fans are delicious.

Oilers fans should be grateful that they got the point out of this game. They did not deserve to win it and if Lupul connected on bouncing puck with 2 seconds left it could have been regulation win for us.

 

[Christ]

There is something very important getting lost in all this scoring.

Bernier ABSOLUTELY ROBBED that Oiler when the game was 5-4 with 3 minutes to go...that goes in and we lose.

Not his best game but that save saved our ***** and gave us 2 points.

And Bernier completely flubbed several shots that he normally would have saved...a couple Leafs (Lupul and JVR) really stand out as reasons the Leafs won but I would not count Bernier as one of them.

 

[Clark4Ever]

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

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

Based on what I've seen, I'd rather see Devane and Body get ice time on the 4th line to be honest. Orr and McLaren should be used sparingly against teams that are expected to try to be physically intimidating. With the balanced schedule against Western teams, I really don't see the point in dressing two goons every game that bring little to the table aside from their fists. At least Devane and Body have some skill.

 

[maplehawk]

what's interesting is that we were able to win despite bernier having an off night.

last season if reimer played poorly, we never stood a chance. bernier seems to just have a calming presence on the team as a whole.

 

[threeGo]

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

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

I rather have one of our ahl guys play in place of maclaran and Orr. We should only have both of them playing in the same game when playing against teams like Boston.

 

[mix1home]

Quote:
James Mirtle ‏@mirtle 8m
Leafs advanced stats watch: Up to 45.3% Fen Close. PDO is only 99.9. One positive? They're generating more chances than last season.

That looks solid, I believe. Fairly middle of the pack.

Leafs below average in ASS - make playoffs.
Leafs at average in ASS - first in the league.
Leafs above average in ASS - you better be ready...

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Based on what I've seen, I'd rather see Devane and Body get ice time on the 4th line to be honest. Orr and McLaren should be used sparingly against teams that are expected to try to be physically intimidating. With the balanced schedule against Western teams, I really don't see the point in dressing two goons every game that bring little to the table aside from their fists. At least Devane and Body have some skill.

We might not have the cap room to keep 13 forwards up and I'm not sure Nonis would put McLaren on waivers.

 

[Chessarmy]

Devils fan here.

Leafs are my 2nd team, thought the game last night was entertaining but sloppy for both sides. This team found a way to win though and that's what matters most. Bernier was a little bit shaky but he still made some great saves, so he was a little inconsistent but not entirely bad.

Maybe I'm saying this because NJD are a really slow team, but holy **** Phil Kessel skates like he has rockets strapped to him. He can ****ing FLY through the neutral zone.

I really love Nazem Kadri's game, maybe he isn't the best defensively but he sure can make plays on the offensive side of the puck. I love his playmaking skills and he can finish too. I always knew he would develop into a good player, its good to see that materializing now.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how Clarkie does here, I was a big fan of his in NJ.

This is a fun team to watch, if they can tighten up a little bit defensively I can see them making the playoffs and possibly going on a run. There seems to be chemistry all over the line-up. After all the adversity this organization has gone through, you guys deserve to finally see a winning product out there and its nice to see that finally happening. Good luck the rest of the way

 

[crump]

McLaren is a little underrated. He is a big man, that actually hits and can make plays. He even scores once in a while. The reason the Leafs have been bad 5/5 is because they aren't hitting as much as they used to. You have to slow teams like Edmonton, Colorado down. Once Larry, Clarkson, Kulemin Fraser get back, we should see a different team 5/5.

 

[Ari91]

Devils fan here.

Leafs are my 2nd team, thought the game last night was entertaining but sloppy for both sides. This team found a way to win though and that's what matters most. Bernier was a little bit shaky but he still made some great saves, so he was a little inconsistent but not entirely bad.

Maybe I'm saying this because NJD are a really slow team, but holy **** Phil Kessel skates like he has rockets strapped to him. He can ****ing FLY through the neutral zone.

I really love Nazem Kadri's game, maybe he isn't the best defensively but he sure can make plays on the offensive side of the puck. I love his playmaking skills and he can finish too. I always knew he would develop into a good player, its good to see that materializing now.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how Clarkie does here, I was a big fan of his in NJ.

