Post-Game Talk: K .... (Leafs lose 3-1)

[deletethis]

I thought the Leafs exhibited a really strong forecheck early in the game but it became evident that the officials were going to allow the Winnipeg D to run maximum interference on the forecheckers for the rest of the night. That killed the forecheck for the balance of the game.

It was quite the contrast from the Winnipeg team for earlier in the season that looked completely disinterested in defense.

The officiating overall was bad. The line work had several bogus/inexplicably waved off icings plus several unfair puck drops. Scheiffle ran McElhinney without penalty. It's a penalty whether or not it's an accident. Actually if it were on purpose it would be a suspendable offense.

Winnipeg do have an embarrassment of riches in high end young talent. The only potential weaknesses are a one year wonder in goal (maybe) and a defense that needs interference to avoid being exposed on the forecheck/cycle. Their forwards might be second to none.

If the Leafs had the 2nd pick instead of the 1st overall in 2016, it doesn't look like it would have mattered. The only thing that would have mattered is that we'd all be spared that horrendous beard Laine sports.

 

[Gallagbi]

Does it seem like we travel an awful lot on our B2B's? It makes sense on a road trip, but feels like we've had a few home/away splits that weren't home and home like we played vs. Boston.

 

[weems]

I thought the Leafs exhibited a really strong forecheck early in the game but it became evident that the officials were going to allow the Winnipeg D to run maximum interference on the forecheckers for the rest of the night. That killed the forecheck for the balance of the game.

It was quite the contrast from the Winnipeg team for earlier in the season that looked completely disinterested in defense.

The officiating overall was bad. The line work had several bogus/inexplicably waved off icings plus several unfair puck drops. Scheiffle ran McElhinney without penalty. It's a penalty whether or not it's an accident. Actually if it were on purpose it would be a suspendable offense.

Winnipeg do have an embarrassment of riches in high end young talent. The only potential weaknesses are a one year wonder in goal (maybe) and a defense that needs interference to avoid being exposed on the forecheck/cycle. Their forwards might be second to none.

Buff headshotting Kapanen with an elbow right in the slot was the worst non call of the night.

 

[ULF_55]

Wasn't expecting a win, but I PVRd the game just in case I should watch it.

Leafs haven't been playing their best hockey for a while now, hopefully they get it together in the next couple of weeks.

Winning ugly is kind of like being lucky and you can't expect to win lucky all the time.

Jets IMO are the superior team, Canada's best team.

 

[Pi]

Wasn't expecting a win, but I PVRd the game just in case I should watch it.

Leafs haven't been playing their best hockey for a while now, hopefully they get it together in the next couple of weeks.

Winning ugly is kind of like being lucky and you can't expect to win lucky all the time.

Jets IMO are the superior team, Canada's best team.

I don’t think that would have changed even if the Leafs won last night. Jets have a better defense, better goalie and an offense as good as ours. Those are the two areas we need to get better at to get to their level.

Leafs will improve when we don’t have guys like Hainsey and Polak playing minutes. When guys like Zaitsev get reduced minutes and Dermott is promoted.

It would also help quite a bit if the coach made smarter decisions at key moments of the game. I’m worried we will be trying to stop Kucherov and Stamkos with Komarov.

 

[Cor]

Buff headshotting Kapanen with an elbow right in the slot was the worst non call of the night.

Scheifele kneeing McBackup in the head, accidental or not, was brutal as well. Scheifele then drew a penalty and then the Jets scored.

JVR blatantly got high sticked and then the Jets went the other way and scored.

 

[Gallagbi]

Scheifele kneeing McBackup in the head, accidental or not, was brutal as well. Scheifele then drew a penalty and then the Jets scored.

JVR blatantly got high sticked and then the Jets went the other way and scored.

Did he get a high stick? I thought the Jets player just lifted his stick out of his hands.

 

[ShaneFalco]

We lost but Pillar stole 3 bases

 

[weems]

Scheifele kneeing McBackup in the head, accidental or not, was brutal as well. Scheifele then drew a penalty and then the Jets scored.

