Pre-Game Talk: Habs vs Leafs Now that's hockey.

[peate]

With the start of the series a week away, we have plenty of time for a dedicated thread and a little poll for your amusement. After taking a peek at the main board's Playoff thread, this series is highly anticipated and the Leaf's fans angst is palpable.

I gotta admit, I'm a little anxious for this series to get started.

GOGO​

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[Gamimenos]

Back to back home games for us. Even the schedule makers think this will end in 4 for the Leafs

 

[Conflicted Habs fan]

All I can say is that nothing can be predicted, as always will be a good series to watch and hope the Habs come out on top

 

[TT1]

Habs in 6 LETS GO

 

[WeThreeKings]

Leafs in 5, they'll be well rested for round 2.

 

[Canadiens Ghost]

All I can say is that nothing can be predicted, as always will be a good series to watch and hope the Habs come out on top

Exactly. Favorite teams are upset every year. Leafs should win on paper but I wouldn't be totally shocked if the Habs won.

 

[BLONG7]

All I can say is that nothing can be predicted, as always will be a good series to watch and hope the Habs come out on top

Predictions are for gypsies!!! ( Toe Blake )
Absolutely no one, or very few of the pundits will be taking the Habs......even Red Button at TSN has jumped off the wagon, and said the habs would not get a game......alot of social media trash talking has the leafs in the second round already....
Hopefully some poster board material for the Habs!!

 

[roy munson]

I like the feeling of being the underdog. They win and we're pleasantly surprised, they lose and we think it's logical.
There's often a team that comes out of nowhere, the hope that it will be us makes it fun for me.

edit: to make it clear, I'd prefer we were the favorites

 

[ReginaHabs]

I like the feeling of being the underdog. They win and we're pleasantly surprised, they lose and we think it's logical.
There's often a team that comes out of nowhere, the hope that it will be us makes it fun for me.

Yeah, it feels like this was all the best way for this to play out. If the expectations for the Habs were higher the disappointment if they lost the series would be that much greater. With expectations in the basement for the Habs and through the roof for the Leafs, either the Leafs win and everyone shrugs and moves on or the Habs do and chaos ensues.

For me–with this version of the Habs vs. this version of the Leafs–taking it to 6-7 games and giving them a bit of a scare + wearing them down a bit for the next round is the best case scenario I'll let myself hope for. Anything beyond that is just gravy.

 

[Sam of Montreal]

It is slightly more likely that we lose than to win, but who knows. Habs players have often showed up much stronger in the playoffs than regular season.

The rest this week may do wonders for injured and uninjured players alike. Habs are way more physical than Leafs, that sometimes factors in more during the playoffs.

I just hope it's enjoyable and not blowouts one way or the other so that we can have meaningful, exciting hockey. I also hope we win, but the first one is a more reasonable expectation.

(I'd be ok with blowing them out once or twice.)

 

[smirob]

Feels a bit like a no lose situation.

Things pan out as expected, we lose and HOPEFULLY forces Molson's hand to do something

We win, we get bragging rights for the next decade.

 

[Adam Michaels]

I think Leafs will win this series. But I don't think they'll walk all over Habs the way they were during the regular season, particularly the last few games.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Feels a bit like a no lose situation.

Things pan out as expected, we lose and HOPEFULLY forces Molson's hand to do something

We win, we get bragging rights for the next decade.

Losing in 6 or 7 would be the worse case because it might garner hope

So really we either need to get owned or we need to win.

 

[Le Tricolore]

If the four guys out with injuries are back and ready to play in game 1 then this could be a series. If not, I don't like our chances.

Anyway, I said Habs in 4 because the Leafs suck.

 

[smirob]

Losing in 6 or 7 would be the worse case because it might garner hope

So really we either need to get owned or we need to win.

Valid point. I can imagine the presser now.....

 

[McGees]

I just had a dream that Price came back and was rusty AF and Matthews scored a softie on him...I've had foreshadowed dreams before, just saying.

 

[roy munson]

For me–with this version of the Habs vs. this version of the Leafs–taking it to 6-7 games and giving them a bit of a scare + wearing them down a bit for the next round is the best case scenario I'll let myself hope for. Anything beyond that is just gravy.

The (foolish?) thought of us kicking the Leafs out the playoffs is a glorious one. We'll have to wait to see which Hab team we'll get.

 

[Captain Mountain]

It kind of depends how healthy Gallagher/Danault/Weber/Price are. Because if Montreal has Gallagher and Danault back as a shutdown line, Weber that can actually pass the puck and playoff Price, then it should be tight series. If they don't, its a cakewalk for Toronto.

 

[JuicyHam]

I think realistically it'll be leafs in 5 but it will probably go 7 and who knows at that point

 

[Hoochi Papa]

Leafs in 4. Montréal and their slow AF defense will be eaten alive.

 

[JianYang]

So someone mentioned that Weber has ligament damage in his hand that will require surgery.

This is the type of stuff that is worrisome. There's a difference between getting bodies back because they are healthy, and getting bodies back because it's the playoffs.

If this is true, then at least in Weber's case, they are not getting a healthy body back.

 

[Supersonic]

As I said in the mainboard:

Habs in 6; somehow we steal game 1 and tilt the series in our favour

 

[bobholly39]

Caufield to outgoal Matthews
Suzuki to outpoint Marner
Price to put Campbell in his little pocket

Caufield to out-GWG the whole Leafs

Habs in 6

 

[A Loyal Dog]

Leafs in 4.

The difference maker won’t be Carey Price or Brendan Gallagher, etc. It will be this guy:

 

[Miller Time]

Laffs line change control & playoff big minutes for their top two lines is going to be ugly for our defense... Price & emotion lets us take 1 game at home, Laffs wrap it up in 5.

Hope like hell the team proves me wrong & the laffs fold like a cheap tent under the weight of heavy-favorite pressure