The Quest for Home Ice vs Boston

[Daisy Jane]

The match up thing is huge in the playoffs, especially if there are injuries, because you can really exploit match ups and even more so with shortened benches. Also, if it is a close series, having possibly 2 elimination games (game 5 and 7) at home is huge.

i know that. i'm just saying when you're really good at home, and really good on the road, i think that gets a little mitigated in the importance.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

Just a little side note about the Leafs. Many Leaf fans during the course of the year have said how bad the dmen are for the Leafs. And of course non Leaf fans get on the back wagon and say the Leafs have to trade all kind of futures to get a competent dman in return.
I know the dmen could be better but Polak, Carrick, rookie Dermot seem to be doing all right. Plus that waiver goalie in net, Mcillerney. Maybe things are going to be OK.

 

[Moncherry]

Home ice is overrated. The reason teams with home-ice advantage have a higher winning percentage is because they're the higher seed and usually the better team anyway. It's an illusion.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Boston: 25-7-4 at home, 19-10-4 away

Toronto: 24-8-2 at home, 18-14-5 away

Ideally we probably do want to get home ice, but I think we'll win either way

I know the regular season is far different from the playoffs, however if Toronto does not get home ice I'm still not worried. Last season when the Leafs won all 4 regular season games against the Bruins going 4-0-0, it means they won 2 games in Boston. I know this season they lost to the Bruins in Boston, however they still won the season series 3-1-0 and won in Boston this past November by a score of 4-1. Plus in that 4-1 loss in Boston last month let's remember the Bruins 2nd and 3rd goals were via the power play and their 4th goal was into the empty net. So the score was not dominate as it looked. Plus the Leafs were playing their third game in four nights.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Just a little side note about the Leafs. Many Leaf fans during the course of the year have said how bad the dmen are for the Leafs. And of course non Leaf fans get on the back wagon and say the Leafs have to trade all kind of futures to get a competent dman in return.
I know the dmen could be better but Polak, Carrick, rookie Dermot seem to be doing all right. Plus that waiver goalie in net, Mcillerney. Maybe things are going to be OK.

I'm sure I'm in the minority but I really like the way our defense looks for the most part

 

[Albert Iafrate]

I think we end up playing Tampa first round. I see the Bruins catching the Bolts. Especially because they play them 3 times. Since the beginning of last season, the Bruins are have won 6 of 8 against Tampa. Plus Tampa has looked shaky the last couple of games, almost losing to Montreal and getting their ass handed to them by Ottawa. The game against each other tomorrow should dictate how things might play out. I see us playing Tampa first round without home ice. Boston might end up playing Florida, which might be interesting. They haven't played this season yet, and have 3 games against each other before the playoffs, and Florida is red hot right now.

 

[Peiskos]

I think a TOR-BOS playoff matchup is a coin toss tbh. Neither team is significantly better than the other, both are pretty even. This isn't 2013 anymore when the Leafs were the clear cut underdog.

 

[Leafsfan13]

They will probably get home ice, but it’s not impossible they are quite beat up and their schedule looks terrible compared to ours. I watch every one of their games because unfortunately my girlfriend and her father are die hard Bruin fans and they really aren’t playing good hockey at all. From what I see they are a very lucky team. I could see us passing them by end of the season. Either way once the playoffs start this house is gonna be very hostile

 

[Leafidelity]

Being the supposed underdog suits this team just fine. Let the Bruins dream of 2011 and forget we've had their number for a few years now.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

I'm sure I'm in the minority but I really like the way our defense looks for the most part

Honestly, I have to agree. With the addtion of Dermott and Hainsey, Gardiner playing like playoff Gardiner, Reilly taking big steps to being a true No. 1, and Polak proving to be a reliable tough d-man that we need, this defence is not as bad as people think. They've matured as the season has moved forward and are making less of the boneheaded mistakes they made earlier in the season when they were fatigued. Gonna be a great playoff whoever and wherever we play.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Honestly, I have to agree. With the addtion of Dermott and Hainsey, Gardiner playing like playoff Gardiner, Reilly taking big steps to being a true No. 1, and Polak proving to be a reliable tough d-man that we need, this defence is not as bad as people think. They've matured as the season has moved forward and are making less of the boneheaded mistakes they made earlier in the season when they were fatigued. Gonna be a great playoff whoever and wherever we play.

Yeah just watching them go to work in the offensive end against Dallas in the 3rd period was great. We hemmed them in so badly you just knew a goal was coming, and a large part was how successful our defensemen were at keeping the puck in and making plays. Did a pretty nice job shutting buffalo down late too. My only concern is zaitsev honestly

 

[Eternal Leaf]

I think a young team like Toronto might be better suited to start away from home.

You get two cracks at "stealing" a game instead of having to hold serve at home. Lots of young teams buckle under that sort of pressure.

 

[weems]

I think we end up playing Tampa first round. I see the Bruins catching the Bolts. Especially because they play them 3 times. Since the beginning of last season, the Bruins are have won 6 of 8 against Tampa. Plus Tampa has looked shaky the last couple of games, almost losing to Montreal and getting their ass handed to them by Ottawa. The game against each other tomorrow should dictate how things might play out. I see us playing Tampa first round without home ice. Boston might end up playing Florida, which might be interesting. They haven't played this season yet, and have 3 games against each other before the playoffs, and Florida is red hot right now.

They played last night and FLO shut them out.

Boston is facing a big injury issue right now (no Bergeron, no McAvoy, Chara out last night, same with Debrusk).

Bostons remaining schedule is MUCH tougher than TB's (Boston only plays 1 really weak team remaining while TB still has games vs Buf, ARZ, EDM, NYI)

Bostons next ten games looks like murderers row with 7 of the 10 on the road and a long western trip.

TB 7 home games vs 5 road games remaining.

Bos 5 home games vs 8 road games remaining.

With the respective schedules and current injuries its going to be tough for Boston to catch TB.

 

[LeafsNation75]

They played last night and FLO shut them out.

Boston is facing a big injury issue right now (no Bergeron, no McAvoy, Chara out last night, same with Debrusk).

Bostons remaining schedule is MUCH tougher than TB's (Boston only plays 1 really weak team remaining while TB still has games vs Buf, ARZ, EDM, NYI)

Bostons next ten games looks like murderers row with 7 of the 10 on the road and a long western trip.

TB 7 home games vs 5 road games remaining.

Bos 5 home games vs 8 road games remaining.

With the respective schedules and current injuries its going to be tough for Boston to catch TB.

It sucked that Boston was able to come back from 4-1 down against Carolina this past week because instead of being 5 points behind them, the Leafs could have been 3 points behind despite the games in hand still in favour of the Bruins.