This is a fun team to watch, if they can tighten up a little bit defensively I can see them making the playoffs and possibly going on a run. There seems to be chemistry all over the line-up. After all the adversity this organization has gone through, you guys deserve to finally see a winning product out there and its nice to see that finally happening. Good luck the rest of the way

Sloppy games are usually entertaining when you have the offensive talent to make the opposition pay for their mistakes...more so when you're a third party viewer. You don't have to worry as much about your heart beating out of your chest because of all of the bad decisions your team is making on the ice

It's not just you, Kessel is really fast. He can be standing still and would only need a stride or two to go from 0 to 60. If you give him any space in the neutral zone, he's likely going to be skating by everyone.

I'm excited to see what Clarkson can bring. A lot of the details that are missing from our game that are something to help the team play tighter are the things that Clarkson was brought in to help remedy.

 

[Ari91]

McLaren is a little underrated. He is a big man, that actually hits and can make plays. He even scores once in a while. The reason the Leafs have been bad 5/5 is because they aren't hitting as much as they used to. You have to slow teams like Edmonton, Colorado down. Once Larry, Clarkson, Kulemin Fraser get back, we should see a different team 5/5.

Edmonton, Colorado and Toronto are built similar in the sense that they have speedy forwards but their blueline aren't nearly as mobile. That's where the physicality comes in. If a D man can't beat the forward in a foot race, he's got to play the body to slow everything down. I guess the silver lining is that the team is finding ways to win despite not playing to their strengths. I can only hope that working in the regulars back into the line up and having them assume that much needed role will help the team come together defensively. I don't so much care about the shots directed towards the net as I am about where the shots are coming from. That's the concerning thing about their game right now. It's that they're giving up way too many quality shots and are struggling to box out players as effective as they did last year.

 

[mix1home]

Now thats a fact, but no need to fret for them, they have the assets to move down the road to mold the team into shape.

Too many medium to small top 5 skilled guys, but they will separate the wheat from the chaff in due coarse.

Yeah... Or they could be new no defense no goalie Phili.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

I can't get over that JVR penalty call in the second, more for the circumstance then the actual play or call. It looked like JVR beat the guy to the spot and used his back to block him out, Bozak won a battle along the wall and they give JVR an interference penalty for being strong on his skates, the Leafs players win 2 battles while killing a penalty to give them a scoring chance and they end up down two men instead of having a 2 on 1 break, awful. There was some missed calls in both directions, but that was 1 of the worst calls to put a team down 2 men that I've seen.

Great teams find a way to win, just like the Leafs did last night, erasing four Edmonton leads!

4 more games and Clarkson will be playing which just adds more depth like Bolland! GLG

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Leafs win that's all that matters!

Edm vs Tor - 11 goals scored, overtime and end to end hockey. That was not a boring game to watch on national TV.

Leafs are getting balanced scoring through out the line-up. With Clarkson and Kulimen coming back shortly should be even stronger.

 

[The Reaper]

Leafs win that's all that matters!

Edm vs Tor - 9 goals scored, overtime and end to end hockey. That was not a boring game to watch on national TV.

Leafs are getting balanced scoring through out the line-up. With Clarkson and Kulimen coming back shortly should be even stronger.

Um, last time i checked we won 6-5, so there were 11 goals scored

 

[PuckMagi]

I just finished watching the game. I was up at the cottage having Thanksgiving dinner last night, so I couldn't watch the game. Managed to avoid spoilers until now... just finished watching the game online... pretty epic game! I'm glad I went through the trouble of avoiding the TV, Internet, Radio, Newspaper, and telling friends & family today not to spoiler me... over the last 24 hours.

Pretty amazing that we pulled out a win there! Leafs are the real deal this year!

 

[mix1home]

Can't believe people thought the Bolland trade was bad . He just continues to be one of the best players on the ice yet again for us...

I think without Raymond, Bolland and Bernier we are 2-4 right about now.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Um, last time i checked we won 6-5, so there were 11 goals scored

Good eye, thanks.

 

[Pi]

I would have been happy with 6-4 with Clarkson and the rest of them out of the line up. Now I want 8-2 .

It's certainly doable.

Our next 4 games are..Minny, Carolina, Chicago, and Anaheim. Assume that Chicago is a guaranteed loss, and I still feel comfortable that we can take 2/3 against the other teams.

 

[Pi]

Edit: 7-3***

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Leafs have used FIVE rookies this season, yes FIVE! And are doing all this without Clarkson. This team finally has depth.

