Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose 4-2

[wingman75]

Lame effort. PP continues. Campbell didn't look overly good, nor did anyone else other than the 3rd line. Special mention to Rielly for actually managing to suck the most.

 

[Stephen]

Exactly what I was going to post. Fans really need to take a break. A ton of stupid hot takes the past few games when the Leafs have not even played poorly.

I think if you're looking for "championship habits" that Keefe talks about, you just want to see the team firing on all cylinders, auto win the last two games at a high level cruise control and be ruthless about finishing with as much home ice advantage as possible not knowing what the later rounds will look like. Just be hungry to win and iron out all the wrinkles.

Look at Colorado. They won 5 in a row to clinch the Presidents Trophy. Florida has won 6 in a row. I would rather be doing that than load managing and nonchalantly dropping 3 of 4 points.

It's not a "big deal" but why go cold only to have to turn it up again?

 

[Dave92]

I will say, I am surprised Galchenyuk seemingly won't start the playoffs. Against his old team and a member of the team when it was on fire, it seems odd

His defensive game needs some work, but so does Nylanders, at quite a different pay scale.

Keefe is looking for balance I suppose and Foligno makes him redundant.

The key will be defense and drive in the postseason. They had better bring it.

So you think they should sit Nylander for Galchenyuk?

 

[egd27]

Game done in 2:22. Both teams just wanted to get the hell out.

Like the old days when the games always began at 8 and were over with a post game by 10:30

 

[stickty111]

if they're going to play a meaningless game they might as well use it to sharpen up their play instead of look like ass, it's not like they have a history of playoff success to warrant going ass backwards into the playoffs

This comment makes no sense. What does playoff sucess have anything to do with showing up for meaningless games?

So you would prefer win 10-0 in this game and then lose in the 1st round?

If they won this game, nobody would care. Since they lost, all the silly criticism comes in.

 

[MoreMogilny]

Is one week enough time for Rielly to go to defence school?

Hopefully the team can spend considerable time on the power play.

 

[Gallagbi]

0 for 2 on the powerplay in a meaningless game, they still couldn't score.

0 for 12 against Columbus, lost to a much inferior team.

Special teams wins playoff series, that's fact.

7% in the last 3 months on the powerplay should concern ANY Leafs fan.

...but we scored 2 PPG against CLB?

 

[Menzinger]

Do you not understand the impact of getting the last change?

And when we may be playing in arenas with US fans, it’s likely better to limit the amount of games our opposition gets energized by them

I'd rather walk away from the last couple games with the players all 100% healthy and ready to go than risk that to get a relatively minor advantage in the 3rd round.

Last change is definitely nice to have, but I doubt it's going to be an overwhelmingly decisive factor for any series

 

[BertCorbeau]

I don't faith in this team with such a pathetic PP. Even the Habs have a chance of an upset if the pathetic PP woes continue.

I agree with this. The Leafs' PP almost makes them play worse 5 on 5 from the lack of momentum.

 

[egd27]

6th overall is the best we could do?

No, if we had won more games we probably would have finished higher.

 

[Dave92]

I think if you're looking for "championship habits" that Keefe talks about, you just want to see the team firing on all cylinders, auto win the last two games at a high level cruise control and be ruthless about finishing with as much home ice advantage as possible not knowing what the later rounds will look like. Just be hungry to win and iron out all the wrinkles.

Look at Colorado. They won 5 in a row to clinch the Presidents Trophy. Florida has won 6 in a row. I would rather be doing that than load managing and nonchalantly dropping 3 of 4 points.

It's not a "big deal" but why go cold only to have to turn it up again?

Nothing ever matters until the teams is 20 min from another 1st round flop. And then it was just bad luck.

 

[egd27]

Dropping 2 spots in the standing isn't meaningless.

It may be.

 

[LastOne2100]

I think if you're looking for "championship habits" that Keefe talks about, you just want to see the team firing on all cylinders, auto win the last two games at a high level cruise control and be ruthless about finishing with as much home ice advantage as possible not knowing what the later rounds will look like. Just be hungry to win and iron out all the wrinkles.

