Post-Game Talk: GAME #38: Vancouver's 69th all-time win against TML comes on 4/20 (VAN 6, TOR 3)

Blue and Green

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Holtby stole that last game for the Canucks, and I know looking at the stat sheet one would be tempted to say that either a very solid Holtby, Hughes, Pearson, or Sutter stole this one for us, but this game was won by Hoglander.

Think about it. He changed EVERYTHING in this game. The Leafs were up 3-2 after just humilating the Canucks with a shorthanded goal, and they had ALL the momentum. All of it. It felt like the game just got taken over, and that was all she wrote for the Canucks little post-Covid comeback party.

But then Hoglander streaks down the wing, and totally surprises Rittich with -- not a particuarly HARD slapshot, but one that was released very quickly. That, coupled with a poor effort on the goaltenders part, made for a totally GAME-CHANGING play. Hoglander deserves so much credit.

The game-changing play was made by Rittich, not Hoglander. It was a nothing shot blown by Rittich who subsequently was even worse on Pearson's second goal. Really liking Hoglander's rookie season but tonight was all about good goaltending by Holtby and two awful goals against Rittich in the third period.
 

sting101

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Feb 8, 2012
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Hard to tell if we were that good or Toronto, right now, is that bad. Certainly their goaltending reeked something awful. However, give the Canucks credit as some of them are playing better than they have for most of the season.

Good

Holtby - again raising expectations he will be gone in ED. Huge factor in this game was goaltending.

Miller - his play in the middle of the ice has been crucial to any success the team has had going into the break and coming out of it. Whether he should be there on a permanent basis is open to consideration. Another very strong game.

Hughes - best game in a while. Carried the puck a little too much a couple of times early but as game went on started controlling things from the backend. Excellent at the Toronto blue line throughout and especially on the PP. When is skating like this he is so elusive.

Pearson - was thinking he was doing much then popped a couple. (although one of them required assistance of Toronto goaltender)

Sutter - solid both ways and showed that we at least have one player that can hit an open net. Fear is that Benning is starting to write up a long term contract. Give it a few games and history tells us Sutter will start wearing down big time.

Myers - a horse at times. Just play him a lot - obviously a player that needs to keep his engine hot and falters when he begins sitting in a 6 man rotation. Played big around his net.

Schmidt - very good in the late going. Good job of getting puck out of his end and up to the forwards.

Horvat - worked hard in the trenches and helped negate some of the Leafs' offense

Others

Boyd - better. Made a couple of nice set ups and shows he has NHL wheels. Looks a worthwhile pickup

Vesey - can't accomplish enough offensively. Looks very ordinary

Highmore - thought he was effective. Teams needs the kind of energy and intensity he brings. Looks like he can contribute to a good forecheck. Need time to figure out if he brings more than Gaudette (although he doesn't have to do too much to achieve that - at least he wasn't on his butt much of the time)

Chatfield - love the heart and the determination to get up on the offense but he puck watches on defense and when he does screw up, he screws up badly. Hopefully a work in progress who can use the experience he is getting sharpen up aspects of his game. Lots of compete but has fundamental problems on defense

Joulevi - for the first half of the first period though he was looking much better. He was getting open ice and making plays and creating some chances with his shots. But then Toronto started forechecking him hard and the problems began to show up. Started with a feeble back hand pass behind his net to Chatfield. Guy was already on Chatfield and puck immediately turned over leading to an number scrums and scoring chances around the Canuck net. All he needed to do was wheel as hard as could up his side while looking to move the puck. Then as game went on he started giving up the blue line and backing in, giving Leaf players the chance to walk to the top of the circle and shoot or dally with the puck till they wanted to move it. Another problem was his failure to get to the blue line after moving up the puck. Instead he watched the pass and coasted and if the puck got turned over he ended up too deep in his end to play the blueline. Moreover thought he had some very weak shifts around his net. Sometimes you see hope for this player but when you look more closely there are just too many basic problems in his game. Willing to live with that but he needs to push himself much harder both mentally and physically.

Virtanen - hit he lay on Nylander was important since Toronto was beginning to get physical. No major gaffes but no major highlights earlier. Looking back, taking Virtanen over Nylander was a huge mistake.

Hawryluk - doesn't look a NHL player. Kind of pest but really nothing more.

Hoglander - not his best game. However, scored an important goal and certainly was decent throughout.

Roussel - if that same knee or a significant injury to the other knee, you have to wonder about whether he is done permanently. Maybe another LTIR player next season. Also any speculation he was headed to Seattle will likely be ended.