JVR blatantly got high sticked and then the Jets went the other way and scored.

Myers mugged Marleau in the first period where he had a step on him and had a direct lane to the net.

At least 3 obvious calls that went ignored last night.

Yep we will struggle in the playoffs if blatent dirty stuff like that gets looked past.

 

[ULF_55]

Myers mugged Marleau in the first period where he had a step on him and had a direct lane to the net.

At least 3 obvious calls that went ignored last night.

Yep we will struggle in the playoffs if blatent dirty stuff like that gets looked past.

I don't think you will see more calls in the post season.

So do you think the structure of the team isn't tough enough for the playoffs?

 

[Gary Nylund]

Not a scapegoat at all. From my viewings Johnsson has been more dangerous in the offensive zone, skate quicker, and is a capable pk guy. I don’t care about the age of the guys that play I care that Babcock sticks to his word and makes his team with the best players available. If it were up to me I would love a lineup like this:

Kapanen - Matthews - Nylander
Marleau - Kadri - Marner
JVR - Bozak - Brown
Johnsson - Plekanec - Hyman

You should be aware that this particular poster has a martyr complex and loves to use certain terms when he's losing an argument such as scapegoat, bully, posse and cognitive dissonance so good luck with that. I agree Johnsson has looked really good, I'm hoping he gets into the lineup next week as that would be to me a sign that Babcock wants him to be ready for the playoffs.

 

[weems]

I don't think you will see more calls in the post season.

So do you think the structure of the team isn't tough enough for the playoffs?

I would hope that blatent holding/mugging and cheapshots to the head will get called.

In a perfect world I would love us to have more physicality especially from out vet core but I think if we show up, skate and play to our strengths we should be fine.

I also dont see us a true cup contender (some of this has to do with our path to a cup) and would realistically be happy this season with 1 playoff series victory.

I think Johnsson vs Komarov is a perfect example of what I want. Komarov is this supposed gritty vet but at this point Johnsson plays with more speed and intensity.

I want more intensity infused into this lineup vs tough/grit etc. You dont have to be big or tough to play really hard and do the little things well.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I mean, I don't think we had a problem because the game got physical. We were exhausted and actually outplayed them. Our biggest problem was the refs protected their players but not ours. As long as we don't get stuck with more blatantly 1 sided officials we'll be fine

 

[hizzoner]

I mean, I don't think we had a problem because the game got physical. We were exhausted and actually outplayed them. Our biggest problem was the refs protected their players but not ours. As long as we don't get stuck with more blatantly 1 sided officials we'll be fine

Check the team boards. This is the official motto of every team's fan base. Listen to the play by play and colour guys of teams other than the Leafs when the Leafs are playing and then compare what Leaf paid guys are saying--night and day. Refs do miss calls--but not in the way that we homer fans like to think.

 

[Raging Bull]

Wasn't expecting a win, but I PVRd the game just in case I should watch it.

Leafs haven't been playing their best hockey for a while now, hopefully they get it together in the next couple of weeks.

Winning ugly is kind of like being lucky and you can't expect to win lucky all the time.

Jets IMO are the superior team, Canada's best team.

Jets are better, wouldn't say it's by a large margin though. They have guys left over from the Atlanta days that are finally getting a taste of success, Buff, Little, Enstrom, Wheeler. Jets have been building for a long time.

 

[ULF_55]

Jets are better, wouldn't say it's by a large margin though. They have guys left over from the Atlanta days that are finally getting a taste of success, Buff, Little, Enstrom, Wheeler. Jets have been building for a long time.

Yep, and have guys on defense who can make you pay. We know the Leafs biggest issue is on defense, regardless of what metrics suggest, thuggery is part of the game and it doesn't bend to advanced stats.

 

[CelticDruid]

Clearly, we need a few bigger men on the back end as our D is full of lightweights.Would be nice to have someone who could actually put fear into the opposing forwards.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Check the team boards. This is the official motto of every team's fan base. Listen to the play by play and colour guys of teams other than the Leafs when the Leafs are playing and then compare what Leaf paid guys are saying--night and day. Refs do miss calls--but not in the way that we homer fans like to think.