Look at Colorado. They won 5 in a row to clinch the Presidents Trophy. Florida has won 6 in a row. I would rather be doing that than load managing and nonchalantly dropping 3 of 4 points.

It's not a "big deal" but why go cold only to have to turn it up again?

Exactly. I have no idea why our fanbase continues to gobble up mediocrity.

Power play is still a mess, dropping two in a row is really not what we should be expecting for if we're serious about winning the cup.

Destroy the Senators and Winnipeg, go into the playoffs with swagger.

 

[Kiwi]

I think the team cared about this game about as much as I did

Now for the games that actually matter

 

[dubey]

Another sub .900 game for Campbell, like 5 in a row now.

Freaking numbers... how do they work??

 

[Gallagbi]

I agree with this. The Leafs' PP almost makes them play worse 5 on 5 from the lack of momentum.

PP will be very interesting with a few days between games and a specific target to watch. I wonder if we see something a little closer to our old setups

 

[MR4]

If you lose a series because of last change, then you weren’t good enough for the Cup anyway.

We don’t even know where the Leafs would play if we made the semis.

So much whining on this board about an awesome team.

Just calm down and get ready for the real games.

You said it’s meaningless, but it’s not. Even though it’s not something you would rely on, it most definitely is something Keefe would wish he had if we make it to semi’s.

No whining from me, excited as well.

 

[ViewsFromThe6ix]

I will say, I am surprised Galchenyuk seemingly won't start the playoffs. Against his old team and a member of the team when it was on fire, it seems odd

His defensive game needs some work, but so does Nylanders, at quite a different pay scale.

Keefe is looking for balance I suppose and Foligno makes him redundant.

The key will be defense and drive in the postseason. They had better bring it. Too often, some players have been invisible relying on the top line.

??? Nylander is one of the best at neutral zone takeaways in the league. Galchenyuk is nowhere close.

 

[Captain14]

I don’t care what anybody thinks, we do not need to and should not re-sign Morgan Reilly to any kind of deal.
I don’t even know what he brings to the table anymore. He can’t defend, he can’t shoot, he is not a good passer, he is brutal on the PP and he is not going to get any better. He is a liability at this point.
Go out and get a real #1 D to play with Brodie.
We have plenty of firepower without him.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

No, if we had won more games we probably would have finished higher.

Hell if we pushed tonight to OT we’d be 5th outright.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

0 for 2 on the powerplay in a meaningless game, they still couldn't score.

0 for 12 against Columbus, lost to a much inferior team.

Special teams wins playoff series, that's fact.

7% in the last 3 months on the powerplay should concern ANY Leafs fan.

Leafs scored 2 PP goals against Columbus in something like 12 opportunities.

CBJ was shut out by us on the PP and gave up a goal.

 

[Leafsfan74]

So you think they should sit Nylander for Galchenyuk?

No. I think he would be a better fit for the post season over Mikheyev. It is going to be a physical series whether we like it or not. Gally can draw penalties with his forecheck.

 

[Gallagbi]

No. I think he would be a better fit for the post season over Mikheyev. It is going to be a physical series whether we like it or not. Gally can draw penalties with his forecheck.

If we're looking at forecheck I take Mik all day, his speed just creates so much more in that regard.

Throw Hyman with Tavares, and they have some bodies that can get on D with every line.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Would this be your group heading into the playoffs?

Foligno-Matthews-Marner
Hyman-Tavares-Nylander
Simmonds-Kerfoot-Mikheyev
Thornton-Brooks or Engvall -Spezza
Galchenyuk

Muzzin-Holl
Reilly-Brodie
Sandin-Dermott (Bogosian if healthy)
Hutton

Don't think you can have Kerfoot at centre if you want to go far. Nash would probably be 3rd line C.

 

[Dave92]

It may be.

Nah I think saying you finished 4th instead of 6th has a tiny bit of value in it's self even if it doesn't end up affecting the playoffs.