GDT: 12/13/18 - 7:30PM EDT - Toronto vs Tampa Bay

[Stormbreaker]

This is great

 

[God King Fudge]

Also, the refs were out for them (how?), and Tampa has like 10 fans. They are bitter and I love it.

Dude it's so good. The salt is just absolutely incredible.

Like there is absolutely no question to them that every game between the two teams will go that same way. "I'm more worried about Boston than Tampa"

LOL. Good luck with that, cause that soft ass team and trash tier defense ain't beating either in a series.

 

[DFC]

Dude it's so good. The salt is just absolutely incredible.

Like there is absolutely no question to them that every game between the two teams will go that same way. "I'm more worried about Boston than Tampa"

LOL. Good luck with that, cause that soft ass team and trash tier defense ain't beating either in a series.

It's funny how often we get accused of being soft, and we kind of abused them. The Bruins beat them up last weekend. Maybe this won't matter in the playoffs, but when the intensity gets racheted up...

 

[TheKingPin]

Just saw the highlights. What the hell is Vas doing out there? Wow. Hope you guys get the cup.

 

[God King Fudge]

Like, taking a step back...yeah, Tampa wasn't great. Let's get that out of the way. They were sloppy with their puck management. The passing was awful last night with a few exceptions. It's the worst game they've played in a few weeks.

With that out of the way...it wasn't that bad. 15 of those 49 shots were on the 6 powerplays (Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Leafs never get any PPs wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh). Those powerplays totally disrupted any flow. TB was doing a decent job in the early part of the first period keeping up with the Leafs in terms of pucks to the net. Then they started taking the penalties and it just kind of fell off.

The third was wild with them not getting a shot until like 6 mins left, but they had a 4-1 lead and they were playing to the score. No need to press and extend. Not how I like to see them play, but it got them the W.

There were some high danger chances without a doubt, but there were also a lot of easy, distance shots that Vasy was able to see and easily glove.

Leafs hit posts, TB missed open nets.

TB can win with their goalie when the rest of the team falters. When Domingue lets in a couple softies, the defense can shut it down and keep it close. When the defense and the goalie fails, the offense can score 6 goals.

This team can beat you in every way.

 

[CupsOverCash]

The Leafs played a good game yesterday but did anyone else think their scoring chances werent all that great? I mean they had a few real good scoring chances and vasi had to stand on his head but I thought our d did a good job in limiting grade a chances. I feel like we played last night a little conservatively since our goalie has been out a month and that is a reason why the ice tilted. Even in the 3rd period it just felt like we had things handled.

 

[The Macho King]

The Leafs played a good game yesterday but did anyone else think their scoring chances werent all that great? I mean they had a few real good scoring chances and vasi had to stand on his head but I thought our d did a good job in limiting grade a chances. I feel like we played last night a little conservatively since our goalie has been out a month and that is a reason why the ice tilted. Even in the 3rd period it just felt like we had things handled.

Shot totals inflated *a bit* because of score effects in the third. I mean - they got some really good chances, but they needed to score 4 more goals to win. I didn't see 4 goals left out there by them. I'd say Vasi made 2 absolute bonkers ten bell saves that you can't reasonably expect another goaltender to stop. Other than that - yes he was tuned in but I don't think it was like... standard deviations better than what your above average NHL starter would give on any given night.

 

[robertmac43]

Hey TB fans. Leafs fan here that was at the game last night. I think on one level Vas was a god and we simply out played you, thats a surface level analysis of the game that a lot of Leafs fans are latching onto right now. I would agree to an extent, we had some great chances and a fortunate bounce here or there, who knows maybe the end result is different.]

On a different level I looked at this game as a wake up call to just how deep you guys are. Each aspect of the TB roster is elite and has depth throughout which we simply can not match. On a night where Freddie is out or the D plays slightly rocky we are at a high risk of losing. You guys can have something go wrong in one area of the lineup but know the other two areas can make up for it.

Overall a fun night, on to Florida for Saturday, hopefully we come home from the FLorida road trip with a win!

 

[Flat Ronnie]

I dont understand the cockiness coming from the Tampa board right now. We got our ass kicked last night. They beat us in similar fashion as Washington and Pittsburgh in the playoffs - neutralized our rush and pinned us in our own zone. We were opportunistic and came out ahead on the scoreboard but that's it. The leafs are viewed as our biggest competition and a probable playoff matchup. This wasnt a good showing.

With our recent playoff history and how we get eliminated, I would definitely come out of this game concerned, not confident.

 

[The Macho King]

I dont understand the cockiness coming from the Tampa board right now. We got our ass kicked last night. They beat us in similar fashion as Washington and Pittsburgh in the playoffs - neutralized our rush and pinned us in our own zone. We were opportunistic and came out ahead on the scoreboard but that's it. The leafs are viewed as our biggest competition and a probably playoff matchup. This wasnt a good showing.

With our recent playoff history and how we get eliminated, I would definitely come out of this game concerned, not confident.

It's a game in December. Anyone getting "confident" or "concerned" after a game in December is a f***ing dumbass.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

It's a game in December. Anyone getting "confident" or "concerned" after a game in December is a ****ing dumbass.