It's not just homer fans. Even Babcock knows we often get the short end of the stick. The stats corroborate this. We don't draw enough penalties for our skill level

 

[Pi]

It's not just homer fans. Even Babcock knows we often get the short end of the stick. The stats corroborate this. We don't draw enough penalties for our skill level

We have the lowest PP minutes in the entire league, one of the worst PP/PK differentials. I just don’t understand how it’s warranted. We have very few players that take a lot of penalties, not a lot of slow players who get caught, and a fast forechecking team that should be able to draw penalties.

Tampa for example has ~100 more mins on the PP than us...that’s five periods of hockey.

The refs can easily decide the series before it even begins.

 

[pengdeng12]

I don’t think that would have changed even if the Leafs won last night. Jets have a better defense, better goalie and an offense as good as ours. Those are the two areas we need to get better at to get to their level.

Leafs will improve when we don’t have guys like Hainsey and Polak playing minutes. When guys like Zaitsev get reduced minutes and Dermott is promoted.

It would also help quite a bit if the coach made smarter decisions at key moments of the game. I’m worried we will be trying to stop Kucherov and Stamkos with Komarov.

lmao this is funny. Even money puck had us getting more expected goals. Even if you discount the third, it was close xFG. We controlled the first. Even Paul Maurice when asked what was the turning point. He said something like playing b2b especially with 5 dman is rough and the turning point was dermott going down.

with Dermott we were the better team. We'll smack them if we meet them again

 

[weems]

lmao this is funny. Even money puck had us getting more expected goals. Even if you discount the third, it was close xFG. We controlled the first. Even Paul Maurice when asked what was the turning point. He said something like playing b2b especially with 5 dman is rough and the turning point was dermott going down.

with Dermott we were the better team. We'll smack them if we meet them again

Back to back, 3rd in 4 nights, down to 5D with your backup goalie.

How much worse can it really get?

 

[hector morrison]

Only problem I had with the game is that no one had the balls to stick up for their goalie after he got ran. That was just embarrassing. I dont care if you're not a fighter, you have to set the precedent, and they never have. Andy gets hit like every game. Teams arent afraid to crash right into our goalies.

 

[MyBudJT]

We have the lowest PP minutes in the entire league, one of the worst PP/PK differentials. I just don’t understand how it’s warranted. We have very few players that take a lot of penalties, not a lot of slow players who get caught, and a fast forechecking team that should be able to draw penalties.

Tampa for example has ~100 more mins on the PP than us...that’s five periods of hockey.

The refs can easily decide the series before it even begins.

I agree to an extent, but its not quite as bad as you make it sound.

Maple Leafs are:
29th in PP Opportunities. NAS, TBL, WIN, BOS and VGK are 3rd, 4th, 6th, 10th and 15th respectively.
7th fewest Times Short.

PP OPP-TS differiential:
TOR: -6 (19th in the NHL)

NAS: -23 (24th in the NHL)
TBL: +6 (15th in the NHL)
WIN: 0 (17th in the NHL)
BOS: +13 (13th in the NHL)
VGK: +12 (14th in the NHL)

CAR: +47 (1st in the NHL)
PHI: +40 (2nd)
CHI: + 37 (3rd)
SJS: +31 (4th)
COL: +24 (5th)
WAS: -27 (27th)
VAN: -30 (28th)
DAL: -32 (29th)
EDM: -34 (30th)
ANA: -59 (31st)

 

[ottomaddox]

So much lamenting here.

Last night was not a statement game by The Peg.

Tired Leafs team, back-up goalie, players coming back from injury, etc.

I still like the leafs against The Jets in a 7 game series.

 

[hector morrison]

100% this.
I suspect there must be a mandate from Babs to not retaliate. As a player I would be embarrased.
All year this has been happening. If i am the opposing team watching video of the leafs,seeing no retribution, no call from the refs,then for sure running the goalie will be a part of the strategy. Wonder if Lou and/or Shanny have noticed . Maybe nothing will be done until there is a serious injury.