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

[aresknights]

If he's been playing with a thumb injury, that would explain all his stick handling and passing blunders.

Nah can't be. I read all the experts on here saying he was done n too old......

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

Leafs in six, if the Habs are able to win the two first games by miracle, I will change my mind.

 

[Tyson]

Doesn't mean much. You prefer Staal ?

My point is we have some guys who have battled deep into the playoffs and this could be beneficial.

Habs are underdogs but I refuse to join the chorus that the Habs stand no chance. Toronto has to win 4 games. They very well could but I am not willing to say they are a shoe in.

 

[Bigbadhabs33]

My point is we have some guys who have battled deep into the playoffs and this could be beneficial.

Habs are underdogs but I refuse to join the chorus that the Habs stand no chance. Toronto has to win 4 games. They very well could but I am not willing to say they are a shoe in.

If the leafs lose the first game than doubt is planted. Leafs should win this series, not easily cause it will be a battle but should and will are two different things. I just love how no one is giving us any chance or even winning a game. Our habs are reading and seeing that and they will come out firing. Sure we don't have a mathews or marner but we still have really good players who know how to play hard. Leafs haven't proved anything except they're a really good regular season team . I'll believe in them when I see results. Sure they got jumbo Joe who couldn't win in his prime with a stacked sharks team., now that he is 50, he's going to be amazing

 

[JianYang]

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.

They might be back but the bigger question is whether they are back because they are healthy, or are they back because it's the playoffs.

In Weber's case, it sounds like he will be back but playing hurt. I'm not sure about the others.

 

[TT1]

just make sure you don't play Staal

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

If Price plays the way he has in the last 2 playoffs we will win

 

[peate]

just make sure you don't play Staal

It's 100% he plays. Berg got him for his playoff experience. Ducharme was told ahead of time. Staal plays.

 

[TT1]

It's 100% he plays. Berg got him for his playoff experience. Ducharme was told ahead of time. Staal plays.

 

[Runner77]

It's 100% he plays. Berg got him for his playoff experience. Ducharme was told ahead of time. Staal plays.

Exactly this. Bergevin’s position is likely on the line — he’s not going to let a rookie coach make a different decision. Dom is not the sharpest tool in the shed but I’d be very surprised if he had any say in the deployment of the players Bergevin purposely added for the playoffs.

 

[Runner77]

If Price plays the way he has in the last 2 playoffs we will win

I’d say it hangs on how well the Habs may contain Matthews and Marner.

 

[TT1]

i'd go with:

Anderson/Toffoli - Suzuki - Caufield (o-zone)
Tatar/Perry - Danault - Gally (shutdown/d-zone line)
Anderson/Toffoli - KK - Armia (o-zone)
Lehk - Evans - Byron (shutdown/d-zone line)

Bench either Tatar or Perry, Lehk - Evans - Byron have good chemistry and they can match up against any line.

 

[HuGo Sham]

kaplan and noted hab hater greg wyshinsky take leafs in 4 espn:
Lapsed fan's guide to the NHL playoffs: Everything you might have missed

 

[Scintillating10]

We need somebody to be a Richard Zednik this series. That year we barely crept into playoffs and met the heavily favoured Bruins. Who finished 2nd overall in regular season.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

I’d say it hangs on how well the Habs may contain Matthews and Marner.

I think that will depend a lot on how the refs call the games. If it’s usual playoff hockey where you can play more physical without sitting in the box we will be ok. If they’re getting whistled cause the opposition is too lazy to hold onto their stick we will be in trouble.
Hopefully Chris Lee is banned from reffing any Habs games forever

 

[JianYang]

i'd go with:

Anderson/Toffoli - Suzuki - Caufield (o-zone)
Tatar/Perry - Danault - Gally (shutdown/d-zone line)
Anderson/Toffoli - KK - Armia (o-zone)
Lehk - Evans - Byron (shutdown/d-zone line)

Bench either Tatar or Perry, Lehk - Evans - Byron have good chemistry and they can match up against any line.

You absolutely need to go with Tatar-Danault-gally, and hope they can pick up where they left off before Gallagher got hurt.

Those three make each other better when they are going.

 

[Gravity]

There's two playoff pre-game threads afaik. Any difference between each?

 

[Runner77]

I think that will depend a lot on how the refs call the games. If it’s usual playoff hockey where you can play more physical without sitting in the box we will be ok. If they’re getting whistled cause the opposition is too lazy to hold onto their stick we will be in trouble.
Hopefully Chris Lee is banned from reffing any Habs games forever

If typical playoff refereeing is involved, a lot of stuff isn’t going to get called.

 

[McGees]

I mean Leafs are led by clutch Stanley cup winners Joe Thornton and Jason Spezza..wait never mind

 

[Fenwick McCorsi]

It's not that it wouldn't be nice for them to make a deep run but... I just don't see it. Healthy we're bad, injured we're bad, lines built based on years of service, too many defensive mistakes that turn into grade A chances that only require the most minimal of pressure to happen. It just doesn't look good.

The Leafs have been hilarious to watch choke game 7's in the first round, but that was against what Marc Bergevin thinks this team is (and might be if divine intervention is on the menu): a strong playoff team. Likewise beating Pittsburgh last year wasn't as impressive as beating Pittsburgh in a year where they're considered strong Cup contenders. They played how they looked most of the year: not very well, and the kids + Price jumped on it. It's still a nice achievement, but nowhere near the thing that should be defining your next moves as a franchise.

My heart says Habs in 7 because keeping the memes alive would be great, and my brain says Leafs in 5.

 

[JoelWarlord]

Have to use KK and Caufield. Sitting those guys for Staal and Armia is just toxic poison loser energy. You deserve to lose if you're benching the best 1 shot sniper this team's had since Cammalleri.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

 

[McGees]

Hope Jets bruise some Leaf bodies and egos tonight lol

 

[abo9]

If Price comes back, we have as much a chance as Columbus had to beat Tampa a couple years ago.

I say Habs in 7 because irrationality

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

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.

That injury explains a lot. He's played like crap this year.

Reminds me of when Gallagher was playing with his hand injuries. Completely different player.