Game made you wonder if, with improved play before the break and the effort since, the team was in a position to make a major late season run. Schedule was beginning to work in their favour after a over taxing early schedule. However, given the condensed schedule ahead it is hard to see them sustaining the pace need to be in the playoffs.
May want to slow the critic roll on Juolevi. Guy was apparently really sick and hasn't played in how long.

I'm so proud of these guys. Huge character wins.
 

sting101

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The game-changing play was made by Rittich, not Hoglander. It was a nothing shot blown by Rittich who subsequently was even worse on Pearson's second goal. Really liking Hoglander's rookie season but tonight was all about good goaltending by Holtby and two awful goals against Rittich in the third period.
Pretty fair assessment Rittich was trash. We'll take it.
 

ProstheticConscience

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Apr 30, 2010
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Well that was just goofy. :laugh:

The last couple of games had a little bit of a lot of stuff...TO's goaltending sucks being the most prominent example. Rittich...whoa. Total collapse. The Leafs get even decent goaltending over the last couple and Holtby whiffs on an easy one...completely different story. Longggggg stretches of ownage in their own end and also whoa.

The Juolevi/Chatfield pairing needs to end. Both need pro babysitters, both weak in their own end, one *might* become an okay NHL defenseman but obviously isn't yet, and the other just isn't an NHL dman. They're a disaster together. Why wouldn't they be? And speaking of dmen...they have tried every other conceivable pairing except Hughes with Schmidt. Why will they not try that for more than about ten seconds?

Can't think of anything I really noticed from any of the new guys. They're definitely out there, I can see names on jerseys, but nothing's really stood out.

This would totally begin the playoff push by Pearson and Sutter to lead the team from dead and buried to glorious defeat still outside the playoffs and a worse draft pick, and Sutter gets a new deal before Pete. Most Canucks thing ever.

But I have to admit, their energy's been huge. Vastly beyond where I had expected. Like Mandrill baboons bouncing out of a cage.

Execution? Not quite so much. Still entertaining.

I dunno what it is. I have to admit...I really don't *hate* this version of the Leafs. It wasn't as annoying without the stadium full of idiot Leafs fans. Although I'm having a hard time getting that worked up about anything Canucks-related lately.
 

orcatown

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May want to slow the critic roll on Juolevi. Guy was apparently really sick and hasn't played in how long.

I'm so proud of these guys. Huge character wins.

At some point the excuses have to end. And the problems he showed in this game are the same ones he has shown since he was drafted.
 
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Bougieman

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Nov 12, 2008
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Worth noting that with their point totals this game, both Hughes and Hoglander have jumped back into the top 10 scoring race for D-men and Rookies, despite being 5, 6, or 7 games back of everyone else.
 

oilerbear

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Jun 2, 2008
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Congratulations on being Even at points over gm played.
The true measure of standings.

Win 2pt 1Gm = +1
OT SO loss 1pt 1gm = even
Loss = -1
You guys are 39 pt in 39 gm = even
MTL 47 pt in 43 gm = +4
4 gm in hand with a chance to get back in Playoff race!

I created my 50+ hockey theories from Observations that date back to Flin Flon bombers of Clarke leach.
That is we’re my Highndanger shot density area theory (Homeplate) came from.

I was lucky to have a father who was a lead designer on: ( Avro Arrow, Appollo Lunar Modules, First Self guided SAM, First Remote sensing Satelite, Sub tracking Satelite, Commisioning Maglev, Canada Arm, travelled the world on behalf of Cdn Govt setting up other countries Space orbit asset programs.

I learned complex mutivariable machine analysis (including human) from my father and friends by age 8. ( High function Autistic)

It was not until I showed him the Champ Core Roster Theory
(15 yrs of repeat final 4 teams rosters) that he treated me as a peer.
I presented it on HF boards pre expansion draft.
Where I stated they were a GA cup final Team.

VGK selected 100% of players in Expansion that fit my Thoery.
Made the cup final ( won a Conf Champ) and gave me the only pro sport Champ proof.

it has now been 25 yrs of 3 or 4 of top 5 Champ roster teams making the final 4 each yr.

I became aware that you need a .50 GAA to 2.00 GAA in 4 wins of any final 4 series. Def wins Championships. (2 Conf/1 Stanley)

When it comes to the def side of Champ roster:

you need:
A. coach that runs high% of 2D -1G def structure.
Off Def men ( Rovers) abandon Homeplate creating a 3F - 1R - 1D -1G structure.
They yeild disgustingly high open shot rates (xG) to their side.
XG, xSave%, is me!