Man what a crazy game - it felt like a 4-on-4 all through the night. As a Leafs fan, while I don't like them playing so sloppy, I can't help but be happy with the excitement and the storyline it provided: Bernier with the incredible late save, Lupul, IMO the heart of the team, scoring the tying goal, and Bolland, who's huge in big pressure situations, coming through with the GWG in overtime. Given how loose the game was played, I don't think I've ever felt as confident in the ability of the team to tie it up at the end of the 3rd, and they came through.

Can't understand why people are saying the Leafs d is bad??? They have been giving up just over 2 goals per game, which is decent. They give up a lot of shots, but most are from the outside. This team can sure score though. I can't wait until their gritty guys return. Clarkson, Kulemin, McLaren and Fraser will add more scoring and sandpaper to the lineup.

Sometimes your skaters win games, sometimes your goalie wins games, it's called a TEAM. Rolling, rolling, rolling...GO LEAFS GO!

 

[mix1home]

I hope we won

We did win the fight in stands too. Truculence.

 

[bunjay]

Can't understand why people are saying the Leafs d is bad??? They have been giving up just over 2 goals per game, which is decent.

Because those people are watching the games, not the stat tables?

 

[Daisy Jane]

I would have been happy with 6-4 with Clarkson and the rest of them out of the line up. Now I want 8-2 .

It's certainly doable.

Our next 4 games are..Minny, Carolina, Chicago, and Anaheim. Assume that Chicago is a guaranteed loss, and I still feel comfortable that we can take 2/3 against the other teams.

Out of those - I think the "must win" is going to be against Carolina (simply for the wild-card factor).


Wouldn't it be something if this team beat Chicago? (we'd have to be firing on all thrusters for that to happen). but i honestly think that would say A LOT about the team should do do that. I think (just by watching the Anaheim/Ottawa game.... I really wish I had money to keep Centre Ice). we could beat the Ducks - we'd just have to play OUR game.

Ideally - I'd like a
minimum a point against
regulation win against
a point against the
and regulation win against the

I think if we're still playing out line up and playing better that's doable. the mind of this team is "we can always come back." so it wouldn't shock me if we could win (regardless) vs. Chicago or Minny.

at the end of the day if we can .500 it - that's making me a happy panda.
(lol I want a strangle hold on the top of the division darnit!)

Leafs have used FIVE rookies this season, yes FIVE! And are doing all this without Clarkson. This team finally has depth.

Can't understand why people are saying the Leafs d is bad??? They have been giving up just over 2 goals per game, which is decent. They give up a lot of shots, but most are from the outside. This team can sure score though. I can't wait until their gritty guys return. Clarkson, Kulemin, McLaren and Fraser will add more scoring and sandpaper to the lineup.

I think some people (and i'm going to lump the media in with this) is confusing the bad "D" with the defense-pairings with the overall defensive play of the team.

some of the guys have been horrendous. (it cycles back between Ranger and Franson), but I think if you just look at it with common sense, it's to be expected. Franson missed all but 2 days of training camp, so i think we're seeing the "rush" come off, and the rust is starting to show. I'm not too worried about him - he should be okay by next week or so - and I loved his comment that pretty much he needs to be better for Rielly.

Ranger is in the same boat - sure he had training camp but he's not played with NHL stars in 4 years. (the games totally different now, you'd have to imagine). but something that a lot of people aren't giving him credit for is that he's getting better each game. he's reading the play well etc. (It kind of sucks that he only had an AHL contract last year, because it would have really behooved him to get in some games last year during the end of the season).

but the defensive play of the team is sorely lacking, and I think it IS due to the fact we're dressing five rookies. we're not cycling as well, we're not hitting as hard, we're not doing the little things that made us a beast to play against. so once that tightens up we'll be fine. and maybe htat doesn't happen until at least Clarkson comes back. and he can lead that rush - and then as they say, down the line with all the other returning players.

 

[Tonka]

Playing the Oilers is like going in a wheelchair basketball tournament. For some reason you feel inclined to play their game even though you could do so much better, but it's more of a charity. An old saying, "Never argue with a fool because they will bring you down to their level and beat you with experience." In this case the fool brings you down but still can't beat you.

Some of their fans are completely deluded blaming all their problems on goaltending. When/if they ever get a tender, all talk will revolve on their D, which I think is the bigger issue.