Lol this kind of stupid remark gets made every year with our team until the playoffs come and we get smacked in the face by someone like WAS or PIT. Then everyone has a meltdown.

Good call!

 

[The Macho King]

Lol this kind of stupid remark gets made every year with our team until the playoffs come and we get smacked in the face by WAS or PIT. Then everyone has a meltdown.

Good call!

 

[Flat Ronnie]

Yet, you dont deny it.

 

[Sky04]

I dont understand the cockiness coming from the Tampa board right now. We got our ass kicked last night. They beat us in similar fashion as Washington and Pittsburgh in the playoffs - neutralized our rush and pinned us in our own zone. We were opportunistic and came out ahead on the scoreboard but that's it. The leafs are viewed as our biggest competition and a probable playoff matchup. This wasnt a good showing.

With our recent playoff history and how we get eliminated, I would definitely come out of this game concerned, not confident.

Right and you have seen their playoff history? It was an off-game, it happens and we still won against a top team in the league on an off-night. Unless you think last nights performance was Tampa at their best then sure, get worried. The leafs don't mean anything to them, it was just a regular season game in December, where as this was a benchmark game for Toronto.

 

[The Macho King]

Yet, you dont deny it.

I'm trying to understand if this is you patting yourself on the back.

82 regular season games only matter insofar as they lead to a playoff berth. Other than that - I don't give a f***. We dominated the Caps in the last game we played in the regular season - pinned them in their zone, ran up the score, etc. Didn't mean shit.

If you're this bothered by game 33 of 82, you got problems dog.

 

[Sky04]

Lol this kind of stupid remark gets made every year with our team until the playoffs come and we get smacked in the face by someone like WAS or PIT. Then everyone has a meltdown.

Good call!

Only see one meltdown right now.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

Right and you have seen their playoff history? It was an off-game, it happens and we still won against a top team in the league on an off-night. Unless you think last nights performance was Tampa at their best then sure, get worried. The leafs don't mean anything to them, it was just a regular season game in December, where as this was a benchmark game for Toronto.

We played like clowns in the first - I'll give you that. But they beat us handily the rest of the game. And in a very similar fashion as when teams figure out how to shut us down in the playoffs.

None of that is the least bit concerning to you considering our history?

 

[Flat Ronnie]

Only see one meltdown right now.

A response to someone calling me an dumbass is hardly a meltdown.

 

[The Macho King]

I didn't call anyone a dumbass. I made a general statement of what makes someone a dumbass. If that applies to you, well...

 

[Flat Ronnie]

Btw...engblom himself said during the broadcast last night that we havent seen a team do this to the lightning so far this year.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

I didn't call anyone a dumbass. I made a general statement of what makes someone a dumbass. If that applies to you, well...

Dont be a goof. Your comment was directed at me. At least man up and admit it.

 

[Sky04]

I'm trying to understand if this is you patting yourself on the back.

82 regular season games only matter insofar as they lead to a playoff berth. Other than that - I don't give a ****. We dominated the Caps in the last game we played in the regular season - pinned them in their zone, ran up the score, etc. Didn't mean ****.

If you're this bothered by game 33 of 82, you got problems dog.

To add to that, we dominated Chicago in our meetings with them in 2015, still lost in 6. Boston dominated us last year in the regular season and we breezed by them in 5, saying anything in December is an indication of playoff performance is just stupid. This team and Cooper has improved on almost every single area of concern from 3-4 years ago, most of the underlying issues are gone. Tampa is dominating games in and out this season, you're going to have games where you only show up for 5 mins and win, that used to be a constant thing in previous seasons, that's not the norm anymore.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

To add to that, we dominated Chicago in our meetings with them in 2015, still lost in 6. Boston dominated us last year in the regular season and we breezed by them in 5, saying anything in December is an indication of playoff performance is just stupid. This team and Cooper has improved on almost every single area of concern from 3-4 years ago, most of the underlying issues are gone. Tampa is dominating games in and out this season, you're going to have games where you only show up for 5 mins and win, that used to be a constant thing in previous seasons, that's not the norm anymore.

Ok. We play them again in January. If the performance is similar, would you agree that there might be some cause for concern coming from our biggest competition?

 

[Sky04]

We played like clowns in the first - I'll give you that. But they beat us handily the rest of the game. And in a very similar fashion as when teams figure out how to shut us down in the playoffs.

None of that is the least bit concerning to you considering our history?

Constantly bring up "our history" like this team hasn't taken steps this year, tell me instead of a sample size of 1 game over the course of the 33 we've played you don't see any improvement? No improvement to defense, forwards controling the play? Vasi himself? instead lets get mad over a one-off game and not acknowledge what the larger sample size has shown.

Like I said if you want to base things of "history" then Toronto wouldn't get out of the first round anyways.

 

[Sky04]

Ok. We play them again in January. If the performance is similar, would you agree that there might be some cause for concern coming from our biggest competition?

No because just like I pointed out to you, regular season dominance has proven nothing come the playoffs. What would be concerning is if they looked like this in most games and won (they don't.)