Post-Game Talk: Maple Leafs win big! Matthews is the hero

[Leaf Fans]

Murray was solid, but the one question I ask, on the “almost” save of the year, “why were you facing backwards on that play”

He was out of position making the outstanding save moments before.

 

[Nineteen67]

I have a hypothetical rules question about the Bunting "penalty" call that was reversed.

If on the delay, Bobrovsky heads the bench and FLA deploys the extra attacker and scores, would they call back the goal (or even review the call)?

Don’t know. Did they reset the clock last night? Should they have? If that ever happened I bet that it would open a hornets nest.

I think Liljegren has been amazing, and I'm probably one of his biggest fans here.... but I am kind of warming up to the idea of:

Rielly - Schenn
McCabe - Brodie
Gio - Holl

Brodie McCabe
Gio Holl
Rielly Schenn

 

[alliuk12]

It it weird that we keep winning when we scratch Holl and Reilly?

as it should be they are not up to par should spend lots of time with the baby leafs

 

[Hellcat]

First game since TDL that the Leafs looked like a contender. I realize it's against a team not in a playoff spot but that game was domination from the forwards to the goalie.

Rielly was outstanding no mistakes, in fact he played so well he was not noticeable all game. Leafs have their best game since Rielly came back from his injury and Rielly was not on the ice, coincidence or correlation?

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

Fun win. I still get the feeling we will be physically dominated in the playoffs, though. Dream scenario would have been to bring in Wilson - can score, skate, and act as a sheriff.

 

[GoonieFace]

First game since TDL that the Leafs looked like a contender. I realize it's against a team not in a playoff spot but that game was domination from the forwards to the goalie.

Rielly was outstanding no mistakes, in fact he played so well he was not noticeable all game. Leafs have their best game since Rielly came back from his injury and Rielly was not on the ice, coincidence or correlation?

Not sure the Leafs dominated that game. Florida gives up goals galore, so the score is a bit misleading. Still a solid win

 

[TheBeastCoast]

First game since TDL that the Leafs looked like a contender. I realize it's against a team not in a playoff spot but that game was domination from the forwards to the goalie.

Rielly was outstanding no mistakes, in fact he played so well he was not noticeable all game. Leafs have their best game since Rielly came back from his injury and Rielly was not on the ice, coincidence or correlation?

I mean they beat Carolina 5-2 like literally a week ago lol

 

[fancy lad]

I mean they beat Carolina 5-2 like literally a week ago lol

Or the game where they put a beat down on Edmonton.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Don’t know. Did they reset the clock last night? Should they have? If that ever happened I bet that it would open a hornets nest.


B

They had the faceoff in the Leafs zone where the ref blew the play dead. No change in the clock.

 

[showtime8]

It's a good thing the Leafs didn't fire Keefe after the 7-2 loss or else the 6-2 win would have never happened

 

[Notsince67]

First game since TDL that the Leafs looked like a contender. I realize it's against a team not in a playoff spot but that game was domination from the forwards to the goalie.

Rielly was outstanding no mistakes, in fact he played so well he was not noticeable all game. Leafs have their best game since Rielly came back from his injury and Rielly was not on the ice, coincidence or correlation?

There are/were right there for a spot. Pens/Isles/Panthers are all desperate and that pushes people

 

[LeafsandSharksfan]

Leafs crushing playoff dreams for other teams, you love to see it

 

[wingman75]

Loved that game. Great battle start to finish.

Murray was good! Thought the top guys were great, and the bottom six was solid.

The defence continues to concern me, a lot of questionable decisions but battle level was great. Timmy is struh-ga-ling in every aspect right now. Definitely looking like the odd man out, but do we really run with Holl and Schenn in? Still some sorting out to happen on the back end.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

Rielly - Schenn
McCabe - Brodie
Giordano - Holl

Is my guess for Game 1 of the playoffs. Things are most likely gonna change after a loss I presume, so I can see Lilegren and/or Gustaffson coming in depending on what the leafs need the rest of the series

Based on the past 10 games or so, I think these are the d pairing that will give us the most effective defence in the playoffs. I really like how Liljgren was progressing before the deadline, but he's been really poor since. As a result, I agree that he's most likely out for Game 1. Holl for all his warts is more effective in his own zone and on the penalty kill and is placed in the proper spot as a #5 or 6. Schenn we need for his robust play. Rielly I'm hoping will pick up his game in the playoffs cause it might not be a coincidence that we've looked best defensively when he's not in the lineup.

 

[egd27]

You have to see the puck not the glove

I would imagine the webbing section of his glove will be modified to remove the "see through" aspect of it by the next game.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

All hail Matty and Murray .. da 2 guys who are gonna have to carry da team in playoffs

 

[Al14]

One of the very best games of the season for our Leafs!

