Pre-Game Talk: Going Sasquatch Chopping: Leafs @ Buffalo

[frankthetank91]

This can either be extremely boring due to having to ice half an AHL team and having no centers left to generate any sort of scoring.

Orrrrrrrrr it will just be a giant goon brawl and be fun.

 

[The Thin White Duke]

Put Kulemin at center. He's defensively responsible and has the speed to keep up with Kessel/JVR, plus he can dig pucks out for them pretty well. Actually, isn't he pretty good on faceoffs too? I remember him usually winning when Grabo would get kicked out.

 

[Pyrophorus]

If we had just Naz or Tyler, I would say we win.

Now with a new coach, at an unfriendly building, these 3 games are
quite the toss up.

Even though the D has played well, they're going to have to step up
even more.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Put Kulemin at center. He's defensively responsible and has the speed to keep up with Kessel/JVR, plus he can dig pucks out for them pretty well. Actually, isn't he pretty good on faceoffs too? I remember him usually winning when Grabo would get kicked out.

When Korolev was alive, he was awesome, since his death, quite poor.
I think Nik's aversion to playing C, is more the defensive responsibility, which I'm sure he could perform.

 

[o Oblivious]

Leafs always seem to stink it up in at least one of the games when they play back to back. I predict we will go 1-1 with them. One game we will play great, the other game we will look terrible.

Personally, I feel like the Leafs likely will win the Friday game, and then get crushed Saturday.

Also, I doubt there will be much in the fighting/goon department. Buffalo will be anxious to prove themselves to their new coach, and lets face it, its not Ron Rolston. I doubt Nolan pulls the **** he did.

 

[blueberrie]

I think Gardiner's roving style of play could be an alright fit for a C. Allows him to retrieve the puck and skate it knowing he's still got 2 behind him.

Our C depth is hilariously bad now, first line center Jay McClemment Hope we win these.

 

[Mowerman]

Thank god for a back to back against Buffalo to help weather the storm

 

[headwire]

Thank god for a back to back against Buffalo to help weather the storm

I hate to be doom and gloom, but I'm very concerned that we will lose both games.

 

[Confucius]

If we had just Naz or Tyler, I would say we win.

Now with a new coach, at an unfriendly building, these 3 games are
quite the toss up.

Even though the D has played well, they're going to have to step up
even more.

Considering the number of Leaf fans that will be in attendance I wouldn't consider Buffalo an unfriendly situation, or any Canadian city for that matter. Heck there were over 5,000 leaf fans in minnesota

 

[HockeyGuy82]

Easy part of the schedule coming up:

No excuse not to win at least 6 of 8.

Maybe easier should be used instead of easy.

 

[HockeyGuy82]

I hate to be doom and gloom, but I'm very concerned that we will lose both games.

Nonis will have lots a pressure to do something if we lose those 2.

 

[ULF_55]

Leafs always seem to stink it up in at least one of the games when they play back to back. I predict we will go 1-1 with them. One game we will play great, the other game we will look terrible.

Personally, I feel like the Leafs likely will win the Friday game, and then get crushed Saturday.

Also, I doubt there will be much in the fighting/goon department. Buffalo will be anxious to prove themselves to their new coach, and lets face it, its not Ron Rolston. I doubt Nolan pulls the **** he did.

Funny they were talking about when Nolan was the coach there and said the players loved him, but they had a bunch of tough players. Barnably, Ray, Boughner, Shannon, Galley, May.

Nolan might be a goon coach.

 

[LeafsMonster]

Sundin comes out of retirement to help his former team

 

[Al14]

Maybe easier should be used instead of easy.

There is not one single easy game in the next 8 games. Especially, with our shortage at the C position. We might just go 4 and 4. I hope we can do 5 and 3 at minimum.

 

[Al14]

I hate to be doom and gloom, but I'm very concerned that we will lose both games.

You are not the only one. Our players better not take the Sabres too lightly. They'll be trying to impress their new Coach and President of Hockey Ops.

I'd be overjoyed if we won both, however, getting 3 of 4 points would be acceptable to me. Let's hope we don't get skunked!

 

[gtforepro]

Well if Kadri is out too than we may not even have a chance against Buffalo. Too many lost players to even handle anymore. We have been boring as hell lately too. If we lose can we at least goon it up like the preseason game and have some brawls to wake us up or something. Give Orr and McLaren top 6 minutes, call up Broll and Devane.

Projected Line Up:

McLaren-McClement-Orr
Devane- Smithson- Broll
Ashton-Smith-Clarkson
Lupul-JVR-Kessel(give this line around 5-8 minutes, let Kessel come on when we need a fight to get the game going, preferably against Brian Flynn)

Fraser-Phaneuf
Ranger-Holzer
Brennan-Gardiner

BERNIER
Reimer

Had a little chuckle with my cup of coffee reading this post.

 

[Chandrashekhar Limit]

Who thought we'd be missing all of our top 3 centers 18 games into the season?

 

[gustavsson50]

I still think leafs win this game. Will be low scoring game. Reimer will be the stealer.

 

[LeafsMonster]

Honestly might not be such a bad idea to ice gardiner as a forward. Especially since we hve enough d to play without him there.

 

[blue82]

does anyone actually think we can win tonight? no centers, buffalo's first game with different coach, the buffalo factor..if we do win it will need to be 1-0 or 2-1 but problem is everytime we play there buffalo's offense becomes the best in the league, and their PP becomes the best in the league lol on second thought i think pominville was a huge part of the beatings in buffalo..we have some hope!

 

[HockeyGuy82]

I don't care not to see fighting tonight. I'm ok with defending players, or to turn the momentum around. But were here to win hockey, and get those 4 points. For those that think about fighting Scott before winning, GSP is defending his belt this tomorrow in Vegas.

 

[Suntouchable13]

does anyone actually think we can win tonight? no centers, buffalo's first game with different coach, the buffalo factor..if we do win it will need to be 1-0 or 2-1 but problem is everytime we play there buffalo's offense becomes the best in the league, and their PP becomes the best in the league lol on second thought i think pominville was a huge part of the beatings in buffalo..we have some hope!

We're playing Buffalo. Not even an average AHL team. LA should be embarrassed that they lost the other night. We can and will win.

 

[LeafsMonster]

I'm hoping to keep the mcclement-kulemin duo together. They are such a good shutdown line and played beastly last game.

 

[egd27]

Both A and B are really good points. We're hurting enough as it is, and the NHL's decided we'll be their example for teams across the league.

Goalie and defense have to have a big game tomorrow, we're struggling enough to score as it is, and losing Kadri hurts. We need these two games badly.

Taking anything to help ease the paranoia?

 

[namttebih]

Lupul JVR Kessel
Raymond McClement Kulemin
Devane Broll Bodie
McLaren Clarkson Orr

Tee hee