B. top 10 +ve open shot save% goalies.
Price, Holtby, & Smith have been top 3

C. You need 4+ top 60 (3 & 2+ top 90) open sh Homeplate Def Dmen:
VCR: #6 joulevi, #29 Hamonic,
#95 Schmidt Former (top 10
Myers #160 (Bott 60), Hughes #212 ( Bott 10)

EDM: #14 Russell, #52 Larsson former #1, #64 Jones, #68 Lagesson,
Bear #103, #157 Nurse, Bott 60, #173 Barrie Bott 45

WPG: #4 Stanley, #5 Poolman,
#104 Pionk, #109 Forbort, #111 Morrisey, #192 Beaulieu Bott 25

TOR: #27 Brodie, #47 Boggosian, #55 Dermott,
#76 Rielly, #95 Muzzin, #146 Holl

MTL: #18 Edmundson, #33 Romanov, #113 Chariot, #152 Weber, #173 Petry Bott 45

CGY: #18 Tanev, #66 Hanifin, #167 Giordano Bott 60, #186 Valimaki Bott 40, #190 Anderson Bott 30, #196 Nesterov Bott 25

OTT: #41 Mette ( Waivers) best GA acquisition at trade deadline.
 
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mriswith

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Oct 12, 2011
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At some point the excuses have to end. And the problems he showed in this game are the same ones he has shown since he was drafted.
He's played 16 nhl games... at some point is still a ways away. Other than his skating, he was handling himself fine for his role earlier in the season. The high end vision he shows makes you think he could learn the defensive side of the game if he were given a stable, reliable, and predictable defensive partner that could shelter him in the dzone while he figures it out. Same with Hughes although Hughes is obviously way further along in both ends of the ice.

That's the opposite of Chatfield who barely looked like an AHLer that game.
 

Mr. Canucklehead

Kitimat Canuck
Dec 14, 2002
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Can anyone tell me what the Jim Hughson news is. Was he being a Canucks homer or what?

You mean in the Sunday game? Leaf Nation doesn’t like Hughson very much because they feel he hates the Leafs and is a Canuck homer. At least, that’s what’s most of the trending Tweets I read seemed to indicate.
 

WetcoastOrca

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As much as I want a high draft pick, it never gets old beating the Leafs.
What a fun two game series after missing so much hockey! You have to feel good for the players who have been through so much.
The Leafs have a high octane offense but goaltending looks like it will be their downfall. Reminds me a bit of the old West Coast Express years in Vancouver with Cloutier in net.
 

bossram

Registered User
Sep 25, 2013
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Victoria
The game-changing play was made by Rittich, not Hoglander. It was a nothing shot blown by Rittich who subsequently was even worse on Pearson's second goal. Really liking Hoglander's rookie season but tonight was all about good goaltending by Holtby and two awful goals against Rittich in the third period.

People always want to assign galaxy-brain narratives to things that are patently obvious, because they wanna sound like "hockey guys".

Rittich won the game for Vancouver. Like sure, we can credit Hoglander and Pearson and some others, but let's get real. The Leafs were leading 3-2 in the 3rd in a game they largely controlled, when Rittich absolutely gaffes a nothing shot. And then follows it up with the worst Leafs goal against since Toskala.

Sunday night the ice was very tilted for the Leafs, but Holtby absolutely stole the show. Yes, the boys worked very hard and showed a lot of character in a tough situation, but we can all be realistic about how they played and how they really won the game, can't we?

I guess Rittich really wanted the 69th win for 4/20 lol
 

Hit the post

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Hiding under WTG's bed...
People always want to assign galaxy-brain narratives to things that are patently obvious, because they wanna sound like "hockey guys".

Rittich won the game for Vancouver. Like sure, we can credit Hoglander and Pearson and some others, but let's get real. The Leafs were leading 3-2 in the 3rd in a game they largely controlled, when Rittich absolutely gaffes a nothing shot. And then follows it up with the worst Leafs goal against since Toskala.

Sunday night the ice was very tilted for the Leafs, but Holtby absolutely stole the show. Yes, the boys worked very hard and showed a lot of character in a tough situation, but we can all be realistic about how they played and how they really won the game, can't we?

I guess Rotich really wanted the 69th win for 4/20 lol

And I loved every minute of it.:laugh:
 

Pastor Of Muppetz

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Oct 1, 2017
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As much as I want a high draft pick, it never gets old beating the Leafs.
What a fun two game series after missing so much hockey! You have to feel good for the players who have been through so much.
The Leafs have a high octane offense but goaltending looks like it will be their downfall. Reminds me a bit of the old West Coast Express years in Vancouver with Cloutier in net.
Last season I remember Freddie Andersson stealing a game here for the Leafs...Goaltending is as much a part of team as the forwards or D..and you're either getting it , or you're not.
The Leafs are a one dimensional team (and that one dimension is certainly elite, and potent), ... if that gets shut down..they are an ordinary NHL team.
 
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