Murray was outstanding, even when allowing a goal!

Matthews was a force! Oh, and Kerfoot finally scored a goal that counts against his personal totals.

Our D looked good!

Was it just coincidence that Rielly was a healthy scratch?

 

[67leafs]

I was at the game…..14th row center ice. Great game!!

 

[Jmo89]

I have a hypothetical rules question about the Bunting "penalty" call that was reversed.

If on the delay, Bobrovsky heads the bench and FLA deploys the extra attacker and scores, would they call back the goal (or even review the call)?

I would guess no as they would treat is as a (regular) pulling the goalie situation.

It would cause quite a reaction though.

 

[fancy lad]

you know what was funny about that kerfoot goal was that it looked like he scuffed the shot. He didn't even get she shot off properly. . he's still trash.

 

[LeafGrief]

Probably the most Matthews game I have ever seen. Come out absolutely flying, looking like the best player to ever wear the jersey. Score two goals and dominate at both ends. I say out loud, "I bet he gets the hat trick tonight, he looks like he wants four". We get a three goal lead and then he settles in and plays out the third like it's a Thursday game against a non-playoff opponent. Two goals is the Matthews hat trick. Bloody hell, he looked amazing though. All over the ice stealing pucks and driving the lane like he was possessed. He was genuinely sad when Bunting put that 5th one in, he wanted the hatty but is far too much of a hockey player to run up the score with another goal of his own.

 

[notbias]

Fun win. I still get the feeling we will be physically dominated in the playoffs, though. Dream scenario would have been to bring in Wilson - can score, skate, and act as a sheriff.

We weren't last year, why would be this year?

you know what was funny about that kerfoot goal was that it looked like he scuffed the shot. He didn't even get she shot off properly. . he's still trash.

He's been playing great recently.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Nice road win.

Murr was very good, realistically should have only had 1 GA. Not exactly sure how they could determine the puck was overwhelmingly over the goal line, enough so to conclusively over turn the call on the ice. But that's just the NHL being the NHL I guess.

Really felt like everyone played a solid game. Obviously AM34 was on one last night, and realistically has been for the last little while for that matter. He really is starting to look like the Auston of last season again and it really could not be better timing. Hopefully it is just a sign of what is to come.

Also, I actually have really liked the way Gustafsson has been playing lately. I know he wasn't on the ice for the 5v3 PP goal, but he looks so much better at quarterbacking a PP then Mo IMO. I think the thing that stands out the most for him is how he positions his body when he receives the puck at the blue line. You hardly ever see him receive a pass at the top of the umbrella without him walking into it or at the very least posing as a threat to put the puck towards net. Whether or not he actually shoots the puck or not, you have to respect that as a PK'er. He is drawing guys higher then they should be and its opening up our guys on the walls to either walk in or get a cross seam pass through. I actually think we should experiment with him on PP1 for a little while longer. I don't like the idea of 7D + 11F in playoffs, but I get this gut feeling that Gus is going to be our guy on PP1 come the playoffs. Or at the very least utilized more then we think. Everything we know about the Gus/Sandin trade is that the Leafs brass knew they were done after those flurry of trades on the Thursday. We all expected one or multiple D to be flipped, but Kyle never had that intention. Gus was brought in for a very specific reason, and I think we'd be foolish to think it was for anything other then to support our PP in some way. I think I read somewhere that the Leafs are 0/18 on the PP in the last 5 elimination games. It is an aspect of our game that absolutely needs to be a difference maker in April/May and it historically has not been.

It seems odd to want to tinker with the 2nd ranked PP in the NHL, but PP1 needs to be generating more consistent high danger looks then what it is currently doing IMO. They have way too much talent to be moving the puck so passively. Having a threat on the point just opens things up for our difference makers to make plays. It's also worth noting that PK's get exponentially more brave and aggressive in the post season. If we are running out of time and space now, that is only going to intensify in 3 weeks time. Sometimes you just gotta take the shot that the PK gives you, and recently in the post season that has been the point shot that we refuse to take. At the very minimum it cannot hurt to have Gus at the point, as he moves the puck equally as effective as Mo, but also has the willingness and ability to be more then just a disributer.

 

[Warden of the North]

First game since TDL that the Leafs looked like a contender. I realize it's against a team not in a playoff spot but that game was domination from the forwards to the goalie.

Rielly was outstanding no mistakes, in fact he played so well he was not noticeable all game. Leafs have their best game since Rielly came back from his injury and Rielly was not on the ice, coincidence or correlation?

Off the top of my head they've absolutely destroyed playoff teams Seattle and Edmonton in your time period noted. Those weren't goalie wins either.

 

[robertmac43]

Looked confident last night, need that as we come down the stretch here.

Great to see AM34 pot a couple.